# SampleTank CS vs kontakt smart controller

The clearest difference is price: SampleTank CS at Free against kontakt smart controller's $14.99. SampleTank CS also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 25 months) and ratings volume (144 vs 1). kontakt smart controller's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 15). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

SampleTank CS is free to download; kontakt smart controller costs $14.99 up front. SampleTank CS sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. kontakt smart controller asks for nothing beyond the download.

kontakt smart controller holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SampleTank CS has 144 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

SampleTank CS ships an update every 2 months, kontakt smart controller every 25 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SampleTank CS | kontakt smart controller |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $14.99 |
| Rating | [3.1 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sampletank-cs/id464775965/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kontakt-smart-controller/id1560447225/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **144** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 25 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#190** |
| Size | 1.5 GB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [IK Multimedia US, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/323694278) | [9390-0801 Quebec inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1517759983) |

## 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)


### kontakt smart controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kontakt-smart-controller/id1560447225)

**Currently charting:** #190 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

Control your music software's sound banks, transpose, octave, and pitch bend directly from your mobile device. Offers an intuitive interface for managing up to 128 sounds per bank.

**Highlights:** Control bank sounds (128 per bank), Transpose control, Octave control, Pitch bend control, Scale control, Intuitive graphic interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SampleTank CS free?

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

### Is kontakt smart controller free?

kontakt smart controller costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SampleTank CS or kontakt smart controller?

kontakt smart controller is rated higher. SampleTank CS averages 3.1 out of 5 from 144 ratings, while kontakt smart controller averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do SampleTank CS or kontakt smart controller have ads?

Neither SampleTank CS nor kontakt smart controller shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SampleTank CS or kontakt smart controller?

SampleTank CS ships an update every 2 months, and kontakt smart controller every 25 months. Most recently, SampleTank CS was updated on September 26, 2026 and kontakt smart controller on September 8, 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.*