Comparison

MIDI Designer Pro X vs R

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

Head to head
About

MIDI Designer Pro X

This app is a professional-grade, customizable MIDI controller for music production. It allows users to control any MIDI-enabled hardware or software, with extensive community-created layouts and powerful 'superpowers' for advanced MIDI manipulation. It supports AUv3 plugins and offers robust network, Bluetooth, and USB MIDI communication.

Highlights
  • Control any MIDI-enabled hardware/software
  • AUv3 MIDI Processor Extension
  • Reliable MIDI communication (Network, Bluetooth, USB)
  • Extensive user layout library (350+ layouts)
  • Powerful 'Superpowers' for MIDI manipulation
  • Community support and layout sharing
Features
Read full description

MIDI Designer Pro X (MDPx) is the culmination of over a decade of improvement. We launched MIDI Designer Pro in 2012 and relaunched it in 2016 as MIDI Designer Pro 2. MDP2 was the first and only professional-grade MIDI controller built natively for iOS, earning critical acclaim. Since launch, over 80 updates have greatly expanded its capabilities. Our user-created library now covers 375+ MIDI targets across music hardware and software. In 2024, MDPx took a significant leap forward with the expressive "Spaceship" theme on iPad and Mac and major iPhone usability advances. It now adds AUv3 support in hosts such as AUM, Cubasis, and Logic. A new subscription model — Premium — allows even more users to use the App in their music-making and discover the App Store's best MIDI controller for themselves. CAPABILITIES • Control all MIDI-enabled hardware and software: keyboards, synths, effects, pedals, DAWs, plug-ins, DJ, VJ & lighting rigs, other iOS apps, robots, cruise ships, rail guns, particle accelerators • AUv3 MIDI Processor Extension: Host MDPx inside AUM, Cubasis, Logic, and other AUv3 hosts. • Solid MIDI Communications Infrastructure: Sets the industry standard for reliable and robust MIDI interactions over Network, Bluetooth and USB. • Active Community of Authors: A vibrant ecosystem supporting legacy and current music synthesizers, sound engines, DAWs, and all MIDI-controlled devices. • Extensive User Layout Library: More than 350 layouts for over 80 manufacturers, contributed by the Community. • Comprehensive Support: Whether you're just starting or tackling complex MIDI implementations, with the Community we are here to assist. • MIDI Designer's 'Superpowers': A suite of powerful features exclusive to MIDI Designer that we have developed over the last 10+ years, including: • Ableton Link and Link Control Loopers • Supercontrols and subcontrols as the basis for many features (with no scripting!): • Snap sub to value over time • Sequential subs • Subcontrol chaining • Button groups (radio buttons) with Bounceback™ • Steppers • Live Transpose • Group Presets • Named Ticks • Accelerometer • Simplified Sysex Messages with variables and bit changers • Snap to Value over Time • Global Presets • Pedalboards • Popup Panels (Show/Hide) • Two-up Page Layout for iPad/Mac • Streambyter Plugin by Audeonic for advanced MIDI transformation MDPx is easy to use, infinitely flexible and customizable, and battle-tested in performance. It's the only professional-grade MIDI controller built from the ground up for iOS to control ANYTHING via MIDI. dream | create | play COMMUNITY The MIDI Designer Community has built layouts for popular MIDI targets. Here are just a few: • Ableton Live • Air Music Tech: Xpand!2 • Arturia: Synclavier V, Analog Lab 4 • Audiofier: Riffendium • Chase Bliss: Mood MKII, Reverse Mode C, Thermae • Clavia: NORD LEAD 4 • DSI: Prophet 12 • Elektron: Octatrack MKII • E-MU: Planet Phatt • Eventide: Pitchfactor, Modfactor • Fractal: Axe-FX • Hauptwerk: St. Anne's Symphonic Organ • Kawai: K1, K1r • Korg: Volca Series, 707 • Line 6: POD X3, POD XT, POD HD500, POD Go • Meris: Enzo, Polymoon • M-Audio: Venom • Novation: MiniNova • Moog: Voyager, Animoog, Little Phatty, Slim Phatty, MF-104m Analog Delay • Omnisphere • Pigtronix: Infinity Looper • Roland: Jupiter-Xm, RD-2000, RD-88, FA-06/FA-07/FA-08, VG-99, JX-3P, JX-8P, MKS-30, MKS-50, MKS-80 • Sample Logic: Morphestra 2 • Sonokinetic: Noir • Soundiron: Steel Tones • TC Electronic: Nova Drive NDR-1 • ValhallaDSP: ÜberMod, VintageVerb, FreqEcho, Shimmer, Room • Yamaha: DX7 (TX7), TQ5, SY77 (TG77), DX21, Reface DX, AN200/PLG-100AN/AN1X FIND OUT MORE Web: midiDesigner.com/mdpx Community Layouts: midiDesigner.com/community Manual: midiDesigner.com/manual EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

