Comparison

Pad MIDI vs Chords Pad

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pad MIDI

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a versatile MIDI controller. It offers wireless and USB connectivity, customizable pads, and a full piano keyboard for your music production needs. Requires external hardware or software to generate sound.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth and USB MIDI support
  • 16 assignable MIDI pads
  • Full 88-key piano keyboard
  • Selectable MIDI channel and velocity
  • CC and Program Change controllers
  • MIDI message log/debugger
Features
Read full description

Pad MIDI turns your iPhone/iPad into MIDI pads and keyboard for your synth or DAW * Supports Bluetooth wireless / USB MIDI * Supports native Mac OS Network MIDI (Core MIDI) * 16 assignable / nameable MIDI pads * Full 88 key piano * Selectable MIDI channel and velocity * CC / Program change controllers * MIDI message log / debugger * Requires external synth or plugin to produce sound Learn how to connect here: http://support.thirteen32.com/apps/padmidi/

About

Chords Pad

Explore musical chords with an interactive keyboard display and customizable pads. Visualize chord tones, experiment with progressions, and play notes via MIDI. Unlock advanced features and sounds through in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Chord tone display on keyboard
  • Customizable chord pads
  • Chord progression builder
  • MIDI Bluetooth support
  • Multiple chord list layouts
  • Adjustable keyboard range
Read full description

This app can easily check the sound and the display on the keyboard of the chord tone of musical chords. We have prepared various UI for checking the chords. Use the method that suits you. - Pad Display - Chord List - Pad Display - Custom Pad - Chord Progress [Chord List] You can select from the following patterns for the chord button list display. It supports chord reordering and toggling chord visibility. - Each key : Displays all types of chord patterns in a list for each key - Vertical : Displays all types of chord patterns vertically and each key horizontally - Horizontal : Displays all types of chord patterns horizontally with each key vertically [Custom pad] Larger buttons than the chord list are arranged. You can freely set the chord and key for each button. [Chord Progress] Add common chord progressions from presets or create your own. You can also edit individual chords, transpose, reorder, and delete chord progressions. In either case, when the chord button is tapped, the selected chord is played and the chord tone is displayed on the keyboard. * If you'd like to display all the chord patterns including tension (b9, # 9, 11, # 11, b13, 13), You need In-App Purchase. [Chord inversion area] When you select a chord in "Chord List" or "Custom Pad," its root position and inversions appear below the chord button area. Example: - CM7 : C E G B (Root position) - CM7/E : E G B C - CM7/G : G B C E - CM7/B : B C E G The note after "/" indicates the bass note. Scroll horizontally through the inversions and tap a button to play it and display its notes on the keyboard. The inversion area for "Custom Pad" can be shown or hidden with "Inversion display" in Settings. Other features: - Supports chord reordering and toggling chord visibility in the "Chord List". ([Settings screen] - [Edit Chord List]) - The keyboard can be slid with the slider. (range: C2 ~ C7) And the keyboard also supports playing. - There are 28 types in all kinds of sound. (It is 9 kinds can be used in the initial state. To use all type, you need In-App Purchase.) - Supports Bluetooth MIDI connection. - Supports sending MIDI messages (note on / off). Chord list: M, 7, 7(b5), 7(#5), 6, 6 9, 9, add9, M7, M9, M7(b5), M7(#5), m, m6, m6 9, m(#5), m add9, m7, mM7, m7(b5), m7(#5), m9, mM9, aug, dim, dim7, sus4, 7sus4, 9sus4, M7sus4, M9sus4, sus2, 7sus2, M7sus2 (To use below, you need In-App Purchase.) 7(b9), 7(#9), 7(#11), 7(b13), 7(13), 7(b9 #11), 7(b9 b13), 7(b9 13), 9(#11), 9(b13), 9(13), 7(#9 #11), 7(#9 b13), 7(#9 13), M7(#11), M9(#11), M7(13), M9(13), m7(11), m7(13), m9(11), m7(b5 11), m7(b5 13) If you would like to create more flexible chord progressions or compose music using chords, try iOS app "Piano Chords Master".

Screenshots

Pad MIDI4 screens
Chords Pad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chords Pad at 77% against Pad MIDI's 26%. Chords Pad also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.9 vs 3.0). Pad MIDI's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Chords Pad is free to download; Pad MIDI costs $0.99 up front. Chords Pad sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Pad MIDI asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chords Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chords Pad has 96 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Pad MIDI's written reviews are positive against 77% of Chords Pad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pad MIDI ships an update every 2 months, Chords Pad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Pad MIDI versus Chords Pad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPad MIDIChords Pad
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating3.0 (1 ratings)4.9 (96 ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.3% of reviews77.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings196 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThirteen32 Pty LtdLoop-Sessions.LLC.

Customer experience

Pad MIDI

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews179 reviews
Positive26.3%
Neutral9.5%
Negative64.2%

Chords Pad

All ratings96 ratings
Positive99.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.0%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive77.4%
Neutral9.7%
Negative12.9%

Bugs and requests

Pad MIDI

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App stays on loading page
  • App crashes after splash screen
  • App crashes on startup
  • App won't load
  • App won't open
Show 9 more
  • No sound output
  • Ads cannot be escaped
  • Accidentally clicked remove ad, needs refund
  • Ads couldn't be clicked out of
  • Notes don't work
  • Cannot connect to software
  • App crashes when loading
  • App crashes when opening
  • App automatically closes

Requested features

10 requests
  • Multi-touch support
  • Turn phone display off and maintain connectivity
  • Assign velocity to saved pads
  • Numerical velocity input
  • Customizable button colors/styles
Show 5 more
  • XY pad or faders/rotary encoders
  • More pages and knobs
  • Instructional video for setup
  • Support for newer software versions
  • USB connection for reduced latency

Chords Pad

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Pad MIDI

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Chords Pad

One-time4
  • All sounds are available$0.99
  • Available sending MIDI message$0.99
  • All chords are available$2.49
Show 1 more
  • Always remove ads.$7.99

Questions

Is Pad MIDI free?
Pad MIDI costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chords Pad free?
Chords Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pad MIDI or Chords Pad?
Chords Pad is rated higher. Pad MIDI averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Chords Pad averages 4.9 from 96 ratings.
Do Pad MIDI or Chords Pad have ads?
Chords Pad shows ads; Pad MIDI does not.
Which is updated more often, Pad MIDI or Chords Pad?
Pad MIDI ships an update every 2 months, and Chords Pad every 6 weeks. Most recently, Pad MIDI was updated on October 10, 2026 and Chords Pad on October 24, 2026.

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