Thesys vs EG Nodes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- MIDI Step Sequencer
- Pattern Creation
- Live Performance Options
- Real-time Pattern Manipulation
- Integrated Synth
- Action Section (Gatetime, Looper, Slowdown)
- Ableton Link Support
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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
EG Nodes
This app is a clip-based audio unit host and MIDI sequencer for creating musical projects. It offers a variety of built-in MIDI and audio nodes for generating sequences, recording, and sampling. Users can load external Audio Units and automate parameters for unique compositions.
- Clip-based Audio Unit host
- Built-in MIDI generators (Note/Chord, Arpeggio, Sequencer)
- Audio recording and sampling
- Load external AU3 instruments and effects
- Scene and automation control
- Flexible MIDI routing
- Standalone and AUv3 modular sequencer
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EG Nodes is a clip based Audio Unit host with sequencing capabilities to play external instruments, Audio Unit or MIDI hardware and create a complete audio project. A powerful and flexible groovebox to perform or create musical projects from scratch in a fast and easy way. BUILTIN MIDI GENERATOR Use the builtin nodes to play instruments, apply effects and perform. NOTE/CHORD - generates a single note or a chord ARPEGGIO - generates chord arpeggios SEQUENCER - to play a note sequence RHYTHM - to play drums, percussion or rhythmic instruments PIANO ROLL - to write more complex MIDI part in a classic piano roll editorFEATURES GENERATIVE - to continuously generate sequences evolving in time MIDI FX - to host external MIDI FX Audio unit like sequencers, piano rolls and others MIC/INPUT NODE a simple node input audio from your device mic or an external usb interfaces. You can play your guitar or any instrument together with your song and record it using the Audio/Sampler node. BUILTIN AUDIO/RECORDER/SAMPLER Use the Audio Sampler node to import audio files (wav, mp3, mov, mp4, caf or aiff). Audio node is capable of sync the loop to your project tempo using pitch shifting algorithm to stretch the audio without changing its pitch. You can create your own instrument, adding a sample and playing it via the MIDI sequencer nodes. You can also use the Audio node to record the output from any node in your project or from a mic/line (using the MIC node). SONG NODE to link scenes and create a song structure. You can add how many song nodes you like and assign each one to a different section. MIX GROUP NODE to create mixing busses and group nodes. An easy way to apply effects and automation to multiple nodes at the same time. AU3 INSTRUMENTS, FX AND MIDI FX Load your favorite Audio Units to unlock an infinite palette of sounds. SCENES & AUTOMATIONS Save and recall up to 8 main scenes to control your song structure and nodes combination - each node can save its configuration, parameters and notes Automate parameters to add sparkle to your compostions. PROBABILITY - FREQUENCY - RANDOMIZATION AND MORE... Each node has additional controllers to make your performance unique, original and unpredictable. FLEXIBLE MIDI ROUTING & MIDI LEARN Send MIDI and receive it from external hardware, software or apps. Configure soruces and destination for each node and record directly into piano roll. Almost each button, know or slider can be assigned and controlled by your extenal MIDI controllers via a super easy MIDI learn setup AU3 MODULAR SEQUENCER EG Nodes can be loaded in other DAW/Hosts as MIDI FX generator to create MIDI sequences in a fast and easy way MIXER/COMPACT VIEW Adjust nodes level in a compact and optimised view UNIVERSAL Run EG Nodes on iPad or iPhone and share your project with other musicians. ADDITIONAL FEATURES STANDALONE VERSION - 8 recallable scenes to save nodes configurations - History Undo/Redo - Project MIDI scale transposition - Save and recall your favorite nodes - Duplicate and rename nodes - Import and export MIDI into Piano Roll nodes - Individual clip length, speed and steps number - Individual swing for each Sequencer or Rhythm node - AU3 Parameters automation - Multiple MIDI input sources assignable - Record from MIDI input or builtin keyboard into Piano Roll clips - Record AU instruments MIDI Out into Piano Roll clips - Import/Export presets - Record and export your performance - Ableton link sync support - MIDI in & out with midi channel filter for each node - Flexible internal MIDI routing to send MIDI from one node to other ones - MIDI learn to control app with external controllers and MIDI surfaces AU3 MIDI PROCESSOR VERSION - MIDI processor Audio Unit to be hosted into other DAWS - includes all the sequencing features of the standalone app - send MIDI notes out to your host - control AU3 parameters of other AU3 instruments or effects hosted with the app and automate them
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Thesys at Free against EG Nodes's $19.99. EG Nodes's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 59%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On rating, ratings volume, 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
Thesys is free to download; EG Nodes costs $19.99 up front. Thesys sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and EG Nodes sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Thesys against 4.8 for EG Nodes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 85 and 93 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Thesys's written reviews are positive against 92% of EG Nodes's.
Thesys ships an update every 3 months, EG Nodes weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 9, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Thesys | EG Nodes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (85 ratings) | 4.8 (93 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 59.3% of reviews | 92.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 85 | 93 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sugar Bytes GmbH | Elliott Garage |
Customer experience
Thesys
EG Nodes
Bugs and requests
Thesys
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
EG Nodes
Reported bugs
14 issues- Sampler won’t play correctly
- Sampler features don’t work consistently
- Scenes getting armed and recordings going into them despite disabling them
- Crashes with some apps
- Crashing results in losing work
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Accidentally refreshed instead of saving
- Can’t sequence all AU parameters
- Chord module seems weird
- Rhythm module labeling is hard to understand
- Pads option for iPhone could be better
- Sustain pedal input issue (resolved)
- Pan bug (resolved)
- Teething problems being sorted
- Some bugs reported (quickly fixed)
Requested features
12 requests- Easy way to report bugs without login/account
- Keep save/refresh options on screen
- Audio recording or looping module
- Audio clip module, like a looper
- 16 steps per page for sequencers
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Sequence all AU parameters
- Follow chord mode to control other nodes
- Pads option for iPhone in portrait mode
- Tie notes together/ sustain notes
- Automate bending notes, lead guitarist style
- More specific randomization, such as bass pattern generation
- Multi Track export
In-app purchases
Thesys
- Thesys Full Version$19.99
EG Nodes
- Small tip$1.99
- Medium tip$3.99
- Large tip$14.99