R

Control your Roland R-07 Hi-Res Audio Recorder remotely via Bluetooth from your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. Manage recordings, adjust levels, add markers, and select scenes even when the recorder is out of reach.

Highlights
  • Remote record/playback control
  • Input/output level adjustment
  • Marker creation and navigation
  • Scene selection and settings editing
  • Song selection for playback
  • Link settings management
Features
Read full description

R-07 Remote is an application that can remotely control Roland’s Hi-Res Audio Recorder "R-07" from iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch via Bluetooth. R-07 Remote allows you to manage recordings and ensure what’s being recorded is exactly what you want, even while the R-07 is in its prime recording location, and out of reach. Main Functions • Control record/playback • Check and adjust input/output levels • Add markers and move between markers • Select scenes and edit settings • Select a song for playback • Make link settings

Screenshots

MIDI Designer Pro X4 screens
R4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MIDI Designer Pro X at 79% against R's 13%. MIDI Designer Pro X also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.4) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 months). R's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and device support (4 vs 2). On price 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

Both are free to download. MIDI Designer Pro X sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. R asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MIDI Designer Pro X holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MIDI Designer Pro X has 272 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of MIDI Designer Pro X's written reviews are positive against 13% of R's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI Designer Pro X ships an update every 5 days, R every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
MIDI Designer Pro X versus R: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI Designer Pro XR
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (272 ratings) — better3.4 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews78.8% of reviews — better12.5% of reviews
Number of ratings272 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.611.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size209 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperConfusion Studios LLCRoland Corporation

Customer experience

MIDI Designer Pro X

All ratings271 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral2.2%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews165 reviews
Positive78.8%
Neutral4.2%
Negative17.0%

R

All ratings5 ratings
Positive20.0%
Neutral80.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive12.5%
Neutral50.0%
Negative37.5%

In-app purchases

9 purchases

MIDI Designer Pro X

Subscriptions8
  • MDPx Premium iPhone Only$1.491 Month
  • MDPx Premium iPad Only$2.491 Month
  • MDPx Premium iPad, iPhone$2.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • MDPx Premium Mac, iPad, iPhone$4.991 Month
  • MDPx Premium iPhone Only$14.991 Year
  • MDPx Premium iPad Only$24.991 Year
  • MDPx Premium iPad, iPhone$29.991 Year
  • MDPx Premium Mac, iPad, iPhone$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • MDPx Premium Lifetime$124.99
None

R

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDI Designer Pro X free?
MIDI Designer Pro X is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is R free?
R is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDI Designer Pro X or R?
MIDI Designer Pro X is rated higher. MIDI Designer Pro X averages 4.6 out of 5 from 272 ratings, while R averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.
Do MIDI Designer Pro X or R have ads?
Neither MIDI Designer Pro X nor R shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI Designer Pro X or R?
MIDI Designer Pro X ships an update every 5 days, and R every 6 months. Most recently, MIDI Designer Pro X was updated on November 6, 2026 and R on November 4, 2026.

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