Comparison

MIDIWriter vs Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MIDIWriter

This app transforms keyboard input into musical notes and sounds. Type characters to instantly generate MIDI messages, or input phrases to create musical sequences with adjustable tempo and looping. It includes a built-in sound engine and supports external MIDI devices and apps.

Highlights
  • Text to MIDI conversion
  • Built-in General MIDI sound engine
  • Phrase playback with tempo control
  • Drum mode with multiple kits
  • External MIDI output
  • Hardware keyboard support
  • Wi-Fi MIDI networking
Features
Read full description

[[ A STRANGE MUSIC TOOL FOR MANIAC MUSIC LOVERS! ]] MIDIWriter is a unique app that converts keyboard input into MIDI note messages. Each character you type instantly produces sound. You can also enter a phrase and play it back as a sequence with adjustable tempo and loop options. KEY FEATURES: Built-in Sound Engine: No external app required! MIDIWriter includes a built-in General MIDI sound engine with 128 instruments and 9 drum kits. Just type and hear the sound immediately. Phrase Playback: Enter any text and play it as a musical sequence. Adjust the tempo (1-480 BPM), enable loop mode, and let your words become music. Space characters can be used as rests. Drum Mode: Switch to drum mode to play percussion sounds. Choose from 9 GM drum kits including Standard, Room, Power, Electronic, 808/909, Jazz, Brush, and Orchestral. MIDI Output: Send MIDI to other apps or external devices. Configure MIDI channel (1-16), program change (0-127), and destination. Works with Virtual MIDI and MIDI Network Session. Can be used simultaneously with the built-in sound engine. Keyboard Support: Use the on-screen software keyboard, or connect a Bluetooth/USB hardware keyboard for a real typing experience. Supports Japanese input with proper IME handling. MIDI Network Session: Connect to Mac or other iOS devices over Wi-Fi to control CoreMIDI-compatible sound generators remotely. Dark Mode & Rotation: Full support for light and dark modes. Works in portrait and landscape orientations on both iPhone and iPad. Note: Playback stops when the app goes to background. Using the Built-in Sound: Simply launch MIDIWriter and start typing. Each key produces a unique sound based on its character code. Enable drum mode in Settings for percussion sounds. Using with External MIDI Apps (Virtual MIDI): 1. Open a CoreMIDI sound generator app. 2. In MIDIWriter Settings, turn on "MIDI Output" and select the destination. 3. Type any key to hear sound from the external app. Using with Mac (MIDI Network Session): 1. Connect iPhone and Mac to the same Wi-Fi network. 2. Open MIDIWriter on iPhone. 3. On Mac, open "Audio MIDI Setup" and configure Network MIDI. 4. Connect your iPhone to the session. 5. Open a CoreMIDI app on Mac and select the network session as MIDI input. 6. Type on MIDIWriter to play sounds on Mac. Credits: Built-in sound engine uses "GeneralUser GS" SoundFont by S. Christian Collins. https://schristiancollins.com/generaluser.php

About

Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth

This app is a polyphonic wavetable and FM synthesizer for musicians and sound designers. It offers flexible wavetable creation, sound design capabilities, and AUv3 plugin support for seamless integration with music production hosts. Share and discover user-created presets within the app.

Highlights
  • 8-voice polyphonic engine
  • Dual wavetable oscillators per voice
  • Bidirectional FM synthesis
  • Global ladder filter
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • iCloud sync for presets
  • Community preset sharing
Features
Read full description

Nikaya Synth is a compact, expressive wavetable synthesizer designed for musicians and sound designers looking for flexibility without complexity. It features an 8-voice polyphonic engine, with each voice containing two independent wavetable oscillators and a pair of FM operators. Each voice includes its own ADSR amplitude envelope, while modulation and filtering are handled globally for efficient performance and unified control. Explore a variety of ways to generate and import wavetables: - Flexible Wavetable Creation - Convert images into wavetables using brightness data - Slice WAV files into multiple waveforms - Import folders of single-cycle waveforms - Browse a curated set of factory wavetables - Generate up to 128 waveforms from a single source - Sound Design Capabilities Nikaya offers a focused feature set for building detailed, evolving sounds: - Two wavetable oscillators per voice with independent wave index control - Bidirectional FM synthesis using the current wavetable waveforms - Global ladder filter with a cycling envelope and morphable curve shapes - Two global LFOs with tempo sync and multiple waveforms - Clear visual feedback for envelope shaping - Workflow and Integration Designed with usability and integration in mind: - AUv3 plugin support for host compatibility - iCloud sync for presets and wavetables - Full parameter automation in supported hosts Community Sharing (iOS 13+) - Access user-created presets from the in-app browser - Like and download new sounds - Share your own presets with others Nikaya Synth offers a practical approach to modern wavetable synthesis—lightweight, responsive, and easy to navigate, while remaining capable of detailed and expressive sound design.

Screenshots

MIDIWriter4 screens
Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth at 67% against MIDIWriter's 0%. Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.5) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 35 months). MIDIWriter's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $6.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

MIDIWriter costs $0.99 and Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of MIDIWriter's written reviews are positive against 67% of Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDIWriter ships an update every 35 months, Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MIDIWriter versus Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDIWriterNikaya Wavetable and FM Synth
Price$0.99 — better$6.99
Rating1.5 (2 ratings)4.5 (10 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings210 — better
Update frequencyEvery 35 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMasayuki AkamatsuCem Olcay

Customer experience

MIDIWriter

All ratings2 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

MIDIWriter

No in-app purchases

None

Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDIWriter free?
MIDIWriter costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth free?
Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDIWriter or Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth?
Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth is rated higher. MIDIWriter averages 1.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth averages 4.5 from 10 ratings.
Do MIDIWriter or Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth have ads?
Neither MIDIWriter nor Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDIWriter or Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth?
MIDIWriter ships an update every 35 months, and Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth every 2 days. Most recently, MIDIWriter was updated on October 27, 2026 and Nikaya Wavetable and FM Synth on October 28, 2026.

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