Thesys vs Neon
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
Neon
This app is a powerful MIDI step sequencer offering extensive generative features. It allows for complex sequence chaining and external state switching via MIDI. It functions as a standalone application or an AUv3 plugin.
- Generative capabilities
- Modifier system
- Metasequencer for pattern chaining
- MIDI Program Change support
- Standalone and AUv3 plugin
- Built-in scales and order modes
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Neon is a step sequencer with expansive generative capabilities. Features: • runs as standalone or auv3 plugin • sophisticated Modifier system adds numerous generative possibilities • built-in Metasequencer lets you chain patterns to build complex sequences • switch States from an external source using MIDI Program Changes • responsive UI that adapts to different window sizes • wide selection of built-in scales and order modes Please note: Neon is strictly a MIDI sequencer and does not produce any sound on its own.
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Thesys at Free against Neon's $4.99. Thesys also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months). Neon's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (88% vs 59%). On rating and ratings volume 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; Neon costs $4.99 up front. Thesys sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Neon asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Thesys against 4.8 for Neon. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 85 and 30 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Thesys's written reviews are positive against 88% of Neon's.
Thesys ships an update every 3 months, Neon every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Thesys | Neon |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (85 ratings) | 4.8 (30 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 59.3% of reviews | 87.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 85 — better | 30 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPad — better | — |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 29 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sugar Bytes GmbH | Aaron Meyers |
Customer experience
Thesys
Neon
In-app purchases
Thesys
- Thesys Full Version$19.99
Neon
No in-app purchases









