Comparison

Thesys vs MIDI FX

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

Head to head
About

Thesys

This app is a powerful and intuitive MIDI step sequencer for creating complex musical patterns. It offers extensive control over MIDI devices, enabling organic bass lines, leads, and pads for studio or live performance. Advanced features allow for real-time pattern manipulation directly from a MIDI keyboard.

Highlights
  • MIDI Step Sequencer
  • Pattern Creation
  • Live Performance Options
  • Real-time Pattern Manipulation
  • Integrated Synth
  • Action Section (Gatetime, Looper, Slowdown)
  • Ableton Link Support
Read full description

Thesys is an extremely powerful and intuitive MIDI Step Sequencer app, giving you control over just about all aspects of your favorite MIDI devices. Use Thesys to create varied and organic bass lines, screaming leads, pulsating chords, and organic pad sounds in the studio or on stage. For live musicians, Thesys provides an extremely versatile palette of performance options which can be triggered right from your MIDI keyboard: you can transpose, manipulate, twist up, mutate, and mangle your patterns without even getting near your iPad. No other MIDI sequencer plugin offers you the ease and power of Thesys. It is 100% MIDI compliant and therefore provides the ultimate MIDI sequencing solution. iPad Edition Features: • Integrated Synth • Action Section (Gatetime, Looper, Slowdown...) • Pattern Sequencer • Standalone & Audio Unit v3 • Ableton Link Support • MIDI file Export • MIDI Support (Virtual, Netzwerk, Extern, Bluetooth), MIDI Learn & Host Automation • MIDI Clock Sync (Master & Slave) • Preset iCloud Sync • Preset Share • Zoom

About

MIDI FX

This app allows you to control and process MIDI signals for music creation. It offers features like harmonization, transposition, and sequencing, enabling you to control external or virtual synthesizers and create complex musical arrangements.

Highlights
  • MIDI signal processing
  • Harmonize and Transpose
  • Sequencer for synths
  • Delay and Looper
  • Filter notes by velocity
  • Internal instruments
Features
Read full description

Buy once and get the iOS and Mac apps (with Family Sharing) Control your MIDI signals and process them in any combination of ways: Harmonize, Transpose, Arpeggiate, etc... Or use the Sequencer to play any external or virtual synth. Use a MIDI interface to unlock the power of the app to control multiple synths with one keyboard, play one note and generate chords, basslines, etc... Use the delay/looper or filter notes based on velocity or other parameters to send to different synths/effects. A MIDI workstation in your pocket (or your iPad/Mac) You can also use some internal instruments (drums sampler, piano or synth) if you are away from your MIDI gear, and sequence whole songs inside the app, or use other synth apps as input/output for MIDI FX. Your imagination is the limit!

Screenshots

MIDI FX2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: MIDI FX at every 9 days against Thesys's every 2 months. MIDI FX also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Thesys's advantage is ratings volume (86 vs 5). On price, 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. Thesys sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and MIDI FX sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MIDI FX holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thesys has 86 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thesys ships an update every 2 months, MIDI FX every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Thesys versus MIDI FX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThesysMIDI FX
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (86 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings86 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.614.7 — better
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB263 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSugar Bytes GmbHJorge Arroyo

Customer experience

Thesys

All ratings85 ratings
Positive91.8%
Neutral2.4%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive59.3%
Neutral11.1%
Negative29.6%

MIDI FX

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Thesys

One-time1
  • Thesys Full Version$19.99
1 purchases

MIDI FX

One-time1
  • Unlock app$9.99

Questions

Is Thesys free?
Thesys is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MIDI FX free?
MIDI FX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Thesys or MIDI FX?
MIDI FX is rated higher. Thesys averages 4.7 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while MIDI FX averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Thesys or MIDI FX have ads?
Neither Thesys nor MIDI FX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Thesys or MIDI FX?
Thesys ships an update every 2 months, and MIDI FX every 9 days. Most recently, Thesys was updated on November 1, 2026 and MIDI FX on October 23, 2026.

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