Comparison

Knobbler vs Timecode Tool App

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

Head to head
About

Knobbler

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a powerful, auto-labeling control surface for Ableton Live. Seamlessly navigate tracks, control parameters, and build custom interfaces that save with your Live sets. Keep your focus on creativity without leaving the music-making flow.

Highlights
  • Auto-labeling and auto-coloring control surface
  • Multitouch parameter control
  • Customizable interface saved with Live sets
  • Real-time parameter updates with units
  • Fast track, group, and device navigation
  • Channel strip mixer controls
Features
Read full description

Knobbler turns your iPhone or iPad into an auto-labeling, auto-coloring, multitouch parameter control and navigation surface for Ableton Live. 30 day fully-functioning trial of all features. The Mixer, Clips, Session, and Nav pages are available during the trial and after a one-time purchase of Knobbler or a subscription. Ableton Live 12 Suite or Ableton Live 12 Standard with the Max for Live add-on is required. Simply add the free Knobbler4 device to your Live Set and use the Knobbler app to use your iPhone or iPad to control devices and parameters. ** Control every parameter and build a customized interface, including sliders and X-Y pads that is saved with your Live sets. ** Navigate your tracks, groups, racks and devices faster and easier than ever. ** Full screen Cilps and Mixer views keep you connected to your music. ** Session View gives you a combined clips and mixer view for full control. ** Full access to capture and recall rack variations. ** Navigate cue points and locators in your set. ** Engage Spring mode for momentary effects. Visit https://plugins.steinkamp.us/m4l-Knobbler4 to download the Ableton Live device to use with this app. Map parameters in your Ableton Live set to unmapped sliders on the tablet with a single touch. No need to enter and exit a mapping mode. Access every parameter in the currently selected device, directly on the phone or tablet. Parameter mapping configuration is saved with your Live Set, so you can switch between songs with minimal friction. Track, device, and parameter names are kept synchronized with your Live Set as you change them, even track colors! Parameter sliders and values are updated in real time, with the same units (e.g. dB, ms, %) displayed as what you see in Live. Double tap a slider on the tablet to reset the parameter to its default value. Swipe in the Navigation controls on the right side to dive into your tracks, groups, racks, and devices faster than ever before. Swipe in from the left to show a channel strip with familiar mixer controls, including color-coded sends. Works on phones and tablets, even in multi-window view on the latest IOS 26. Knobbler is there to keep you out of the computer and in the creative moment, unlocking more of your music making potential. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Timecode Tool App

Features
Read full description

Timecode Tool is a focused utility for live-show technicians who need to generate, monitor, convert, measure or calculate SMPTE timecode on iPad, iPhone, and Apple Silicon Mac. Five tools: GENERATE • Output LTC audio and Art-Net Timecode driven by system time-of-day, a free-running 1-hour block, or a custom Start Timecode you type in (e.g. 02:03:20:15) that free-runs from that point. • A media-player transport while running — previous block, back to start of block, play/pause, next block. (Hidden for time-of-day, which follows the wall clock instead of a block you can skip through.) • Pick FPS (24, 25, 29.97 NDF, 29.97 DF, 30) including correct SMPTE drop-frame counting. • Send to a specific Art-Net destination IP (unicast or broadcast). MONITOR • A large, glanceable timecode readout for monitoring. • Choose the source: decode LTC from an audio input, or receive Art-Net Timecode over the network. Frame rate and lock state are shown live. CONVERT • Route one timecode input to up to two simultaneous outputs, freely chosen: input is LTC audio, Art-Net, or MTC; each output is LTC audio, Art-Net, or MTC. • MTC: Timecode Tool publishes a virtual MIDI port, "Timecode Tool", that shows up as a MIDI input in every other app on your device — your DAW can chase it with no cable or MIDI interface. Output can also go to a real MIDI destination, and input can come from any MIDI source. • Warns up front about setups that would misbehave: Art-Net in and out sharing a UDP port, LTC in and out on the built-in speaker and mic, and MTC feeding back into itself. • Latency compensation per output, with drift tracking and a re-sync control. Auto-detects the source frame rate and the drop-frame flag, with an override for 29.97 non-drop versus 30 fps. MEASURE • A delay checker. Tap the pad twice — or keep tapping along to a beat — and read the interval in milliseconds, frames at the rate you choose, timecode, BPM, seconds, or audio samples. • Then hear it: two clicks exactly that far apart, a click every interval, or your own taps replayed, placed on the audio clock to the sample. • A tap far from the others — a double tap, a missed beat — is flagged as it lands and left out of the statistics. Save a measurement with its taps, rate and statistic, and bring it back later. • Last, average, min, max and jitter at a glance; every unit has Copy. CALCULATE • A timecode calculator. Add, subtract, multiply and divide timecode, frames, seconds, milliseconds and h:mm:ss clock time in any mix — for example "01:03:40:15, one minute thirty-five later". • Pick each operand's unit on a sliding switch under the field. Shorthand accepted: 95s, 1500ms, 1m35s, 40f, or just digits into a timecode field. Paste into any field; the unit follows the text. • A sentence above the result says what was done — "Added 1 min 35 s to timecode 01:03:40:15" — and the result appears in every form at once, each with its own Copy, chaining back into the next calculation. Drop-frame arithmetic uses the same frame counting as the generator. • Measure and Calculate also work at 59.94 and 60 fps. Cross-cutting features: • Background audio — keeps generating / decoding when the screen is locked or another app is foreground. • Phone calls and Siri don't break the timecode stream; it resumes. • Shows your device's IP addresses. Works with Class-Compliant USB audio interfaces. Available in English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, French and German. Timecode Tool does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data.

Screenshots

Knobbler4 screens
Timecode Tool App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Knobbler at Free against Timecode Tool App's $1.99. Knobbler also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Timecode Tool App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Knobbler is free to download; Timecode Tool App costs $1.99 up front. Knobbler sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Timecode Tool App asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Knobbler ships an update weekly, Timecode Tool App every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Knobbler versus Timecode Tool App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnobblerTimecode Tool App
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.8 (16 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings16 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZACHARY STEINKAMPllcheesell Inc.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Knobbler

Subscriptions2
  • Knobbler Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Knobbler Annual$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Knobbler Lifetime$19.99
None

Timecode Tool App

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Knobbler free?
Knobbler is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Timecode Tool App free?
Timecode Tool App costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Knobbler or Timecode Tool App have ads?
Neither Knobbler nor Timecode Tool App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Knobbler or Timecode Tool App?
Knobbler ships an update weekly, and Timecode Tool App every 2 months. Most recently, Knobbler was updated on October 2, 2026 and Timecode Tool App on September 30, 2026.

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