# Tabletop vs BK Partner

The clearest difference is rating: BK Partner at 4.0 against Tabletop's 3.3. BK Partner also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (8.1 vs 11.0). Tabletop's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (85 vs 6). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tabletop sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. BK Partner asks for nothing beyond the download.

BK Partner holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tabletop has 85 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Tabletop's written reviews are positive against 61% of BK Partner's.

Tabletop ships an update every 3 months, BK Partner every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tabletop | BK Partner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (85 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabletop/id436080882/reviews) | **[4.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bk-partner/id591061937/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **85** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 53.9% of reviews | **60.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 1.4 GB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | **8.1** |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Retronyms Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/307726643) | [Roland Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/387333694) |

## What reviewers say

### Tabletop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tabletop/id436080882)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EKKO | $1.99 | one-time |
| WHIRL | $2.99 | one-time |
| Verve | $2.99 | one-time |
| XFADE | $2.99 | one-time |
| TT-303 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Cueboard | $2.99 | one-time |
| GLITCHBOARD | $3.99 | one-time |
| Deadbeat | $3.99 | one-time |
| X0X Drum Deranger | $7.99 | one-time |
| RS4000 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Bundle E | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Innovative modular design
- 🎨 Versatile music creation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔋 High CPU usage
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔇 Poor sound quality

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- MIDI support
- Improved sequencing capabilities
- More free sound modules
- Waveform editing and sample management


### BK Partner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bk-partner/id591061937)

Control your Roland BK-series instrument's sounds and accompaniments from your iPad. It mirrors the instrument's front panel for quick access to functions, tones, and rhythms. Supports Core MIDI and Roland Wireless Connection.

**Highlights:** Browse and select instrument tones, Control musical accompaniments, Duplicate instrument's front control panel on iPad, Fast visual access to main functions, Support for Core MIDI, Support for Roland Wireless Connection

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tabletop free?

Tabletop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BK Partner free?

BK Partner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Tabletop or BK Partner?

BK Partner is rated higher. Tabletop averages 3.3 out of 5 from 85 ratings, while BK Partner averages 4.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Tabletop or BK Partner have ads?

Neither Tabletop nor BK Partner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tabletop or BK Partner?

Tabletop ships an update every 3 months, and BK Partner every 12 months. Most recently, Tabletop was updated on October 11, 2026 and BK Partner on October 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*