AutoArp vs C.ARP
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AutoArp
This app transforms your device into a unique musical instrument, blending auto-harp and analog synth sounds. Select chords and strum to create retro-futuristic music. A free version offers basic functionality, with advanced features available via in-app purchase.
- Strummable synth interface
- Chord selection and configuration
- Square, pulse, and sawtooth waveforms
- Resonant low-pass filter
- Tremolo and echo effects
- Audiobus and inter-app audio support
- MIDI support (paid)
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AutoArp turns your iPhone (or iPod Touch) into a musical instrument that is halfway between a traditional auto-harp zither and an arpeggiated analogue-style synth. Select a chord and strum the "strings" with your fingers to create a retro-futuristic backing to your music. AutoArp is FREE, with a fixed set of songs. Full functionality, including creating, editing and sharing songs, MIDI support and transposing can be unlocked via an in-app purchase (at the lowest price tier). This means you can try it for free and hear the results for yourself! The synth engine features: • square, pulse and sawtooth waveforms, • attack and release envelope controls, • a resonant low pass filter with cutoff and resonance controls, • monophonic or polyphonic playback • tremolo effect with LFO frequency and depth • simple Echo effect Up to 16 chords (12 on iPhone 4s and below) can be selected per 'song' and configured onto the playing buttons, allowing you to switch quickly between songs to load a new set of chords. Alternative bass notes can also be set for each chord. There are 22 chord types, ranging from major and minor to jazz chords like minor 11th and major 7th with a sharp 11th! More Features: * Audiobus support for inter-app audio (even on iOS 6), so you can wire AutoArp up to loads of other great FX, mixing and recording apps * Improved audio engine, built using The Amazing Audio Engine (from A Tasty Pixel), with lower latency * MIDI support, including hardware CoreMIDI-compatible interfaces, inter-app MIDI and even network MIDI (paid version only) * Share songs with other AutoArp users via email (paid version only) * Transpose playback +/- 6 semitones to play in any key (paid version only)
C.ARP
This app offers a unique approach to music creation, inspired by vintage instruments. It allows users to play chords and melodies with intuitive touch controls, apply real-time audio effects, and utilize a dynamic rhythm section. Advanced features include sampling, MIDI output via Bluetooth, and an iPad-optimized interface.
- Chord and melody playing
- Real-time audio effects
- Dynamic rhythm section
- Sampling and looping
- MIDI output via Bluetooth
- iPad optimized interface
- In-app tutorial
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C.ARP is a totally different keyboard. Inspired by old keyboards, omnichords and tape effects, it lets you play chords and melodies as well. Its design makes everything easier for a musician who just wants to play on mobile. Just hold on a button and then swipe or tap on the right section. But if you prefer, you can access chords and notes directly on the notes grid. Pitch them, harmonize, use mod wheel and apply real-time audio effects too. Rhythm section follows you every chord you choose: pick up the style you prefer, adjust BPMs, mute other instrument, change different midi settings, change drums and play them with drum pads. Do arpeggios with different sounds and rhythmic fractions, create different sound environments with delay, reverb and rotation. The design has also been updated for iPads, so you can enjoy the buttons and sections rearranged for the screen size. Record your voice or everything else as a sample, adjust its length, reverse or loop it, make chords and melodies with it and explore other cool features on this 4th version. There's also a tutorial inside! And finally: we added bluetooth out. It means you can connect your iPhone to your Mac and send midi notes right in your preferred DAW. Just follow the guide inside. Thanks to everyone who helped me: Giacomo, Virginia, Mattia, Andrea, Giulia, Cristiano, and the others. Thanks to the masters Suriani, Frankie and Calcutta. For every question or suggestion don't hesitate to write to me
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: AutoArp at Free against C.ARP's $9.99. AutoArp also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). C.ARP's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On rating, review sentiment, 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
AutoArp is free to download; C.ARP costs $9.99 up front. AutoArp sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. C.ARP asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for AutoArp against 4.3 for C.ARP. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 114 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 82% of AutoArp's written reviews are positive against 75% of C.ARP's.
AutoArp ships an update every 4 months, C.ARP monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AutoArp | C.ARP |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (26 ratings) | 4.3 (114 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 82.1% of reviews — better | 74.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 26 | 114 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Drew Milloy | Paolo Giorgi |
Customer experience
AutoArp
C.ARP
Bugs and requests
AutoArp
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
C.ARP
Reported bugs
40 issues- Sound doesn't work
- No sound
- App crashes when opening
- App crashes when trying to open
- App auto-quits on start
Show 35 moreShow fewer
- Chord panel smaller after update
- System setting always out
- App crashes after using only once
- App crashes when pressing a button
- MIDI Send is broken
- Can't open the app on Mac
- Can't close the menu
- App crashes if sample button is pressed
- Sample button crashes the app
- Strumming doesn't work
- App crashes when sample or reverse is pressed
- App is not stable / crashy
- Sampling function is DOA
- Sampler doesn't work / crashes
- Crash problem
- Send midi function greyed out
- App crashes when pressing the red sample button
- Sampler crashes the app 100%
- App crashes when attempting to use record feature
- Sample button keeps crashing the app
- Record, loop, or reverse buttons cause crash
- Bugs related to recording/sampling
- Sampler may crash
- Audio panel covers gear button
- E chord is extremely low octave and sounds muddled
- App crashes when trying to start an audio recording
- Certain audio glitches with recording and looping
- Buttons crash the app
- App crashes when pressing the sample button
- Sample and reverse buttons crash the app
- MIDI out doesn't seem to work
- Latency is a killer
- Chord doesn't trigger if not hit perfectly
- Sliding finger doesn't sound chord
- Sound can be tinny/harsh
Requested features
18 requests- Rearrange layout to be chromatic
- AUV3 support
- Inter-app-audio / GarageBand integration
- MIDI out functionality
- Save last state
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Contextual help menus
- More sound design options
- Make it an Auv3 midi controller
- Support iPad
- Add "midi out" option
- Make it an audio app extension for GarageBand
- Add a way to use this app as a Bluetooth midi controller
- Add a visual distinction for individual buttons
- Add velocity on the strum bar
- Allow autoplay chord to hold like a drone
- Transpose reverb of strummed notes
- Add midi connectivity with external devices and other apps
- Add custom colors for themes
In-app purchases
AutoArp
- Full functionality$0.99
C.ARP
No in-app purchases









