Comparison

Fugue Machine Rubato vs SessionDock

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

Head to head
About

Fugue Machine Rubato

This app offers a unique musical canvas for creating and manipulating MIDI sequences. It features a nonlinear time engine that allows for expressive acceleration, deceleration, and directional changes of playheads, along with robust parameter automation for notes and other elements.

Highlights
  • Time-bending playheads
  • Parameter automation
  • Nonlinear time engine
  • Sculpt envelopes with curves
  • Up to eight playheads
  • Per-playhead note echoes
  • Multiple MIDI outputs
Features
Read full description

Bend time. Automate notes. A single grid as a multi-dimensional musical canvas — for iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Fugue Machine Rubato dives deeper into the multi-playhead piano roll concept of Fugue Machine Classic by adding time-bending playheads, parameter automation, and much more. At the heart of the sequencer is a nonlinear time engine that lets playheads move with a natural — or surreal — feel. Unlike conventional sequencers, where time advances at a constant rate, time in this engine can expressively accelerate, decelerate, freeze, and change direction. Playheads are now free to swing, strum, bounce, move elastically, and more. Built upon the time engine is a robust parameter automation system with time-bending automation playheads and envelopes sculpted with points, curves, and shapes. Nearly everything can be automated — even the notes. Eight years in the making, Fugue Machine Rubato is rock-solid and absolutely packed with features. HIGHLIGHTS • Bend time with curves, rates, and offsets • Automate notes and nearly everything else • Sculpt envelopes with curves and shapes • Position playheads anywhere on the grid • Play up to eight playheads at once • Apply note echoes per-playhead • Arpeggiate notes from multiple playheads • Blend notes from multiple playheads • Offset, stack, spread, and invert pitches • Clamp, compress, and expand velocities • Program drums via per-note Drum Trigs • Route notes to up to eight MIDI outputs • Organize patterns in nestable folders • Launch patterns quantized to the beat • Revert state via auto-saved Snapshots • Learn contextually via popovers • Explore ~150 built-in patterns • Control via touch, keyboard, and cursor • Resize Mac window at native resolution COMPATIBILITY Fugue Machine Rubato supports iPad, iPhone, Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon), Ableton Link, MIDI, and AUv3* MIDI. With the included AUv3 MIDI plugin, you can run multiple instances of Fugue Machine Rubato within AUv3 host apps — like AUM, Logic Pro for iPad, Loopy Pro, and Cubasis. UNIVERSAL APP — ONE-TIME PURCHASE Pay once and use on iPad, iPhone, and Mac. LEARN MORE — TRY A FREE DEMO To learn more or try a free demo via TestFlight, visit fuguemachinerubato.com.

About

SessionDock

Browse and preview your music projects, notes, and metadata from your Mac on your iPhone. This read-only companion app keeps your desktop library intact while offering waveform note viewing and CarPlay support for on-the-go reference.

Highlights
  • View all saved sessions
  • Preview session audio/mixdown
  • Read project notes and metadata
  • Waveform notes viewer
  • CarPlay support
  • Read-only interface
Features
Read full description

Note: This app requires SessionDock for macOS to sync and view your sessions. SessionDock Companion – View Your Sessions Anywhere SessionDock Companion lets you browse your SessionDock sessions from your Mac, right on your iPhone. Quickly view your projects, notes, and metadata in a clean, read-only interface. The Companion app is designed for safe reference—no editing, tagging, or changes—so your desktop library always stays intact. New in this version: Waveform Notes Viewer See timestamped notes directly on your mixdown waveform. Tap “Show Notes” to reveal markers that highlight in sync with playback, and use the Session Notes list below to jump to any moment. It’s a powerful way to review your creative thoughts while listening on the go. Key Features • View all sessions saved from the desktop app • Preview session audio/mixdown. • Read project names, notes, and metadata • Fast, lightweight, and read-only • Keeps your creative catalog consistent and secure • CarPlay support — browse and play session previews hands-free while driving SessionDock Companion makes it easy to stay connected to your music projects wherever you go. For more details about SessionDock Pro subscriptions: Privacy Policy: https://sessiondock.com/privacy.txt Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Fugue Machine Rubato4 screens
SessionDock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SessionDock at Free against Fugue Machine Rubato's $39.99. SessionDock also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Fugue Machine Rubato's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (68 vs 2). On update cadence, ads and device support 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

SessionDock is free to download; Fugue Machine Rubato costs $39.99 up front. SessionDock sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Fugue Machine Rubato asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SessionDock holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fugue Machine Rubato has 68 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Fugue Machine Rubato's written reviews are positive against 100% of SessionDock's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fugue Machine Rubato ships an update weekly, SessionDock every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Fugue Machine Rubato versus SessionDock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFugue Machine RubatoSessionDock
Price$39.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (68 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings68 — better2
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexandernautWARNER WEB DEVELOPMENT LLC

Customer experience

Fugue Machine Rubato

All ratings68 ratings
Positive95.6%
Neutral1.5%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive74.6%
Neutral6.3%
Negative19.0%

SessionDock

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Fugue Machine Rubato

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Doesn't work with Logic Pro
  • Compatibility issues with older macOS versions

Requested features

2 requests
  • Add a parameter randomizer feature
  • Improve documentation and provide a complete manual

SessionDock

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Fugue Machine Rubato

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

SessionDock

Subscriptions4
  • SessionDock Share Monthly$4.991 Month
  • SessionDock Pro$5.991 Month
  • SessionDock Share Yearly$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • SessionDock Pro$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • SessionDock Pro (Lifetime)$39.99

Questions

Is Fugue Machine Rubato free?
Fugue Machine Rubato costs $39.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SessionDock free?
SessionDock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Fugue Machine Rubato or SessionDock?
SessionDock is rated higher. Fugue Machine Rubato averages 4.8 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while SessionDock averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Fugue Machine Rubato or SessionDock have ads?
Neither Fugue Machine Rubato nor SessionDock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fugue Machine Rubato or SessionDock?
Fugue Machine Rubato ships an update weekly, and SessionDock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Fugue Machine Rubato was updated on October 16, 2026 and SessionDock on October 7, 2026.

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