Comparison

BeatMaker 2 vs Medly

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

Head to head
About

BeatMaker 2

Create professional-quality music on your mobile device. Build virtual studios, compose songs with a variety of instruments and effects, and record your ideas. Import your own sounds or use the extensive library to bring your musical vision to life.

Highlights
  • Virtual home-studio creation
  • Multiple instrument types
  • Full range of audio effects
  • Sound library and import options
  • MIDI accessory compatibility
  • Multi-track sequencer
  • Piano-roll interface
Features
Read full description

*** BEATMAKER 3 IS AVAILABLE NOW ! *** BeatMaker 2: Advanced mobile music workstation. Combining music production tools that were behind the success of countless artists, BeatMaker 2 is a powerful, easy-to-use composition interface for amateurs and professionals alike. Build your own virtual home-studio, create multiple instruments and connect them to a full-range of audio effects. Compose, record, arrange and transform your ideas into complete songs, ready to be shared with others. Import your own sounds or use the sound library provided: more than 170 high-quality instrument and drum presets from synthesizers to realistic orchestral sounds. You can even import songs from your iPod library! Connect your MIDI accessories for an external control of BeatMaker's instruments, effects and mixer, ideal for home-studio productions and live performances. Compatible with audio interfaces with the Camera Kit (iPad only). Works on all iPhone, iPod and iPad models starting with third generation devices (iPhone3GS, iPod3G 32GB, iPhone 4/4S/5, all iPads). * STUDIO: - Create multiple instruments with Drum Machine, Keyboard Sampler, Audio Tracks - 11 effects: Reverb, Compressor, Filter, Delay, EQ, Flanger, Chorus, AutoPan, BitCrusher, Overdrive, 6-Band Parametric EQ - 3 effect slots for each instrument - CoreMIDI support: connect your MIDI accessories to control instruments, effects and mixer. * DRUM MACHINE: - 128 trigger pads: 16 pads over 8 banks - Chop Lab: Slice audio loops to automatically create new sound presets - Control sound parameters on individual pad: volume, pan, mute, output bus, semitone, fine tune, reverse and autoscaling - Low/high pass filter per pad - Pad trigger modes: one-shot, hold & loop - ADSR Envelope ADSR control for each pad - Exclusive groups and polyphony management - "Live" modes: trigger, mute, reverse, velocity and tune spreading. - Pad copy & paste * KEYBOARD SAMPLER - 128-key keyboard with pitch wheel, double keyboard mode, note display and zoom controls - Easily create your own instruments from any sample combination with the keygroup editor - Volume and filter ADSR envelopes - Low/high pass filter with key tracking - 2 LFOs to control volume, pitch and filter parameters - Polyphony control, up to 32 voices - Legato play mode with glide - Velocity layers * AUDIO TRACKS: - Add audio tracks for recording and sample playback directly on the sequencer - Record multiple audio tracks simultaneously - Gain and noise gate on audio inputs - Support for disk streaming to load samples without consuming RAM * MULTI-TRACK SEQUENCER - Create unlimited instrument, audio and FX tracks - Automations: Record, edit and replay instrument and effect parameters - Record, draw, arrange and resize patterns along the timeline to build your song - Compose and modify patterns with a piano-roll interface. Edit notes, parameters and automations. - Instrument and effect recording options: Quantize, take or partial undo, pre-roll, Overdub, note erasing. * WAVE EDITOR - Full-fledged wave editor with intuitive interface for manipulating samples - Basic edition tools: trim, cut, copy, paste, with undo/redo - High quality time-stretching and pitch-shifting algorithms - Audio tools: normalize, silence, reverse, fade in and out, cross-fade - Record new samples from microphone or instruments - Loop points and tempo/signature editor * MIXER CONSOLE - Realistic multi-track mixer with level meters - Edit volume, pan, solo, mute and bus routing features for each track - Four sends available for each instrument/audio tracks * LARGE SOUND BANK INCLUDED * SHARING & GLOBAL OPTIONS - MIDI files import/export - MIDI Out, Sync, Thru support - Virtual MIDI support - Korg's WIST support - Transfer files from/to your computer via iTunes or FTP - Import songs from your iPod library to create new remixes - Upload songs to your SoundCloud account - DropBox support - Share audio content via iOS pasteboard

About

Medly

Create studio-quality music productions with an intuitive interface. Easily arrange notes, audio samples, and loops into sections to build songs. Offers advanced tools for editing, automation, and sharing your creations.

Highlights
  • Section-based song building
  • Touch-optimized note editing
  • Audio recording and import
  • Automated effects and pitch bends
  • SoundCloud and file sharing
  • Inter-App Audio and Ableton Link support
Features
Read full description

