MIDIWriter vs 8
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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[[ 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
8
Create fast 8-bit and electronic music with this step sequencer. Program drums and melodies, arrange song structures with custom playback flows, and export your audio. Use it as an AUv3 instrument in compatible hosts.
- Step sequencer for drums and melodies
- Customizable playback flows for song structure
- AUv3 instrument extension
- Save and export audio
- One-tap randomization for idea sketching
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Whether you are exploring chiptune for the first time or quickly capturing a retro electronic idea, 8-bit Music Master offers a straightforward, lightweight workflow. In the standalone app, program drums, Melody 1, and Melody 2 one step at a time. Switch octave ranges, reveal semitone notes, or use random generation as a starting point, then edit every note and hit yourself. Custom playback flows let you arrange the page order and repeat count of each part separately, turning short patterns into longer sections. Save your projects and export a finished mix, MIDI file, or separate stems for further production and sharing. Four AUv3 plugins are included: • Chip Synth — retro waveforms, presets, arpeggiation, sound shaping, and step sequencing • Six-Voice Drum Machine — kick, snare, closed and open hats, clap, and tom, with swing, presets, and a host-synced 16-step pattern sequencer • 8-bit FX — bit-depth and sample-rate reduction, drive, digital noise, stereo width, and tempo-synced delay • Chip Seq MIDI — a host-synced 16-step MIDI generator with pitch, velocity, gate, length, and swing controls Use the suite in compatible hosts such as Loopy Pro. The instruments and audio effect can also run in GarageBand; Chip Seq MIDI requires a host that supports AUv3 MIDI routing. The app is designed to help you begin quickly while leaving every pattern open for hands-on editing, so generated ideas can still become your own.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: 8 at 67% against MIDIWriter's 0%. 8 also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.5) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 35 months). MIDIWriter's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $1.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
MIDIWriter costs $0.99 and 8 $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
8 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of MIDIWriter's written reviews are positive against 67% of 8's.
MIDIWriter ships an update every 35 months, 8 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MIDIWriter | 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 1.5 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 35 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #191 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Masayuki Akamatsu | 宁 徐 |
Customer experience
MIDIWriter
8
In-app purchases
MIDIWriter
No in-app purchases
8
No in-app purchases









