Comparison

Thesys vs CalmusNotation

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

CalmusNotation

Create and visualize musical compositions using AI-powered graphical notation. This app leverages advanced AI, inspired by NASA's Lisp programming, to generate original music based on user input and can display music from other compatible apps for live performance.

Highlights
  • AI-powered music composition
  • Graphical notation display
  • Real-time performance visualization
  • Lisp-based AI engine
  • User input-driven music creation
  • Integration with CalmusComposer and CalmusPlay
Read full description

Graphical Notation is an app for music creation and graphical notation using Artificial Intelligence. The coreof Graphical Notation is the CalmusAI brain where the modern composing methods are programmed into the brain using Lisp programming language. NASA has historically used Lisp for artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, most notably in the 1990s Remote Agent project, the first AI system to control a spacecraft. CalmusNotation does not collect or use any musical material from the internet but creates new music based on the input from the user. In addition - CalmusNotation can also receive composed music from CalmusComposer and CalmusPlay - and present the music as graphical notation for live performance - in real-time. CalmusComposer composes music with Artificial Intelligence and can send the musical result to GraphicalNotations to be presented for life performance. CalmusComposer is connected to GraphicalNotation through WiFi local network - by selecting CalmusNotation in Settings. GraphicalNotation is connected to CalmusComposer, through WiFi local network - by selecting the MacOS device in the settings of GraphicalNotation. CalmusNotation needs Internet connection.

Screenshots

CalmusNotation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Thesys at 59% against CalmusNotation's 0%. Thesys also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (85 vs 5). CalmusNotation's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence and ads 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. CalmusNotation asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Thesys holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thesys has 85 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Thesys's written reviews are positive against 0% of CalmusNotation's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thesys ships an update every 3 months, CalmusNotation every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Thesys versus CalmusNotation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThesysCalmusNotation
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (85 ratings) — better4.4 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews59.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings85 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 3 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB294 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSugar Bytes GmbHErki-tonlist sf

Customer experience

Thesys

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

CalmusNotation

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Thesys

One-time1
  • Thesys Full Version$19.99
None

CalmusNotation

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Thesys free?
Thesys is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CalmusNotation free?
CalmusNotation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Thesys or CalmusNotation?
Thesys is rated higher. Thesys averages 4.7 out of 5 from 85 ratings, while CalmusNotation averages 4.4 from 5 ratings.
Do Thesys or CalmusNotation have ads?
Neither Thesys nor CalmusNotation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Thesys or CalmusNotation?
Thesys ships an update every 3 months, and CalmusNotation every 4 months. Most recently, Thesys was updated on October 16, 2026 and CalmusNotation on October 8, 2026.

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