PsiLoops vs Gradient Synth
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PsiLoops
Create electronic music with this intuitive soundboard app. Mix up to 24 melody loops, record your own sounds, and add effects for unique tracks. Share your creations easily.
- Import or record custom audio loops
- Live real-time music composition
- Hundreds of drum and melody loops
- One-shot samples and sound effects
- Audio effects like reverb and filters
- Record and share music sessions
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PsiLoops is a live loop app that lets you play a full bass-music set from your iPhone or iPad. Drop the drums, stack melody loops, fire a riser into the drop and ride the filter. Every change waits for the next bar, so it always lands in time, even if you've never made music before. Everything is on one screen, laid out like a groovebox, so your thumbs know where to go. PLAY A SET • Drum kits you build up layer by layer, from a lone kick to the full beat • Four rows of melody loops in two banks, each with its own volume, and every pad shows its loop's waveform • Rise and Drop sweeps for transitions, plus a grid of one-shot hits • Six effect knobs, always in reach: Filter, Reverb, Echo, Gate, Flanger and Mushroom • The Dice deals new sets when you're out of ideas ALWAYS ON THE BEAT • Quantize: loops, sweeps and drum changes land on the next beat, bar or two bars • Tempo anywhere from 50 to 200 BPM: hip-hop, dubstep, drum & bass and everything between • Learn mode labels every control. Live mode hides them and gives you bigger pads. SOUNDS FROM REAL ARTISTS Packs from 17 bass-music producers, from London to São Paulo: drum & bass, dubstep, riddim, psytrance, techno and hip-hop. RECORD AND SHARE Rec captures your whole set, plus your mic if you switch it on. Rap or sing over the beat, then share it from the app. SEE THE MUSIC MOVE Five visualizers: Phrase, Spectrum, Levels, RGB Wave and Spores. Tap any of them to go full screen. LOOP LAB: MAKE YOUR OWN SOUNDS (Pro) • Step Sequencer with 20 synths and samplers, keys and scales, layers, an arpeggiator and patterns up to 8 bars • Drum Lab: program beats up to 8 bars long across 14 lanes from 196 drum sounds, or import your own • Turn any MIDI file into loops: see every track, drag over the bars you want, hear them, and save as many to My MIDI as you like • Cut Loops: bring in any audio and it finds the tempo and snaps the loop to the bar • My Loops: every loop you've made in one place, ready to share as a tempo-tagged WAV or as MIDI • Set Builder: put your own loops into a set and play it live next to the artist packs ADVANCED EXPORT (Pro) • Stems: drums, both loop banks, one-shots and mic as separate files, ready for any DAW • MIDI: your whole performance, a track per part • WAV, FLAC or AAC, with streaming or club loudness PSILOOPS BRIDGE: PLAY INTO YOUR DAW (Pro) Our free Mac plugin (VST3 and Audio Unit, from psiloops.com/bridge) puts PsiLoops on a track in Ableton Live and other DAWs, over a USB cable or Wi-Fi. • Follows your DAW's tempo and starts on its bar • Drums, both loop banks, one-shots and FX on their own tracks, plus the notes as MIDI • Capture the last 4, 8 or 16 bars as WAVs and MIDI PLUGINS (for Pro subscribers) Instruments ported from our desktop plugins, bought once and kept. They play in the Step Sequencer, so they layer with everything else. • Growl: dubstep, riddim and tearout growl bass from one voice, with 24 presets and its own 16-step movement sequencer FREE OR PRO The free app is a whole instrument, not a demo. You get every control, all six effects, the Dice, the visualizers, a starter library of kits, loop sets and one-shots, and recordings up to 3 minutes long. PsiLoops Pro is a monthly subscription ($3.99 USD a month). It unlocks every artist pack (plus new ones as they land), unlimited recording, Loop Lab, Set Builder, Advanced Export and PsiLoops Bridge. Plugins are separate one-time purchases, available to Pro subscribers; a plugin stays yours if Pro ends and works again when you resubscribe. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. The subscription renews automatically unless you cancel it at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings. No ads, ever. No account to make. Terms of Use: https://www.psiloops.com/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.psiloops.com/legal/privacy Download PsiLoops free and play your first set in the next five minutes.
Gradient Synth
Transform colors into unique sounds with this intuitive music creation app. Designed for beginners and children, it offers a user-friendly interface and powerful features to explore and customize a wide range of audio experiences.
