Comparison

Echo Pad vs Additive Drum Machine

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

Head to head
About

Echo Pad

This app is a highly playable and flexible multi-effects processor focused on delay. It offers a vast range of sounds, from authentic dub echoes to chaotic analog delays and bit-crushed effects. It supports live audio processing, MIDI control, and synchronization with external clocks.

Highlights
  • Multi-effects processor
  • Delay FX
  • Loopers
  • MIDI control
  • Audiobus 3 compatible
  • Inter-App Audio compatible
  • Beat synced delays
Read full description

A highly playable and extremely flexible "echo centric" multi effects processor. Echo Pad is capable of an endless range of sounds including authentic dub echo, crystal echoes and multi-tap delay, to chaotic self-oscillating analog delays and bit crushed mayhem. Compatible with Audiobus 3 including full state saving, Inter-App Audio, and USB audio interfaces. Control Echo Pad's parameters via MIDI and sync to external MIDI clock or IAA clock for beat synced delays. Guitarists will appreciate features like delay ducking and gated feedback. Effects include: Tape Echo, Shimmer Delay, Oil Can Delay, Multi-Tap (up to 6 taps), Stereo Delay, Decimator, Flanger, Distortion,Smooth Filter, Loopers and more. >SmiteMatterMusic: "Echo Pad is so innovative all around. I never knew just how much I needed this until I had it in my hands. I recommend giving it a try." (www.smitematter.com) >Jordan Rudess/Wizdom Music: "This is a super fantastic - extremely trippy effects app, which harnesses the power of an iOS device to offer you control that is only possible on a multitouch device. " Process live audio from nearly any input source, including Audiobus and Inter-App Audio compatible hosts such as Auria and Cubasis, use the built in mic, professional audio interfaces such as the Apogee Jam, Apogee MIC, iRig HD, and more. Guitarists can use our effects live by connecting the output of their audio interface to an amp. Visit our YouTube channel for demonstration videos and tutorials on Echo Pad. https://youtube.com/holdernessmedia More info: www.holdernessmedia.com Check out our entire FX series including Caramel, Crystalline, Stereo Designer and Swoopster! COMPATIBILITY: • requires iOS 12.4 or later • iPad Mini/iPad 2 or newer recommended (performance may suffer on older devices) • iPhone 4s/iPod 5 or newer recommended (performance may suffer on older devices) • Audiobus 3 compatible (Effect, state saving ) • Inter-App audio compatible (effect node) • Compatible with DAW apps such as Auria, Cubasis, and Garageband • Export recordings and loops to AudioShare • Core MIDI compatible Features: • Supports Audiobus 3.0 state saving, Effect slot • Inter-App Audio compatible (effect node) • Stereo input and effects processing • Control Echo Pad via MIDI • Sync to external MIDI clock for beat synced delays • Realtime analog style delay/looper • Delay ducking and gated feedback • 18 Effects • 60 factory presets + save custom presets • Multi-touch XY control of effect parameters + stereo panning for expressive control • Automate effects parameters using the Motion Looper. • Sound on sound looper with feedback control for creating layered loops on the fly • Dual mini scratch loopers - record a loop, then scratch like a turntable • Universal app • Select presets via MIDI program change • Works with headphones as well as most iOS and professional USB audio interfaces including: • Apogee Jam • Apogee Mic • iConnectMidi 2+ • iConnectMidi 4+ • iRig • iRig iMic • Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (*requires USB hub) • Apogee ONE (*requires external power thru USB hub) • Apogee GIO (*requires external power thru USB hub) • many more Sharing/Exporting: • Audiobus 3.0 (Effect, State Saving) • Inter-App Audio compatible (effect node) • supports "Export to AudioShare" functionality. Loops and recordings created with Echo Pad can be exported directly to the AudioShare app for easy audio file management. • recordings & loops are also exported to iTunes File Sharing for access on your Mac/PC

About

Additive Drum Machine

Create unique drum beats with additive rhythm and traditional drum machine functionality. Design sequences of any length and structure, easily switching steps on and off to craft complex patterns. Ideal for practicing odd meters and exploring diverse rhythmic structures.

Highlights
  • Additive rhythm concept
  • Traditional drum machine interface
  • Customizable sequence length
  • Step sequencing
  • Odd meter support
  • Symmetrical and asymmetrical rhythms
Features
Read full description

With Additive Drum Machine you can create drum beats using the concept of “additive rhythm” in combination with the sounds and ease of use of a traditional drum machine. Construct step sequences of any length and structure by the chaining of "long" and "short" beats. Then switch on and off individual steps to create a drum pattern. Whether used as a practice tool or composition sketchpad, its intuitive interface allows you to easily make drum patterns that use odd meters, symmetrical and asymmetrical rhythmic structures, and various subdivisions of the pulse. With Additive Drum Machine your musical imagination is the limit.

Screenshots

Echo Pad2 screens
Additive Drum Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Echo Pad at every 2 months against Additive Drum Machine's every 15 months. Echo Pad also leads on ratings volume (11 vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 14.5). Additive Drum Machine's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 86%) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On rating, 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

Echo Pad costs $4.99 and Additive Drum Machine $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Echo Pad against 5.0 for Additive Drum Machine. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 3 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Echo Pad's written reviews are positive against 100% of Additive Drum Machine's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Echo Pad ships an update every 2 months, Additive Drum Machine every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Echo Pad versus Additive Drum Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEcho PadAdditive Drum Machine
Price$4.99$2.99 — better
Rating4.9 (11 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.4 — better14.5
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHolderness MediaGiovanny Bermudez

Customer experience

Echo Pad

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews111 reviews
Positive85.6%
Neutral0.9%
Negative13.5%

Additive Drum Machine

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Echo Pad

No in-app purchases

None

Additive Drum Machine

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Echo Pad free?
Echo Pad costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Additive Drum Machine free?
Additive Drum Machine costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Echo Pad or Additive Drum Machine?
Additive Drum Machine is rated higher. Echo Pad averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Additive Drum Machine averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Echo Pad or Additive Drum Machine have ads?
Neither Echo Pad nor Additive Drum Machine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Echo Pad or Additive Drum Machine?
Echo Pad ships an update every 2 months, and Additive Drum Machine every 15 months. Most recently, Echo Pad was updated on October 7, 2026 and Additive Drum Machine on September 21, 2026.

Other comparisons