Comparison

GCL1 vs ShowMIDI

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

Head to head
About

GCL1

This AUv3 plugin integrates a gate, compressor, and limiter into a single unit for audio processing. It offers precise control over dynamic range, noise reduction, and peak levels, mimicking a real hardware unit with clear displays.

Highlights
  • Gate for noise reduction
  • Compressor for dynamic response
  • Limiter to prevent clipping
  • AUv3 plugin compatibility
  • Realistic hardware interface
  • Precise VU meters
Features
Read full description

Please note: this is an AUv3 plugin that can be used with compatible host Apps. GSi GCL1 features three dynamic processors in one unit: - Gate: typically used to interrupt background noise when there's no musical content in a noisy track - Compressor: a device that automatically adjusts the dynamic response of a sound source to make it constant and stable - Limiter: a device that limits the highest peak levels to prevent unwanted distortion or clipping The initial of these three devices make the name G, C and L... and the number 1 is because you never know... Using this plugin is very simple, every control is rendered like on a real unit, with absolute values on knobs and precise vu-meters.

About

ShowMIDI

This application provides a real-time, glanceable view of all MIDI activity on your computer. It visualizes various MIDI messages and allows you to pause the flow for a data snapshot. It can be used as a standalone tool or an AUv3 plugin within your DAW.

Highlights
  • Real-time MIDI visualization
  • Auto-hides irrelevant messages
  • Pause and snapshot data
  • Standalone application
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • Supports MPE configuration
Features
Read full description

ShowMIDI is an open-source multi-platform GUI application to effortlessly visualize MIDI activity. Instead of wading through logs of MIDI messages to correlate relevant ones and identify what is happening, ShowMIDI visualizes the current activity and auto-hides what you don't care about anymore. It provides you with a real-time glanceable view of all MIDI activity on your computer. ShowMIDI is designed to be always on, using the spacebar or play/pause button you can pause the flow and focus on a data snapshot with the latest state of any MIDI entity. ShowMIDI can be ran as a standalone application that automatically detects all your MIDI devices, or as an AUv3 plugin in your DAW or host to visualize MIDI data in your sessions. ShowMIDI visualizes: * MIDI ports * channels * program change * note on/off * channel pressure * polyphonic pressure * continuous control change * pitchbend * RPN and NRPN * MPE configuration and channel modes ShowMIDI supports: * themes * standalone operation * AUv3 operation

Screenshots

ShowMIDI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ShowMIDI at 88% against GCL1's 0%. ShowMIDI also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (4.8 vs 4.0). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

ShowMIDI is free to download; GCL1 costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ShowMIDI holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShowMIDI has 18 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of GCL1's written reviews are positive against 88% of ShowMIDI's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GCL1 ships an update every 38 months, ShowMIDI every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
GCL1 versus ShowMIDI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGCL1ShowMIDI
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (2 ratings)4.8 (18 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews87.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings218 — better
Update frequencyEvery 38 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGenuine SoundwareUwyn, LLC

Customer experience

GCL1

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

ShowMIDI

All ratings18 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral5.6%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

GCL1

No in-app purchases

None

ShowMIDI

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GCL1 free?
GCL1 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ShowMIDI free?
ShowMIDI is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GCL1 or ShowMIDI?
ShowMIDI is rated higher. GCL1 averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ShowMIDI averages 4.8 from 18 ratings.
Do GCL1 or ShowMIDI have ads?
Neither GCL1 nor ShowMIDI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GCL1 or ShowMIDI?
GCL1 ships an update every 38 months, and ShowMIDI every 2 months. Most recently, GCL1 was updated on October 9, 2026 and ShowMIDI on October 24, 2026.

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