MIDI Designer Pro X vs ChartPad
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/
ChartPad
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Sali sul palco. Il resto sparisce. ChartPad è il copilota del tuo live: lo spartito giusto, al momento giusto, per ogni musicista della band. MODALITÀ CONCERTO — IL PALCO È TUO Chart a tutto schermo. Leggi, suoni, vai avanti. BLUETOOTH E MIDI — E IL BRANO CAMBIA Collega un pedale Bluetooth come AirTurn o iRig BlueTurn e gira pagina senza toccare lo schermo. Con il MIDI su Wi-Fi/USB o BT lo show viene guidato ChartPad segue ogni cambio, all’istante. CHORD CHART — SCRIVI, ED È GIÀ UN PDF Accordi, battute, sezioni e ripetizioni in pochi tocchi con un semplice drag and drop. LA BAND, TUTTA INSIEME Invita i musicisti, condividi setlist e versioni. Ognuno ha la sua parte, l’ordine resta sincronizzato e alla prova arrivate già pronti. E in più: • importa testi e accordi, puliscili e trasponili • scansiona e annota i tuoi PDF • lavora offline: tutto si sincronizza quando torni online Pensata iPad-first, perfetta anche su iPhone. ChartPad include acquisti in-app: il piano Premium rimuove il limite di storage del piano gratuito, ideale per librerie PDF estese. Meno tempo a cercare file. Più tempo a suonare.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: MIDI Designer Pro X at every 5 days against ChartPad's every 3 months. ChartPad's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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 and ChartPad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
MIDI Designer Pro X ships an update every 5 days, ChartPad every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MIDI Designer Pro X | ChartPad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (272 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 272 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 209 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Confusion Studios LLC | Riccardo Gialletti |
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
ChartPad
- ChartPad Premium$3.99
Questions
Is MIDI Designer Pro X free?
Is ChartPad free?
Do MIDI Designer Pro X or ChartPad have ads?
Which is updated more often, MIDI Designer Pro X or ChartPad?
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