SampleTank CS vs Roland Zenbeats
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SampleTank CS
This professional mobile sound and groove workstation brings desktop-level virtual instrument power to your iPhone and iPad. It offers a vast array of world-class instruments and patterns for live performance and composition, with expandable sound libraries available for purchase.
- 23 free instruments in 16 categories
- 8-part multitimbral sound module
- Expandable sound library with 2300+ instruments
- Over 1,200 melodic and rhythmic patterns
- 8-track MIDI recorder with audio export
- Intuitive interface and new sound engine
- Song and Live environments
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SampleTank 2 for iOS is a professional, fully featured mobile sound and groove workstation that brings the sound, power and features of desktop virtual instruments to your iPad and iPhone — without compromise. It is designed for professional live performance, song composition and puts a comprehensive array of world-class instruments, sounds and patterns right at your fingertips. SampleTank CS provides all the functionality of the full app, with 23 instruments in 16 categories, so you can try out this powerful workstation for free. Additional sounds are available a la cart via in-app purchase. SampleTank gives you 8 multitimbral instrument slots that you can easily layer or split. Choose from a comprehensive, expandable sound collection that covers virtually every acoustic and electronic sound imaginable. Plus, each instrument category includes instrument riffs and grooves so you can start composing and playing in no time. The included instruments and the new sound engine are derived from the desktop version of SampleTank, IK's flagship workstation, offering you unmatched realism, variety of sound and audio performance. For the first time on iOS, thousands of professional sample-based sounds and patterns can be easily accessed, layered and used for playing live or in the studio. What’s more, SampleTank offers an ever-growing library of sounds and are available via in-app purchase: • Elektronika - a series of electronica and EDM-oriented groove libraries and sound collections that make it easy to create hits in today’s most popular styles • Miroslav Philharmonik — the legendary orchestral libraries, now available on your mobile device! Stunningly realistic and expressive samples of a wide range of orchestra and percussion instruments. • SampleTank PRO - the latest and most high-end sounds and grooves available, letting you create professional-grade compositions on your mobile device • Plus additional libraries covering cinematic sounds, the finest pianos, drum libraries from iconic drummers and much more! SampleTank for iOS offers over 2,300 instruments and over 1,200 MIDI patterns — the largest collection of sounds available for any virtual instrument for iOS. Features: • 23 sounds in 16 categories included free • 8-part multitimbral professional quality sound and groove module • Expandable sound library with 2300+ instrument • Over 1,200 melodic and rhythmic patterns • 8-track MIDI recorder with audio export • Totally redesigned intuitive interface • New sound engine derived from SampleTank 3 for Mac/PC • Zones feature lets you easily create splits & layers on your controller • Song and Live environments for composing and playing • Built-in insert effects and master reverb • MIDI learn feature makes programming external controllers easy • Plug-and-play compatibility with iRig interfaces and controllers • Polyphony: up to 64 voices on new Apple devices
Roland Zenbeats
Create music anywhere, anytime on any device. Build beats, compose songs, and sample sounds with a vast library of modern and legendary Roland sounds. Edit, refine, and mix your tracks with powerful tools and share your creations easily.
- Multitrack song composition
- ZR1 Drum Sampler
- ZC1 Synthesizer
- Sample import and editing
- Full-screen mixer
- LoopBuilder and Timeline view
- Cross-platform project sharing
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Find your creative flow. Roland Zenbeats is a music creation app that keeps you in an effortless artistic flow. Get started on any mobile device or computer platform and make music anywhere, anytime. With its collection of both modern and legendary sounds, Zenbeats brings Roland’s history of innovation into a new, mobile-friendly format. The app is your instrument. Whether you’re an emerging musician or an established producer, Zenbeats makes music creation easy. Build beats, compose full multitrack songs, or sample the world around you. Wherever you are, no matter what platform or device you use, capture your creative spark with Zenbeats. A universe of sound. Whatever style you’re working in, you’ll find the perfect sounds for your tracks in Zenbeats. From vintage Roland JUNO and JUPITER tones to diverse and progressive instruments for any genre, the 14,000-plus presets will keep your compositions fresh and exciting. ZR1. The future of beatmaking. Our ZR1 Drum Sampler is a new kind of beat machine. Fast track your percussive prowess with seminal Roland drum tones from the TR-808, TR-909, and more. Sample your world. Sample and import directly into ZR1’s drum pads with the touch of a finger. Edit. Refine. Repeat. Tweak your sounds with advanced editing functionality. Manipulate and chop your one-shot samples with the slice editor and quickly crop and fade as needed. ZC1. Roland’s most advanced synth engine. ZC1 is a versatile synthesizer based on our powerful ZEN-Core Synthesis System. The free version features signature Roland synth sounds and 60 presets, driven by a sleek touch-based interface with an X/Y pad for easy sound manipulation. When you unlock the full version of ZC1, you get over 900 additional presets and 90 MFX that are all fully compatible with ZENOLOGY and supported ZEN-Core