MIDI Designer Pro X vs AX
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/
AX
This application allows users to customize their AX-Edge device by creating original sounds, editing system effects, and organizing sound lists for various performance needs. It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth for seamless integration.
- Create original sounds (programs and tones)
- Edit system effects (EQ, reverb)
- Organize sound lists for performances
- Wireless Bluetooth connection
- Customize output sound for venues
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Customize the AX-Edge to your taste AX-Edge Editor is a free app that lets you take full advantage of your AX-Edge by customizing it to your taste. AX-Edge Editor provides editing functionality that lets you create original sounds and librarian functionality that lets you organize lists of sounds as needed for different performance situations. It also provides numerous other useful functions, such as system effect editing that lets you customize the output sound appropriately for each live performance venue.The AX-Edge features a distinctive external appearance, and now you can also customize its sound to give it even more of your own personality. Main features: - Program editing and tone editing let you create your own original sounds (programs and tones). - System effect editing lets you adjust effects such as EQ and reverb as appropriate for your live performance venue. - Librarian lets you create, save, and recall program lists and tone lists as needed for different performance situations. - The app connects to your AX-Edge wirelessly via Bluetooth.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: MIDI Designer Pro X at 79% against AX's 22%. MIDI Designer Pro X also leads on rating (4.6 vs 1.5) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 8 months). AX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads and device support 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. AX asks for nothing beyond the download.
MIDI Designer Pro X holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MIDI Designer Pro X has 272 ratings behind it against 17, 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 22% of AX's.
MIDI Designer Pro X ships an update every 5 days, AX every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MIDI Designer Pro X | AX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (272 ratings) — better | 1.5 (17 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews — better | 22.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 272 — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 8 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 209 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Confusion Studios LLC | Roland Corporation |
Customer experience
MIDI Designer Pro X
AX
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
AX
No in-app purchases









