Comparison

Echo Pad vs Cantus

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

Cantus

Features
Read full description

Cantus - Voicing Lab is an interactive harmony and chord-voicing tool by Nathaniel School of Music for pianists, composers, producers, and music theory students. Explore how notes move inside chords, hear voicings in context, and study color, tension, and modal relationships from the keyboard. Cantus is designed as a focused practice lab: pick a sound, inspect the voice leading, and build intuition for how harmony feels under your hands. FEATURES * Interactive chord and voicing explorer * Piano keyboard visualization * Modal and scale-based harmony practice * Voice-leading movement and pinboard-style comparison * Tone.js audio playback * Self-hosted fonts and bundled web assets * Works without an account BY NATHANIEL SCHOOL OF MUSIC Built for practical harmony learning, composition practice, and deeper chord fluency.

Screenshots

Echo Pad2 screens
Cantus3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Cantus at Free against Echo Pad's $4.99. Cantus also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). Echo Pad's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Cantus is free to download; Echo Pad costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Echo Pad ships an update every 2 months, Cantus every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Echo Pad versus Cantus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEcho PadCantus
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (11 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings11 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.4 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHolderness MediaJason Zachariah

In-app purchases

None

Echo Pad

No in-app purchases

None

Cantus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Echo Pad free?
Echo Pad costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cantus free?
Cantus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Echo Pad or Cantus have ads?
Neither Echo Pad nor Cantus shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Echo Pad or Cantus?
Echo Pad ships an update every 2 months, and Cantus every 5 days. Most recently, Echo Pad was updated on October 7, 2026 and Cantus on October 4, 2026.

Other comparisons