Comparison

Tabletop vs Arturia iSpark

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

Head to head
About

Tabletop

Create music with a modular studio environment. Mix and match over 40 virtual instruments, effects, and sequencers to compose songs, beats, and mashups. Expand your sound palette by purchasing additional devices.

Highlights
  • Modular music creation environment
  • Over 40 virtual instruments and effects
  • Mix and match devices
  • Create beats, songs, and mashups
  • Piano roll timeline editor
  • MIDI support
  • Share music to SoundCloud
Features
Read full description

Tabletop is an expandable studio with over a dozen included musical devices. Tabletop is a modular environment where you can mix and match different devices. Select from over 40 devices including samplers, mixers, effects, sequencers and more. Buy only the gear you need from an expanding catalog. Need help? Email support@retronyms.com and we’ll answer your questions. Retronyms has partnered with industry giants like Akai Professional and Arturia to create some of the Tabletop-Ready Apps, like iMPC, iMini, and iProphet! Using the Tabletop features of time stretching and pitch shifting, you can slice loops and time stretch them to different tempos and pitches in iMPC Pro. You can also use sliced loops from purchased AudioCopy sound packs inside Gridlock and iMPC Pro. Loops from these sound packs will automatically match the tempo of your sessions. Tabletop is an audio playground where you can create beats, compose songs, mix live, make mashups with samples from your iPod library, and more... the possibilities are endless. Plug the output of a keyboard into a delay to add an echo, or wire it up to a mixer and adjust the pan. Chain up multiple effects to create new and evolving sounds. FEATURES: • 43 devices including effects, sequencers, drum machines, and synths • 14 devices are included for free • 64 bit audio support • Access powerful Tabletop-Ready Apps • Piano Roll style timeline editor • Cut, copy, paste, duplicate, and create notes • Control Tabletop’s keyboards, drum pads, knobs, faders, and other parameters • Correct note timing with Fix to Grid • Edit note length and velocity • Undo changes and edits with Tabletop’s History Menu • Features Core MIDI Support • Works with any MIDI-compatible hardware • Customize control mapping with Midi Learn mode • Connect multiple devices • Share your music to SoundCloud and interact with other Tabletop users

About

Arturia iSpark

Create complete music tracks with a versatile beat-making solution. Explore a vast library of drum kits and instruments, then sculpt your sound with powerful editing tools and a flexible sequencer. Design unique sonic textures and melodic elements for your compositions.

Highlights
  • Real-time pattern playing and tweaking
  • 64-step flexible sequencer
  • Modular engine with TAE® technology
  • Extensive sound customization
  • Song mode for chaining patterns
  • XY modulation touchpads
  • Compatibility with Spark environment
Read full description

iSpark is an all-inclusive beat-making solution allowing to create rich tracks from A to Z while experiencing an unequaled workflow. It includes a large variety of drum kits and individual instruments based on the most renowned drum machines and top-notch sound design. It is the result of a simple recipe, care for rhythm, innovation and uncompromising ergonomics combined with the personality of the greatest drum machines. What you can do with iSpark: iSpark allows you to play drum patterns in-real time and to tweak your sound on-the-fly. Its optimized and performance-oriented layout gives you a direct access to an extended range of sonic parameters. It also integrates a powerful and flexible 64-step sequencer enhancing your creative freedom and effectiveness. iSpark unites our multi-rewarded TAE® technology coupled with a modular engine and crystal-clear multi-layered samples. Beyond drum and percussive sounds, iSpark blasts the frontiers of beat-making through a range of singular sonic effects, warm analog synth textures and melodic elements. Details: Main screen The main screen is all about performance. Its layout, inspired by our SparkLE controller, gives you immediate access to a comprehensive set of fundamental controls and parameters. Its lower part allows you to play and record your drum patterns in real-time, step by step, to jump between your patterns and to set their length. Mixer In the mixer, you can adjust the volume and panorama of your instruments, set two individual effects for each of them, and modify the sending levels to the return effects. The VU meters help you to balance effectively your instruments. Studio The Studio is the iSpark laboratory of sound. This is where you will customize your kits and all the instruments that compose it. For each instrument, you can choose the samples that are used and adjust a comprehensive list of parameters. Sequencer In the sequencer screen, all the steps of your different instruments are right in front of you. You can thus create your sequences in a flash. Besides, the automation tool allows you drawing modulation curves with a simple glide of your fingertip. Song The Song mode gives you the possibility to chain your pattern in order to create a whole performance. Organizing your song is as easy as a drag-and-drop. Switch to “Perform” and discover two large XY modulation touchpads that will bring your songs to life. Connectivity: iSpark offers a total and seamless compatibility with the existing Spark environment. Maintain continuously your creative flow by transferring in a heartbeat your projects, patterns, your kits and individual instruments between Spark 2 and iSpark. Connect the dedicated SparkLE controller to iSpark and associate the flexibility of an app-based instrument to the effectiveness and comfort of hardware. The compatibility with AudioBus and Inter-App Audio offers a smooth integration of iSpark in you iPad-based setup.
With iSpark, your mobile setup found its beat-making solution. Main features: Pristine quality sound engines including: TAE® analog synthesis, physical modeling, and multi-layered samples provided by our top-tier development partners · 640 Instruments / 40 kits - Classic drum machines - Electronic kits - Acoustic kits · Shuffle and shift modes to humanize grooves · Choke groups to mute instruments naturally · Song mode with 16 segments · Song segment triggering from hardware · Performance master effects: repeat, tape, reverse, strobe, pan, mix, bit crusher, 8-mode filter and Roller · 16-track mixer with high-quality effects: multiband compressor, bit crusher, multiband EQ, chorus, delay, reverb, distortion, phaser, plate reverb, destroyer, flanger, space pan, limiter, sub generator · Real-time automation on all parameters · Compatible with SparkLE controller · Ableton Link integration · Possibility to share projects, kits and instruments between iSpark and the desktop version of Spark 2.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Tabletop at Free against Arturia iSpark's $19.99. Arturia iSpark's advantage is rating (3.9 vs 3.3) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 11.0). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