- Preset Generator
- Color-based sound customization
- User-friendly interface
- MIDI keyboard integration
- Dynamic audio effects
- Polyphony
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** TRANSFORM COLORS INTO SOUNDS ** Designed with beginners in mind, our app makes exploring music fun and intuitive for everyone. Whether you’re just starting out or introducing your child to music, Gradient Synth offers a user-friendly interface and powerful features to help you create and perform unique sounds effortlessly. Now free to download, Gradient Synth invites everyone to explore sound and create at their own pace. ** CREATE YOUR IDEAL SOUND WITH THE NEW PRESET GENERATOR ** Type what you want to hear, and Gradient Synth’s Preset Generator transforms your description into customizable instrument settings. This innovative tool simplifies sound design, allowing you to focus on your creativity without a steep learning curve. Experience the magic of turning your ideas into music with just a few taps. ** EXPLORE YOUR CREATIVITY ** Explore a wide range of sounds, from calm and soothing to bold and experimental. Customize your tones by changing colors, enhancing both your auditory and visual creative processes. Let your imagination flow seamlessly with Gradient Synth, your gateway to endless musical possibilities. ** HERE IS WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY ** "I believe in Gradient Synth!" - TONY G. "I feel like Mozart." - HANNAH R. "I like to change the colors." - SHEPHERD O., Age 5 ** FEATURES ** Preset Generator & Control • Type your desired sound and let the app create unique instrument settings. • Customize and refine presets to match your style. • Over 50 starter presets to inspire your first creations. • Color picker for personalized sound experiences. • Deep customization editor for perfecting your sounds. User-Friendly Interface • Tap or press the gradient to start making music instantly. • Interactive text display provides real-time feedback and learning. • Simple mode ideal for kids and beginners. Advanced Control • Play up to 4 notes simultaneously with polyphony. • Seamlessly integrate with MIDI keyboards and your favorite DAWs. • Connect wirelessly to Bluetooth MIDI devices. Dynamic Effects • Choose from reverb, delay, saturation, bitcrush, chorus, and low pass filter. • Easily adjust effect settings with XY pad and fader controls. • Add movement and depth with the Tone Animator. ** WHY GRADIENT SYNTH? ** • Innovative Preset Generator: Create and customize sounds effortlessly by describing what you want to hear. • Beginner-Friendly: Perfect for those new to music creation, fostering creativity and confidence. • Vibrant Visuals: Enhance your music experience with color-based sound customization. • Comprehensive Features: From basic controls to advanced MIDI compatibility and effects, everything you need to start your musical journey. ** JOIN OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY ** Share your creations with friends and explore endless creative possibilities together. Download Gradient Synth now and begin your musical journey today! If you love our app, please rate us on the App Store—your feedback helps us grow and improve! ** ADDITIONAL FEATURES ** • Customizable display for a personalized setup. • Favorite preset mode for quick access to your top sounds. • Engaging visualizer for an immersive experience. • Overtone fader and ADSR envelope control for precise sound shaping. • Note Editor to adjust the scale of the gradient. • Drag to re-pitch with an easy toggle option. • Note guide overlay for effortless navigation. • Save and name your custom presets. • Left-hand edit mode for enhanced usability. • MIDI CC Control for expanded functionality. • Synesthesia exploration blending visual and auditory creativity. ** GET STARTED TODAY ** Transform your sound design experience with Gradient Synth. Download now and use our Preset Generator to create and perform music like never before! Previous purchases are honored with Lifetime Ownership. Support: http://manual.gradientsynth.com Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PsiLoops at 5.0 against Gradient Synth's 4.4. PsiLoops also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 62%) and update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly). Gradient Synth's advantage is ratings volume (63 vs 7). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. PsiLoops sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Gradient Synth sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
PsiLoops holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gradient Synth has 63 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of PsiLoops's written reviews are positive against 62% of Gradient Synth's.
PsiLoops ships an update every 6 days, Gradient Synth monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PsiLoops | Gradient Synth |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | 4.4 (63 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 61.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 63 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 120 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Craig Cowden | Apps Are Fun LLC |
Customer experience
PsiLoops
Gradient Synth
In-app purchases
PsiLoops
- Pro$3.991 Month
- Growl Plugin$4.99
Gradient Synth
- Gradient Synth Supporter (Yearly)1 Year trial$9.991 Year
- Unlimited Presets$19.991 Year
- 10 Presets$0.99
- 75 Presets$4.99
- Lifetime Unlock$12.99
Questions
Is PsiLoops free?
Is Gradient Synth free?
Which has better reviews, PsiLoops or Gradient Synth?
Do PsiLoops or Gradient Synth have ads?
Which is updated more often, PsiLoops or Gradient Synth?
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