Comparison

Minirig vs Blackstar BEAM

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

Head to head
About

Minirig

Take full command of your audio system with precise sound adjustments, playback controls, and customizable settings. Explore curated mixes and playlists, and enjoy automatic updates for the latest features.

Highlights
  • Bass & Treble Gain
  • Volume Control
  • Play/Pause/Skip
  • Auto Turn Off Timer
  • Adjustable LED Brightness
  • Save & Tilt EQ
  • Access Mixtapes & Playlists
Features
Read full description

Minirig 4 Control App Enhance your audio experience with the Minirig Control app. Take command of your Minirig system with precision audio adjustments and seamless playback controls. Stay ahead of the curve with automatic updates for the latest features and improvements. Key Features: Audio Mastery: Bass & Treble Gain: Tailor your sound with precise frequency adjustments. Volume Control: Easily fine-tune audio levels to match your preferences. Play/Pause/Skip: Effortlessly navigate through your playlists. Advanced Settings: Auto Turn Off: Set a timer for automatic shutdown. LED Brightness Control: Customize the ambience with adjustable LED brightness. Auto Link Up: Enjoy hassle-free connectivity. LED VU Mode: Immerse yourself in a visual audio experience with synchronized LED lights. Save & Tilt EQ: Save custom equalizer settings or experiment with dynamic audio profiles. Software Updates: Stay Updated: Receive automatic updates to access new features and improvements. Minirig Mixtapes & Playlists: Latest Mixtapes: Explore curated mixes for a diverse auditory experience. Playlist Access: Seamlessly enjoy your favourite tunes with easy access to playlists. Upgrade your audio journey with the Minirig Control app. Download now for an innovative, personalized, and always up-to-date Minirig experience.

About

Blackstar BEAM

This app provides guitarists with an immersive headphone amp experience, offering pro-level sound and creative freedom. Explore artist-created sound patches, share your own tones within a global community, and access backing tracks and video lessons for continuous learning.

Highlights
  • Immersive headphone amp experience
  • Official artist sound patches
  • Online community for tone sharing
  • Backing tracks
  • Video lessons
  • Creative freedom for guitarists
Features
Read full description

BEAM — the most immersive, intuitive guitar experience for modern players. Whether you’re jamming at home, on the move, recording ideas, or just grabbing ten minutes of play time between everything else, BEAM gives you pro-level sound with complete creative freedom — wherever you are. Head over to the companion BEAM app to find Official Artist Patches from the likes of Doug Aldrich (The Dead Daisies), Phil Collen (Def Leppard) and so many more. You can join in the fun and share your own tones on the BEAM app Online Community, as well as download other creators’ patches from a vibrant global community of players just like you. You can even share your favourite patches with friends over message with just a simple tap. Within the Music section of the BEAM app, you’ll find a host of backing tracks and video lessons to help you stay inspired and continue your learning journey. BEAM is a complete one-stop solution for guitar players today, whether you’re using BEAM SOLO or BEAM MINI.

Screenshots

Minirig3 screens
Blackstar BEAM4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Minirig at 3.4 against Blackstar BEAM's 2.4. Minirig also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Blackstar BEAM's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (29 vs 7). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Minirig holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 29 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Minirig's written reviews are positive against 28% of Blackstar BEAM's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Minirig ships an update every 3 months, Blackstar BEAM every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Minirig versus Blackstar BEAM: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMinirigBlackstar BEAM
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (7 ratings) — better2.4 (29 ratings)
Positive reviews31.3% of reviews — better27.8% of reviews
Number of ratings729 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB100 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperPasce LtdBlackstar Amplification Ltd.

Customer experience

Minirig

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive31.3%
Neutral6.3%
Negative62.5%

Blackstar BEAM

All ratings26 ratings
Positive34.6%
Neutral7.7%
Negative57.7%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive27.8%
Neutral5.6%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

None

Minirig

No in-app purchases

None

Blackstar BEAM

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Minirig free?
Minirig is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Blackstar BEAM free?
Blackstar BEAM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Minirig or Blackstar BEAM?
Minirig is rated higher. Minirig averages 3.4 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Blackstar BEAM averages 2.4 from 29 ratings.
Do Minirig or Blackstar BEAM have ads?
Neither Minirig nor Blackstar BEAM shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Minirig or Blackstar BEAM?
Minirig ships an update every 3 months, and Blackstar BEAM every 3 weeks. Most recently, Minirig was updated on October 30, 2026 and Blackstar BEAM on November 4, 2026.

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