Turnado vs Koala FX
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Turnado
This app offers real-time audio manipulation with a variety of dynamic effects. Control multiple parameters with intuitive one-knob actions, perfect for live performance and sound design. Create unique and extreme audio transformations with ease.
- Multi-effect audio manipulation
- Real-time control
- 4 XY-Pads for simultaneous effect control
- Integrated player and recorder
- Full MIDI support
- Dictator mode for animating multiple effects
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Turnado is a revolutionary multi-effect tool, crafted especially for massive real-time audio manipulation. It combines unique and dynamic effects with the most intuitive and immediate control you can imagine. Just turn it on and crank it up. Take it to the stage and unleash Turnado’s true power. With instant access to eight effects and immediate control over key parameters, Turnado is guaranteed to cause devastation on the dance floor, shredding beats and crunking breaks to insane proportions. Features at a Glance: • Audio Unit v3 Plugin & Standalone App • 4 XY-Pads to control 2 Effects simultaneously (X,Y) • Integrated Player (Music Library, Factory Loops) • Integrated Recorder (options: Start/Stop/Sync/Length) • Live Modus (Inputs & Outputs selectable) • Auria Plug-In • AudioCopy / AudioShare import • AudioCopy / AudioShare / Soundcoud / Dropbox export • Full Midi Support (Virtual, Network, Extern) • Midi Clock Sync The idea is simple: Turn a knob and the effect is on. Turn the knob further to adjust effect parameters and apply modulations. Turn the knob down and the effect is off. With its instantaneous, one-knob, multi-parameter modulation features, Turnado will lay waste to the audio landscape. Giving you the power to crunch, chop, twist, mash and elevate your music to new levels, Turnado will have you creating wicked new sounds that will blow any crowd away. Unlocking the power of your MIDI controller each effect requires only one knob to control it. Underneath this simplicity lies a matrix of effect parameters and modulation engines, all controlled by the main knob. This control matrix provides serious depth to the plugin and gives you the ability to create original and truly unique effect programs. If the power of one-knob action still doesn’t rock your boat, the awesome "Dictator" mode will sink your battleship. It allows you to animate all the main knobs and run that animation with just one fader. That’s one fader, controlling up to 8 different effects, with potentially hundreds of parameter changes! Turnado’s primary focus is on beat manipulation, so you will find lots of loopers, slicers and grain tools in the rack. Alongside these beat-mashing effects are an arsenal of distortions and filters as well as first-class delays and reverbs. With extensive modulation possibilities each effect can produce millions of unbelievable variations that can be morphed and twisted into something new every time you tweak those knobs. Turnado will inspire you again and again, delivering completely new variations of your original sounds and grooves every time, so what are you waiting for…turn it on.
Koala FX
This creative effects unit offers 16 intuitive, one-touch effects to easily transform your audio. Morph and twist tracks, sculpt synth sounds, or add lofi warmth. Save and crossfade between scenes for dynamic musical arrangements.
- 16 one-touch creative effects
- Intuitive instrument-like playability
- Save and crossfade between 8 scenes
- Rearrangeable effect order
- Automatable parameters
- Resizable UI
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*** IMPORTANT! Koala FX is an Audio Unit Effect plugin (AUv3) which requires a compatible host or DAW to work such as Garageband, Beat Maker 3, AUM etc *** *** Koala FX is the ultimate creative effects unit. It offers 16 one-touch effects that you can play intuitively like an instrument, allowing you to effortlessly morph and twist your track into something beautiful. It includes all your favourite mix effects from Koala Sampler, but refined and souped up to allow super smooth cuts and crossfades. Apply effects to your whole mix just to add some lofi warmth or to liven things up… or use it to sculpt synth sounds to blend in with the rest. * Save up to 8 scenes per preset, so you can cut between them in time with the music * Smoothly crossfade between scenes with a giant 8-way X-Y pad. * Rearrange the order of the effects by dragging them. * A togglable hold mode allows you to keep some effects engaged, and others off when you let go of them. * Fully automatable via your host (effects, volume, scene, XY pad) * UI is fully resizable, works great in any aspect ratio CRUSH Bitcrusher with transistor distortion PITCH Frequency domain pitch shifter COMB Super short smooth interpolating delay with gallons of feedback RING Modeled diode ring modulator REVERB Efficient schroeder topology reverb STUTTER Loops a fragment of sound coming into koala fx and loops it in time with the music GATE Noise gate with hysteresis FILTER Combined low and high pass analog modeled filter CUTTER Chops the signal to the beat REVERSE Delay effect that reverses parts of your sound in time to the music DUB Vari-speed analog style tape delay TEMPO DELAY Tempo synced delay TALKBOX Formant filter based on human vocal tract VIBROFLANGE Half-vibrato, half-flanger DIRTY Analog modeled valve distortion COMPRESSOR Hard knee opto-style compressor with a bit of If you’re having any issues with Koala FX please get in touch at https://www.elf-audio.com/contact.php
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Turnado at Free against Koala FX's $3.99. Turnado also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 34 months) and review sentiment (77% vs 66%). Koala FX's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On rating, ratings volume and ads 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
Turnado is free to download; Koala FX costs $3.99 up front. Turnado sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Koala FX asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Turnado against 4.6 for Koala FX. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 63 and 76 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Turnado's written reviews are positive against 66% of Koala FX's.
Turnado ships an update every 6 weeks, Koala FX every 34 months. The most recent releases landed on August 9, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Turnado | Koala FX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (63 ratings) | 4.6 (76 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews — better | 65.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 63 | 76 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 34 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 117 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sugar Bytes GmbH | Mazbox Limited |
Customer experience
Turnado
Koala FX
Bugs and requests
Turnado
Reported bugs
13 issues- App crashes on startup with splash screen freeze
- Presets disappear after app updates
- Audio crackling and skipping during playback
- Won't load as AUv3 in certain DAWs (AUM)
- Incompatible with iPad 3 and older devices
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- Audio import failures causing app crashes
- Audiobus compatibility issues
- Parameter jumping when using MIDI controllers in C2 range
- Spectralizer effect causes excessive CPU usage and crackling
- Inconsistent touch detection for dragging effects
- State saving issues with Audiobus
- App doesn't appear in GarageBand as AUv3
- Startup noise on some devices
Requested features
13 requests- Modern UI redesign with larger interface elements
- Landscape orientation mode
- Gesture recording capability
- Global module on/off toggle that persists across presets
- Return-to-zero option for effect knobs
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- Audio Units (AUv3) support for wider DAW compatibility
- iPhone support
- Soundcloud upload integration
- Visual song progress bar with markers
- Dropbox file sharing integration
- Reverse X-axis and Y-axis control option
- In-app manual and help documentation
- Landscape mode for better screen utilization
Koala FX
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Turnado
- Turnado Full Version$24.99
Koala FX
No in-app purchases







