Comparison

Samplr vs GM MIDI Player

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

Head to head
About

Samplr

This app offers a unique multitouch interface for exploring and manipulating audio samples. Create music through various play modes, record gestures for sequencing, and experiment with audio effects. It's designed for audio experimentation, composition, and live performance.

Highlights
  • 8 distinct play modes (Slicer, Looper, Granular, etc.)
  • Gesture recorder for sequencing
  • Audio input recording and resampling
  • 6 sample slots with 16 voices each
  • 5 per-sample effects (Distortion, Reverb, etc.)
  • Import audio from cloud storage and other apps
Read full description

The app used by renowned musicians like Fred again.., Richard Devine, Apparat, Weval or Matmos live and in the studio. Samplr introduced a brand new way to make music, only possible on multitouch devices. Explore the samples melody and texture using the different play modes and create compositions with the gesture recorder. Samplr is the ideal tool for audio experimentation, music composition and live performance. USER REVIEWS “The most profound audio manipulation tool on iOS” 5 stars “There is NOTHING on the market hardware or software like this” 5 stars “Stunningly beautiful interface and exceptionally easy to use” 5 stars “This is the most musical app I've ever used. It's polished, it's musical, it's fun, it's inspiring” 5 stars “It’s the best realization of what touch screen sampling should be” 5 stars FEATURES • 8 play modes: Slicer, Looper, Granular, Tape, Scratch, Arpeggiator, Keyboard and Loop Player • Gesture recorder for sequencing • Audio input recording and resampling • 6 sample slots (x16 voices) • 5 effects per sample: Distortion, Filter, Amplitude Modulator, Feedback Delay and Reverb COMPATIBILITY • Ableton Link • MIDI Keyboard, Controller and Sync input • IAA (Inter-App Audio) • Audiobus Input and Output • WAV and AIFF file support • Import files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox, AudioShare, etc Learn more and see how it works on samplr.net. For feedback or support please reach out to support@samplr.net

About

GM MIDI Player

Play standard MIDI files on your iOS device with a built-in software synthesizer. Organize your music into playlists and share them seamlessly with other apps. Enjoy background playback and AirPlay support for a versatile listening experience.

Highlights
  • Plays standard MIDI files (.mid)
  • Built-in software synthesizer
  • Create and manage playlists
  • Seamless iOS file manager integration
  • Background Audio playback
  • AirPlay support
Features
Read full description

MIDI Still Lives! (Note: This is one of the first iOS apps we ever made and we still use it very often and want to share this pleasure with you. MIDI files remain fascinating and must never die!) GM MIDI Player is a free app for playing standard MIDI files (SMF) with the file extension *.mid, which integrates seamlessly into the iOS operating system (version 11 and higher). A software synthesizer in GM / GS standard is built-in. Play all the MIDI files from the Internet or the file system of your iOS device and create and manage your own collections and share these with other apps and people. - seamlessly integrated into the iOS file manager (files app) - iCloud and file sharing supported - "Open with" and "Send to" integrated - plays nearly all MIDI files in SMF format 0 and 1 - contains already hand-picked MIDI files in different styles - integrated software synthesizer with sequencer - 16-times mutitimbral, 128-part polyphonic - Over 300 'instruments' and various drum maps - GM / GS standards supported - Background Audio playback and Notification Center Support - AirPlay support of audio playback - supports connected remote controls for pause / resume - Help file and integrated connection to other Internet resources - Creation and management of own playlists possible Note: GM MIDI Player can NOT output MIDI signals via CoreMIDI or somehow interact with other audio apps (IAA). Also, to create and edit GM compatible files, please use an external MIDI sequencer or editor that is specialized for this. For questions and suggestions or problems,  please contact support: support@digitster.com.

Screenshots

GM MIDI Player4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: GM MIDI Player at $9.99 against Samplr's $19.99. GM MIDI Player also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Samplr's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 52 months). On review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Samplr costs $19.99 and GM MIDI Player $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Samplr holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Samplr has 149 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Samplr's written reviews are positive against 78% of GM MIDI Player's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Samplr ships an update every 3 months, GM MIDI Player every 52 months. The most recent releases landed on July 25, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Samplr versus GM MIDI Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSamplrGM MIDI Player
Price$19.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.7 (149 ratings) — better4.1 (19 ratings)
Positive reviews79.5% of reviews — better77.8% of reviews
Number of ratings149 — better19
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 52 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcos AlonsoJens Guell

Customer experience

Samplr

All ratings149 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral1.3%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews404 reviews
Positive79.5%
Neutral7.2%
Negative13.4%

GM MIDI Player

All ratings19 ratings
Positive73.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative26.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%

Bugs and requests

Samplr

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Recording functionality not working as expected
  • Dropbox integration causing crashes
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Implement Ableton Link for better sync
  • Add support for more audio file formats
  • Improve sample import/export workflow
  • Introduce a more robust sequencing and automation system
  • Provide multi-channel audio output

GM MIDI Player

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Samplr

No in-app purchases

None

GM MIDI Player

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Samplr free?
Samplr costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GM MIDI Player free?
GM MIDI Player costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Samplr or GM MIDI Player?
Samplr is rated higher. Samplr averages 4.7 out of 5 from 149 ratings, while GM MIDI Player averages 4.1 from 19 ratings.
Do Samplr or GM MIDI Player have ads?
Neither Samplr nor GM MIDI Player shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Samplr or GM MIDI Player?
Samplr ships an update every 3 months, and GM MIDI Player every 52 months. Most recently, Samplr was updated on July 25, 2026 and GM MIDI Player on September 18, 2026.

Other comparisons