# SampleTank CS vs Roland Zenbeats

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | SampleTank CS | Roland Zenbeats |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (142 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sampletank-cs/id464775965/reviews) | **[3.7 (268 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roland-zenbeats/id1473380367/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 142 | **268** |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews | **44.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.5 GB | 415 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [IK Multimedia US, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/323694278) | [Roland Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/387333694) |

## What reviewers say

### SampleTank CS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sampletank-cs/id464775965)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Organ | $4.99 | one-time |
| Strings | $4.99 | one-time |
| Brass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Synth Leads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Synth Pads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Woodwinds | $4.99 | one-time |
| Acoustic Drums | $4.99 | one-time |
| Electric Piano | $7.99 | one-time |
| The Grid | $14.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to SampleTank | $24.99 | one-time |
| Miroslav Philharmonik - Mobile Edition | $24.99 | one-time |
| Sample Moog - Mobile Edition | $24.99 | one-time |
| Sonik Synth - Mobile Edition | $24.99 | one-time |
| All Sounds | $64.99 | one-time |
| SampleTank PRO - All Sounds Pack | $64.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Excellent for live performances

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🔒 Issues with in-app purchases and restoring purchases
- 🔋 High memory usage
- 👎 Lack of updates and support

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with latest iOS versions
- MIDI issues and lack of device detection
- Purchased content not properly restored

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roland-zenbeats/id1473380367)

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.

**Highlights:** Multitrack song composition, ZR1 Drum Sampler, ZC1 Synthesizer, Sample import and editing, Full-screen mixer, LoopBuilder and Timeline view, Cross-platform project sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Roland Cloud Core Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Roland Cloud Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Roland Cloud Ultimate Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Roland Cloud Core Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| 2 Store Points | $1.99 | one-time |
| 4 Store Points | $3.99 | one-time |
| 5 Store Points | $4.99 | one-time |
| 7 Store Points | $6.99 | one-time |
| 8 Store Points | $7.99 | one-time |
| 10 Store Points | $9.99 | one-time |
| 15 Store Points | $14.99 | one-time |
| 30 Store Points | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth workflow
- 👍 Comprehensive feature set
- 🎨 High-quality sounds
- 💻 Cross-platform compatibility
- 🤖 Powerful synth engine

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🔍 Confusing UI navigation
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔌 Poor MIDI integration
- 🔋 Battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing audio files
- Unresponsive MIDI learn
- Incompatibility with iOS 13
- Broken tutorial screens
- Inconsistent plugin behavior

**Requested features**

- Improved MIDI support
- Audio file export options
- Sidechain compression
- Deeper synth editing capabilities
- Audiobus/IAA compatibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SampleTank CS free?

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

### Is Roland Zenbeats free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SampleTank CS or Roland Zenbeats?

Roland Zenbeats is rated higher. SampleTank CS averages 3.1 out of 5 from 142 ratings, while Roland Zenbeats averages 3.7 from 268 ratings.

### Do SampleTank CS or Roland Zenbeats have ads?

Neither SampleTank CS nor Roland Zenbeats shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SampleTank CS or Roland Zenbeats?

SampleTank CS ships an update every 2 months, and Roland Zenbeats monthly. Most recently, SampleTank CS was updated on October 23, 2026 and Roland Zenbeats on October 23, 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.*