MIDI Designer Pro X vs HxMIDI Tools
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/
HxMIDI Tools
This software allows owners of CME USB MIDI Host products to update firmware and fully configure their devices. Users can manage routing, mapping, and filtering of MIDI and USB inputs and outputs.
- Firmware updates for CME USB MIDI Hosts
- Configure routing between MIDI and USB inputs/outputs
- Filter incoming MIDI events
- Map incoming MIDI events to others
- Full product configuration
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HxMIDI Tools, the software dedicated to CME USB MIDI Hosts products owners. With this software, you will be able to update the firmware of your CME Pro H4MIDI WC, H2MIDI Pro, H12MIDI Pro as well as all other products to come. The software is also used to fully configure your product, you have an access to the routing, mapping and filtering features. With this software you will be able to configure routing to each MIDI and USB input, you can decide to route any input to any output. You can also decide to filter any incoming MIDI event so it is not forwarded to the routed output. The latest version also offers the possibility to map any incoming MIDI event to another one, and much more
Screenshots
Verdict
MIDI Designer Pro X and HxMIDI Tools both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of MIDI Designer Pro X's written reviews are positive against 0% of HxMIDI Tools's. MIDI Designer Pro X also leads on ratings volume (271 vs 4) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). HxMIDI Tools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating 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. HxMIDI Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for MIDI Designer Pro X against 4.5 for HxMIDI Tools. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MIDI Designer Pro X has 271 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of MIDI Designer Pro X's written reviews are positive against 0% of HxMIDI Tools's.
MIDI Designer Pro X ships an update every 5 days, HxMIDI Tools every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MIDI Designer Pro X | HxMIDI Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (271 ratings) — better | 4.5 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 271 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 209 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Confusion Studios LLC | CME PTE. LTD. |
Customer experience
MIDI Designer Pro X
HxMIDI Tools
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
HxMIDI Tools
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MIDI Designer Pro X free?
Is HxMIDI Tools free?
Which has better reviews, MIDI Designer Pro X or HxMIDI Tools?
Do MIDI Designer Pro X or HxMIDI Tools have ads?
Which is updated more often, MIDI Designer Pro X or HxMIDI Tools?
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