Comparison

MIDI Designer Pro X vs ModWheels

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

Create custom MIDI controllers for any MIDI-enabled hardware or software. Offers extensive customization, a large user-created layout library, and robust MIDI communication. Ideal for musicians and producers seeking a personalized control experience.

Highlights
  • Control any MIDI-enabled device
  • Network, Bluetooth, and USB MIDI
  • Extensive user layout library
  • Customizable control surfaces
  • Advanced MIDI transformation features
  • Ableton Link integration
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: apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

About

ModWheels

This app emulates classic synthesizer modulation and pitch wheels on your iPhone or iPod. Connect a MIDI interface to control any MIDI-enabled synth or keyboard, and utilize a pitch ribbon for vintage synth performance.

Highlights
  • Synthesizer modulation wheels
  • Pitch wheels
  • Pitch ribbon controller
  • MIDI interface support
  • MIDI over WIFI support
Features
Read full description

ModWheels brings classical synthesizer modulation and pitch wheels to your iPhone and iPod. Just hook up a MIDI interface and control any MIDI enabled synth or keyboard. In addition to the wheel interface this app also features a pitch ribbon / wheel combination as it could be found on some vintage synths. This app comes in handy when you are using one of these new organ keyboards which also feature synth sounds. But for some reason the designers have forgotten the performance controls? ModWheels help you using the full potential of those keyboards. ModWheels can be used with most MIDI hardware like LINE6 MIDI Mobilizer and it also supports MIDI over WIFI ModWheels has been rated „Killer App“ by the testers of Apps4iDevices

Screenshots

MIDI Designer Pro X4 screens
ModWheels4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MIDI Designer Pro X at Free against ModWheels's $1.99. MIDI Designer Pro X also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 3 months). ModWheels's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and iOS requirement (9.1 vs 18.6). On review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

MIDI Designer Pro X is free to download; ModWheels costs $1.99 up front. MIDI Designer Pro X sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. ModWheels 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 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MIDI Designer Pro X has 269 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of MIDI Designer Pro X's written reviews are positive against 81% of ModWheels's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI Designer Pro X ships an update every 11 days, ModWheels every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
MIDI Designer Pro X versus ModWheels: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI Designer Pro XModWheels
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.6 (269 ratings) — better4.0 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews78.8% of reviews81.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings269 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.69.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size205 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperConfusion Studios LLCMatthias Schorer

Customer experience

MIDI Designer Pro X

All ratings269 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral2.2%
Negative7.4%
Written reviews165 reviews
Positive78.8%
Neutral4.2%
Negative17.0%

ModWheels

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive81.3%
Neutral6.3%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

14 purchases

MIDI Designer Pro X

Subscriptions10
  • MDPx Premium iPhone Only$1.991 Month
  • MDPx Premium iPad Only$3.491 Month
  • MDPx Premium Mac Only$4.491 Month
Show 7 more
  • MDPx Premium iPad, iPhone$4.491 Month
  • MDPx Premium Mac, iPad, iPhone$7.991 Month
  • MDPx Premium iPhone Only$19.991 Year
  • MDPx Premium iPad Only$34.991 Year
  • MDPx Premium Mac Only$44.991 Year
  • MDPx Premium iPad, iPhone$44.991 Year
  • MDPx Premium Mac, iPad, iPhone$79.991 Year
One-time4
  • Extra Features Pack$4.99
  • Automatic Backups$4.99
  • Audeonic Stream Byter Plugin$4.99
Show 1 more
  • MDPx Premium Lifetime$199.99
None

ModWheels

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 ModWheels free?
ModWheels costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDI Designer Pro X or ModWheels?
MIDI Designer Pro X is rated higher. MIDI Designer Pro X averages 4.6 out of 5 from 269 ratings, while ModWheels averages 4.0 from 9 ratings.
Do MIDI Designer Pro X or ModWheels have ads?
Neither MIDI Designer Pro X nor ModWheels shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI Designer Pro X or ModWheels?
MIDI Designer Pro X ships an update every 11 days, and ModWheels every 3 months. Most recently, MIDI Designer Pro X was updated on October 12, 2026 and ModWheels on October 8, 2026.

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