hardware. Deep MIDI and audio power at your fingertips. The Zenbeats ecosystem offers tons of time-saving tools to document, edit, and refine your ideas. Quickly capture and play sounds with LoopBuilder, or use a traditional approach with the Timeline view for more sophisticated arrangements and automation options. Fresh sounds. Fresh ideas. The Zenbeats Store is loaded with sounds, loops, and creative tools to expand your musical palette. Whatever sound or genre you’re chasing, the Zenbeats Store has you covered. All sounds are royalty-free and new tones are added weekly. Mix and match. With the full-screen mixer view, it’s simple to control volume, filter, panning, and more. Browse through 17 native FX, EQ tracks to your liking, and balance all your audio, instrument, and drum tracks from one streamlined location. Easy Sharing. Effortless transfers between phone, tablet, and desktop make the distance between you and your finished product even shorter. Use Google Drive™ or OneDrive to share Zenbeats projects and export stems and loops for use in other DAWs. Free, unlock, or membership. The choice is yours. With the free version of Zenbeats, you get music production essentials plus the ability to purchase additional loops and presets in the Zenbeats Store. When you’re ready to expand, there are three ways to unlock the full Zenbeats experience: Platform Unlock: Get all features, instruments, and effects on your favorite platform. Platform Unlock includes over 2,500 presets, loops, and sounds (2.5 GB), ZR1 Drum Sampler with sampling/editing, ZC1 Synthesizer with 90 built-in MFX, full SampleVerse modular synthesizer with editor, VST/AU/AUv3 support, and unlimited mixing and export capabilities. Max Unlock: Get all features, instruments, effects, and store packs on all platforms and devices. Roland Cloud Membership: All Roland Cloud membership tiers include Zenbeats Max Unlock. All memberships come with Zenbeats Max Unlock for as little as $2.99 USD per month.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Roland Zenbeats at 3.7 against SampleTank CS's 3.1. Roland Zenbeats also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 29%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. SampleTank CS sells 15 one-off in-app purchases and Roland Zenbeats sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Roland Zenbeats holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 142 and 268 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of SampleTank CS's written reviews are positive against 44% of Roland Zenbeats's.
SampleTank CS ships an update every 2 months, Roland Zenbeats monthly. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.
| Parameter | SampleTank CS | Roland Zenbeats |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (142 ratings) | 3.7 (268 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews | 44.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 142 | 268 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.5 GB | 415 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | IK Multimedia US, LLC | Roland Corporation |
Customer experience
SampleTank CS
Roland Zenbeats
User reviews
SampleTank CS
From 142 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Excellent for live performances
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔒 Issues with in-app purchases and restoring purchases
- 🔋 High memory usage
- 👎 Lack of updates and support
Roland Zenbeats
From 268 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Smooth workflow
- 👍 Comprehensive feature set
- 🎨 High-quality sounds
- 💻 Cross-platform compatibility
- 🤖 Powerful synth engine
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Confusing UI navigation
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔌 Poor MIDI integration
- 🔋 Battery drain
Bugs and requests
SampleTank CS
Reported bugs
3 issues- Incompatible with latest iOS versions
- MIDI issues and lack of device detection
- Purchased content not properly restored
Requested features
4 requests- Add AU/AUv3 support for better DAW integration
- Improve MIDI functionality and mapping
- Allow importing custom samples
- Enhance performance controls (e.g., pitch bend, modulation)
Roland Zenbeats
Reported bugs
5 issues- Disappearing audio files
- Unresponsive MIDI learn
- Incompatibility with iOS 13
- Broken tutorial screens
- Inconsistent plugin behavior
Requested features
6 requests- Improved MIDI support
- Audio file export options
- Sidechain compression
- Deeper synth editing capabilities
- Audiobus/IAA compatibility
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- Customizable keyboard layout
In-app purchases
SampleTank CS
- Organ$4.99
- Strings$4.99
- Brass$4.99
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- Synth Leads$4.99
- Synth Pads$4.99
- Woodwinds$4.99
- Acoustic Drums$4.99
- Electric Piano$7.99
- The Grid$14.99
- Upgrade to SampleTank$24.99
- Miroslav Philharmonik - Mobile Edition$24.99
- Sample Moog - Mobile Edition$24.99
- Sonik Synth - Mobile Edition$24.99
- All Sounds$64.99
- SampleTank PRO - All Sounds Pack$64.99
Roland Zenbeats
- Roland Cloud Core Monthly1 Month trial$2.991 Month
- Roland Cloud Pro Monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
- Roland Cloud Ultimate Monthly1 Month trial$19.991 Month
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- Roland Cloud Core Annual1 Month trial$29.991 Year
- 2 Store Points$1.99
- 4 Store Points$3.99
- 5 Store Points$4.99
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- 7 Store Points$6.99
- 8 Store Points$7.99
- 10 Store Points$9.99
- 15 Store Points$14.99
- 30 Store Points$29.99
Questions
Is SampleTank CS free?
Is Roland Zenbeats free?
Which has better reviews, SampleTank CS or Roland Zenbeats?
Do SampleTank CS or Roland Zenbeats have ads?
Which is updated more often, SampleTank CS or Roland Zenbeats?
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