Music-making for everyone. From new musicians looking to get started to experienced producers, Medly has everything you need to unleash your musical spark. A Best of App Store 2016 winner, Medly’s simple interface is packed with advanced tools to create studio-quality productions. Get started for free with the Starter Pack of 17 instruments and over 100 loops and samples. You can also try Medly Member free for 7 days to unlock over 3500 instruments, loops, and exclusive features. CREATIVE CONTROL Music-making can be intimidating. Medly makes it easy by breaking songs down into Sections. You can add notes, audio samples, and loops to your Sections, then copy, paste and rearrange them to build your song. At any time, use the History tool to quickly rewind and undo your changes. A MAGIC TOUCH TO NOTES From simply adding a note to complex multi-note editing, each interaction was carefully designed with touch in mind. And with over 300 instruments available to Members, you can quickly try out different sounds and find your style. AMPLIFIED AUDIO Edit, snap, and trim your audio clips to your liking. Record or import audio, or use a sample from Medly’s vast audio library. You can record audio up to 4 bars or become a Member and record and import audio up to 30 seconds. As a Member, bring your songs to the next level with professionally recorded vocals by Medly’s talented artists. POINT PERFECT AUTOMATION Automatically change volume, echo, and other effects to add fades and pitch bends to your sounds. Snap between points and beats to achieve point perfect precision and use the selection tool to edit multiple automation points together. Then open the effect picker to quickly see the automation graphs of all effects within a Section. SHARE AND PLAY Quickly upload your songs to SoundCloud, or share them as a video, audio, MIDI, or Medly file. You can also connect Medly to other apps using Inter-App Audio or play in time using Ableton Link. MADE IN CANADA We’re a small team working relentlessly to make Medly possible. We’d love to know what you think about Medly, let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or email us at hi@medlylabs.com *iPad App of the Year: Japan and South Korea *iPhone App of the Year Runner-Up: China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan https://medlylabs.com/legal

Screenshots

BeatMaker 24 screens
Medly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Medly at Free against BeatMaker 2's $11.99. Medly also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (38K vs 232). BeatMaker 2's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Medly is free to download; BeatMaker 2 costs $11.99 up front. BeatMaker 2 sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Medly sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Medly holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Medly has 38K ratings behind it against 232, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of BeatMaker 2's written reviews are positive against 74% of Medly's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BeatMaker 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, Medly every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
BeatMaker 2 versus Medly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeatMaker 2Medly
Price$11.99Free — better
Rating3.4 (232 ratings)4.6 (38K ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.5% of reviews74.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings23238K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size745 MB336 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperINTUAMedly Labs Inc.

Customer experience

BeatMaker 2

All ratings232 ratings
Positive56.5%
Neutral8.6%
Negative34.9%
Written reviews375 reviews
Positive60.5%
Neutral10.4%
Negative29.1%

Medly

All ratings38,095 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral4.9%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews894 reviews
Positive74.4%
Neutral9.7%
Negative15.9%

User reviews

BeatMaker 2

From 232 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful sampling and beat-making capabilities
  • 👍 Intuitive and flexible workflow
  • 🎨 Extensive sound library
  • 💡 Ability to import custom samples and MIDI
  • 🎹 Versatile keyboard and drum pad interfaces

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 🔋 High memory usage and battery drain
  • 📺 Poor iPad optimization and scaling
  • 🔇 Lackluster built-in sounds and synths
  • 🔍 Confusing and cluttered user interface

Medly

From 38K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great for beginners
  • 🎨 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🎶 Variety of sounds and instruments
  • 💡 Helpful tutorials
  • 🚀 Simple and efficient

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription model too expensive
  • 🔒 Limited access to features without subscription
  • 🎨 Restricted customization options
  • 🎶 Lack of diverse instrument selection
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs

Bugs and requests

BeatMaker 2

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Bluetooth connectivity problems
  • Inability to restore in-app purchases
  • Crashes when editing multiple pads or tracks
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS devices
  • Dropbox integration and file transfer not working

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved Dropbox and file management integration
  • Add MIDI output and external hardware support
  • Implement a more streamlined and intuitive UI
  • Include a wider range of high-quality built-in sounds
  • Add real-time audio recording and export options

Medly

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Audio playback issues when switching between screens
  • Freezing and crashing when exporting or sharing songs
  • Inconsistent behavior when moving and arranging notes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more free instrument packs
  • Implement ability to change time signatures
  • Allow importing custom sounds and samples
  • Improve recording and playback functionality
  • Introduce more advanced music production tools

In-app purchases

10 purchases

BeatMaker 2

One-time10
  • Prime Loops - Dirty South Heroes$3.99
  • Prime Loops - East Coast Hip Hop Volume 1$3.99
  • Prime Loops - Midnight R&B Gold$3.99
Show 7 more
  • Prime Loops - West Coast Anthology$3.99
  • 9TH Street$4.99
  • Essential Pack$5.99
  • Emerge Audio Dubstep Destruction$5.99
  • Southern Homie$6.99
  • South Chiefs$7.99
  • INTUA Future ATL$11.99
2 purchases

Medly

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly - Medly Member7 Days trial4 variants$9.991 Month
  • Yearly - Medly Member7 Days trial4 variants$59.991 Year

Questions

Is BeatMaker 2 free?
BeatMaker 2 costs $11.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Medly free?
Medly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BeatMaker 2 or Medly?
Medly is rated higher. BeatMaker 2 averages 3.4 out of 5 from 232 ratings, while Medly averages 4.6 from 38K ratings.
Do BeatMaker 2 or Medly have ads?
Neither BeatMaker 2 nor Medly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BeatMaker 2 or Medly?
BeatMaker 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Medly every 6 days. Most recently, BeatMaker 2 was updated on September 27, 2026 and Medly on September 28, 2026.

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