Tabletop is free to download; Arturia iSpark costs $19.99 up front. Tabletop sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Arturia iSpark sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Arturia iSpark holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 85 and 60 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 54% of Tabletop's written reviews are positive against 50% of Arturia iSpark's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Tabletop versus Arturia iSpark: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTabletopArturia iSpark
PriceFree — better$19.99
Rating3.3 (85 ratings)3.9 (60 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.9% of reviews — better50.3% of reviews
Number of ratings85 — better60
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS11.08.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.4 GB396 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRetronyms IncArturia

Customer experience

Tabletop

All ratings85 ratings
Positive54.1%
Neutral9.4%
Negative36.5%
Written reviews230 reviews
Positive53.9%
Neutral13.5%
Negative32.6%

Arturia iSpark

All ratings59 ratings
Positive71.2%
Neutral6.8%
Negative22.0%
Written reviews157 reviews
Positive50.3%
Neutral12.1%
Negative37.6%

Bugs and requests

Tabletop

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Synth parameters not saving properly
  • Incompatibility issues with newer iOS versions
  • Unreliable audio export

Requested features

4 requests
  • MIDI support
  • Improved sequencing capabilities
  • More free sound modules
  • Waveform editing and sample management

Arturia iSpark

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Tabletop

One-time11
  • EKKO$1.99
  • WHIRL$2.99
  • Verve$2.99
Show 8 more
  • XFADE$2.99
  • TT-303$2.99
  • Cueboard$2.99
  • GLITCHBOARD$3.99
  • Deadbeat$3.99
  • X0X Drum Deranger$7.99
  • RS4000$9.99
  • Bundle E$24.99
13 purchases

Arturia iSpark

One-time13
  • iSpark ALMA FragmentFree
  • Techno Fragment2 variants$3.99
  • Noise Fragment$3.99
Show 10 more
  • EDM Fragment$3.99
  • HipHop Fragment$3.99
  • EDM Fragment 2$3.99
  • Hip Hop Fragment 2$3.99
  • Hip Hop Fragment 4$3.99
  • Raw House Fragment 1$3.99
  • Hip Hop Fragment 3$3.99
  • EDM Fragment 3$3.99
  • EDM Fragment 4$3.99
  • Noise Fragment 3$3.99

Questions

Is Tabletop free?
Tabletop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Arturia iSpark free?
Arturia iSpark costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tabletop or Arturia iSpark?
Arturia iSpark is rated higher. Tabletop averages 3.3 out of 5 from 85 ratings, while Arturia iSpark averages 3.9 from 60 ratings.
Do Tabletop or Arturia iSpark have ads?
Neither Tabletop nor Arturia iSpark shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tabletop or Arturia iSpark?
Tabletop ships an update every 3 months, and Arturia iSpark every 3 months. Most recently, Tabletop was updated on September 28, 2026 and Arturia iSpark on September 29, 2026.

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