Comparison

Pad MIDI vs Midi Controller

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

Midi Controller

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a versatile MIDI controller. Send notes, control changes, and program changes wirelessly or via USB to any compatible DAW or hardware. Customize your workspace with unlimited, dynamic controls.

Highlights
  • USB, WLAN, and Bluetooth connectivity
  • Customizable buttons, pads, and sliders
  • Send Notes, CC, and Program Change values
  • Works with macOS and CoreMidi compatible hardware
  • No additional software required
  • Dynamic control creation
Features
Read full description

MidiController turns your iPhone/iPad into a complete MIDI controller, that works over USB, WLAN or Bluetooth. No additional software needed! Send all possible Notes, Continuous Controller / Control Change and Program Change values to the connected device. Build your workspace from the ground up with unlimited, custom Pushes/Buttons and Sliders. All Pushes/Buttons and Sliders are completely customisable - customize every value of every control possible and how the control behaves. You can even create dynamic controls (e.g. Program Change values that count up or down). • Works with every macOS: From 10.5 (Leopard) up to the newest 10.15 (Catalina) • Works on every iPhone and iPad • Also works with external hardware (e.g. synths,...) that supports Apple (CoreMidi) • If your hardware/PC does not support CoreMidi, you can use an iPhone/iPad compatible MIDI-Interface as bridge to make MidiController work with ALL MIDI devices Works with every application that supports MIDI-Input. Example DAWs (Digital Audio Workstation): * Logic X Pro * Ableton Live * Avid Pro Tools * Propellerhead Reason * Steinberg Cubase * Cockos Reaper * and many more (in principle every application that supports midi input) ** NOTES ** • MidiController does not play any sound itself, it only sends out MIDI-Information to connected devices. • MidiController is primary created to work with macOS-Devices. If you want to use MidiController with hardware that does not support Apple CoreMidi, you might need an iPhone/iPad compatible MIDI-Interface as bridge. A MIDI interface typically connects to your iOS per lightning port and provides standard MIDI DIN ports to connect to your hardware. There are also bluetooth MIDI interfaces that connect wirelessly. • MidiController does not receive any MIDI-Information, it generates and sends them itself depending on the user-input. ______________________________________________ APP USAGE INFO & MIDI CONTROLLER SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Should you choose to upgrade to a midi controller subscription, payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, and cancellation of the current active subscription period is not allowed. Auto-renewal may be turned off in your Account Settings in iTunes after purchase. You can also manage your subscriptions in Account Settings after purchase. LICENSED APPLICATION END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Midi Controller Terms of Service: https://learned-romano-d09.notion.site/Terms-Conditions-9fc801bf71f94e4cae7b31b72c7e13e3 Midi Controller Privacy Policy: https://learned-romano-d09.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-ee4011f149ac417bbedbfea3f0250a96

Screenshots

Pad MIDI4 screens
Midi Controller4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Midi Controller at Free against Pad MIDI's $0.99. Midi Controller also leads on rating (4.1 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (42 vs 1). Pad MIDI's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). On ads 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

Midi Controller is free to download; Pad MIDI costs $0.99 up front. Midi Controller sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Pad MIDI asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Midi Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Midi Controller has 42 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Pad MIDI's written reviews are positive against 41% of Midi Controller's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pad MIDI ships an update every 2 months, Midi Controller every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Pad MIDI versus Midi Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPad MIDIMidi Controller
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating3.0 (1 ratings)4.1 (42 ratings) — better
Positive reviews30.1% of reviews40.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings142 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThirteen32 Pty LtdMizo LLC

Customer experience

Pad MIDI

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews133 reviews
Positive30.1%
Neutral8.3%
Negative61.7%

Midi Controller

All ratings42 ratings
Positive76.2%
Neutral7.1%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive40.9%
Neutral18.2%
Negative40.9%

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

Midi Controller

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Pad MIDI

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Midi Controller

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly: MIDI Controller7 Days trial$3.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime: MIDI Controller$29.99

Questions

Is Pad MIDI free?
Pad MIDI costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Midi Controller free?
Midi Controller is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pad MIDI or Midi Controller?
Midi Controller is rated higher. Pad MIDI averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Midi Controller averages 4.1 from 42 ratings.
Do Pad MIDI or Midi Controller have ads?
Neither Pad MIDI nor Midi Controller shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pad MIDI or Midi Controller?
Pad MIDI ships an update every 2 months, and Midi Controller every 7 months. Most recently, Pad MIDI was updated on September 22, 2026 and Midi Controller on September 29, 2026.

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