Comparison

Blip Box vs SquareBeat

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

Head to head
About

Blip Box

A powerful sixteen-voice drum synthesizer offering a unique digital sound engine inspired by analog and digital synths. It features a touch-friendly interface, complex audio modulation, and versatile effects for creating distinctive electronic music.

Highlights
  • Sixteen-voice drum synthesizer
  • Complex audio rate modulation
  • Touch-first control interface
  • Standalone and AUv3 plugin support
  • Universal purchase for Apple platforms
  • MIDI controller compatibility
  • Pure synthesis engine, no samples
Features
Read full description

Blip Box is a sixteen voice drum synthesizer that may look nice but can sound mean. Blip Box takes inspiration from a variety of synths, both analog and digital. We pulled together all the things we love about drum synthesis: complex audio rate modulation, snappy envelopes, harsh effects; and put them together in a compact, touch-friendly package. The result is a truly unique digital sound engine that has taken on a life of its own. Whatever you do, don’t have fun with it! Features: - Focused, fun, and characterful synth engine - Touch-first design, almost the entire screen is part of a control - Runs standalone or as AUv3 plug-in (in compatible host) - Universal purchase on Apple platforms: runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Presets synced across your devices via iCloud - Hook up a MIDI controller to play with a keyboard (optional) Details: - Pure synthesis engine, no samples - Complex digital oscillator with two-way frequency modulation - White noise source - Two snappy AD envelopes with variable shape - Unique mix control for pure oscillator sound or ring mod mayhem - “Choose-your-own-adventure” effect: analog (ish) wavefolder or digital degradation - State variable filter for tone shaping - Envelopes can be routed to modulate oscillator shape, pitch, or filter cutoff - Mix to filter cutoff modulation available for crispy filter FM - Velocity responsive, either in traditional level (gain) mode or brightness mode - Multi-out mode available when running in AUv3 mode - Master tune for keeping tonal drum sounds in tune with your song - Includes 13 inventive and usable factory kits to get you started making music Check out our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sketchaudio Read the manuals: https://sketchaudio.com/manuals/

About

SquareBeat

Create music by building patterns with samples and AUv3 plugins. Arrange these patterns into songs, import your own sounds, and mix tracks. Features a text-based tracker GUI for rapid development, with all core functionality free except for WAV file export.

Highlights
  • Sequence and manipulate audio samples
  • Mix tracks
  • Use AUv3 audio unit instruments
  • Use AUv3 effects on effect busses
  • Connect with other apps via Audiobus
  • Export and share songs
Read full description

SquareBeat is a music sequencer. Build patterns out of samples and AUv3 plugins, and build songs out of patterns. Import your own samples to make new sounds. Develop songs rapidly with the text based tracker GUI. All functionality is free except wav file export. • Sequence and manipulate audio samples. • Mix tracks. • Use AUv3 audio unit instruments. • Use AUv3 effects on effect busses. • Connect with other apps with Audiobus. • Export and share your song.

Screenshots

Blip Box3 screens
SquareBeat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SquareBeat at Free against Blip Box's $5.99. SquareBeat also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). Blip Box's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (90% vs 80%). On rating, ratings volume, ads 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

SquareBeat is free to download; Blip Box costs $5.99 up front. SquareBeat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Blip Box asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Blip Box against 4.9 for SquareBeat. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 20 and 8 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Blip Box's written reviews are positive against 80% of SquareBeat's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Blip Box ships an update weekly, SquareBeat every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Blip Box versus SquareBeat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlip BoxSquareBeat
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (20 ratings)4.9 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews — better80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings20 — better8
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB114 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSketch Audio, LLCJames Navarro

Customer experience

Blip Box

All ratings20 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative0.0%

SquareBeat

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Blip Box

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

SquareBeat

One-time1
  • SquareBeat Full Version$12.99

Questions

Is Blip Box free?
Blip Box costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SquareBeat free?
SquareBeat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Blip Box or SquareBeat?
SquareBeat is rated higher. Blip Box averages 4.8 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while SquareBeat averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.
Do Blip Box or SquareBeat have ads?
Neither Blip Box nor SquareBeat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Blip Box or SquareBeat?
Blip Box ships an update weekly, and SquareBeat every 3 days. Most recently, Blip Box was updated on September 9, 2026 and SquareBeat on September 5, 2026.

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