MIDI Designer Pro X vs R
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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/
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.
- Remote record/playback control
- Input/output level adjustment
- Marker creation and navigation
- Scene selection and settings editing
- Song selection for playback
- Link settings management
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | MIDI Designer Pro X | R |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (272 ratings) — better | 3.4 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews — better | 12.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 272 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 209 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Confusion Studios LLC | Roland Corporation |
Customer experience
MIDI Designer Pro X
R
In-app purchases
MIDI Designer Pro X
- MDPx Premium iPhone Only$1.491 Month
- MDPx Premium iPad Only$2.491 Month
- MDPx Premium iPad, iPhone$2.991 Month
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- 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
- MDPx Premium Lifetime$124.99
R
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MIDI Designer Pro X free?
Is R free?
Which has better reviews, MIDI Designer Pro X or R?
Do MIDI Designer Pro X or R have ads?
Which is updated more often, MIDI Designer Pro X or R?
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