# Launchpad vs Ableton Note

The clearest difference is price: Launchpad at Free against Ableton Note's $6.99. Launchpad also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (35K vs 697). Ableton Note's advantage is chart position (#9 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Launchpad is free to download; Ableton Note costs $6.99 up front. Launchpad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Ableton Note sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Launchpad holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Launchpad has 35K ratings behind it against 697, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Launchpad's written reviews are positive against 72% of Ableton Note's.

Launchpad ships an update fortnightly, Ableton Note every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Launchpad | Ableton Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $6.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (35K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/launchpad-music-and-beat-maker/id584362474/reviews)** | [4.2 (697 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ableton-note/id1633243177/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **35K** | 697 |
| Positive reviews | **84.8% of reviews** | 72.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#9** |
| Size | 129 MB | 1010 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Focusrite Audio Engineering](https://appshunter.io/developer/321949338) | [Ableton AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1228664884) |

## What reviewers say

### Launchpad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/launchpad-music-and-beat-maker/id584362474)

Create and remix electronic music with a professional sound library and intuitive grid interface. Layer beats, melodies, and vocals, then apply DJ-style effects to craft unique tracks. Record and share your musical creations with the world.

**Highlights:** Multi-color grid for playing sounds, Mix and remix soundpacks, DJ-style performance effects, Weekly soundpack releases, Record and share music, Import custom sounds (iPad), Ableton Link integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Launchpad Premium (Monthly) | $7.99 | per month |
| Found Sound Journey: Hip Hop | Free | one-time |
| EDM Haze | Free | one-time |
| Dub Trap | Free | one-time |
| Found Sound Journey: Techno | Free | one-time |
| FoundSoundJourney:ItalianChill | Free | one-time |
| Glitchstep | $1.99 | one-time |
| Viral Hip Hop | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hypnotic Energy | $1.99 | one-time |
| Audio Import | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun
- 🚀 Lots of beats you can use
- 🚀 Good for mental capacity
- 🚀 So good at making beats
- 🚀 Really good

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Makes it look free but not
- 🐛 Not much you can do without paying
- 🐛 Crashes while working
- 🐛 Glitchy
- 🐛 Needs bluetooth MIDI desperately

**Reported bugs**

- Audio import not working
- Inability to delete unnecessary recordings
- Inability to see name of soundpack a loop belongs to
- Pad selections disappearing when hitting stop
- Inability to import audio after updating

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit after a track is recorded, adjusting levels/adding effects
- Pause button
- Ability to duplicate a current song
- Sequencer to use drum hits
- Ability to change key of project


### Ableton Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ableton-note/id1633243177)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Paid · Music, #54 Top Paid (US App Store)

Create musical ideas with curated sounds and effects. Build beats, melodies, and sample your surroundings. Seamlessly transfer your projects to Ableton Live for further development.

**Highlights:** Create beats and melodies, Sample sounds with phone microphone, MIDI Editor for sequencing, Transfer projects to Ableton Live, 76 Drum Sampler kits, 317 synth sounds

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drift In-App Purchase | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intuitive workflow
- 🎨 Great sound quality
- 🤝 Seamless Ableton Live integration
- 💰 Affordable price
- 🔥 Inspiring for creativity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 No audio track support
- 🎹 Limited note editing capabilities
- ⏱️ Bluetooth latency issues
- 🔢 Restricted to 4/4 time signature
- 🔧 Lacking some advanced features

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional loss of unsaved work
- Freezing issues when editing clips

**Requested features**

- Audio track support
- Expanded note editing tools
- Midi controller support
- More effects and synth options
- Time signature flexibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Launchpad free?

Launchpad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Ableton Note free?

Ableton Note costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Launchpad or Ableton Note?

Launchpad is rated higher. Launchpad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 35K ratings, while Ableton Note averages 4.2 from 697 ratings.

### Do Launchpad or Ableton Note have ads?

Neither Launchpad nor Ableton Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Launchpad or Ableton Note?

Launchpad ships an update fortnightly, and Ableton Note every 5 weeks. Most recently, Launchpad was updated on October 28, 2026 and Ableton Note on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*