Comparison

Virtual EP vs Mobile MIDI

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

Head to head
About

Virtual EP

Features
Read full description

Virtual expression pedal and whammy bar. This app sends a midi message to Apple Midi Network or to BLE devices.

About

Mobile MIDI

Transform your mobile device into a versatile wireless MIDI controller. Utilize touch, motion, and device sensors to control virtually any aspect of your music production software. Save and share custom layouts for a personalized workflow.

Highlights
  • Wireless MIDI control via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or USB
  • Touch controls: drum pads, keyboard, XY pad, faders
  • Motion control: accelerometer, gyro, compass, pressure
  • ARKit face tracking and hand gesture control
  • AirPods head tracking for hands-free expression
  • Customizable layout designer
  • Save and share presets
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a wireless MIDI controller. Almost any sensor in your phone can be a knob. Touch: • Drum pads, keyboard, XY, faders, build-your-own layouts Motion: • Accelerometer + gyro (6 axes) • Gravity, attitude (pitch/roll/yaw), user acceleration • Compass heading, magnetic field • Barometric pressure • Step cadence, shake triggers Device & environment: • Battery level, charging state, thermal state • Screen brightness • Microphone loudness (analyzed on-device, never recorded) Tracking: • ARKit face blendshapes — 52 expressions • Hand gestures via Vision • AirPods head tracking — nod, tilt, turn Output: Bluetooth LE, USB, or Wi-Fi (Network MIDI) to any DAW. Save and share presets. Built for musicians, producers, and experimentalists. No extra hardware. No subscription. Pay once. TOUCH • 16-pad drum grid with MPE polyphonic pressure • Keyboard with configurable range and octave, MPE-capable • XY pad for two-dimensional continuous control • 8-fader CC bank • Custom layout designer — drag-and-drop your own surfaces MOVE • 6-axis device motion — accelerometer and gyro • Tilt, shake, gravity (X, Y, Z) • Compass heading • Barometric pressure • Per-axis smoothing, deadzone, and scaling EXPRESS • ARKit face tracking — 52 facial blendshapes as continuous CCs • Hand tracking — gesture-based control via the front camera • AirPods head tracking — hands-free expression for live performance SENSE • Battery level and charging state • Screen brightness • Thermal state • Any system signal can drive MIDI MUSICAL TOOLKIT • 27 scales, 31 chords • Chord, strum, trigger, and toggle modes • Intelligent note-off handling — no stuck notes • MPE channel allocation with LRU across channels 2–16 PRESETS • Save, load, import, export • Five built-in templates to get started fast • Share presets with other Mobile MIDI users CONNECTIVITY • Bluetooth MIDI (BLE) • USB MIDI (via adapter) • Wi-Fi / Network MIDI • Auto-reconnect and device picker DESIGNED FOR PERFORMANCE • Low-latency native audio path • Wakelock keeps the screen on during gigs • MIDI activity indicator • Clean, minimalist interface built for low-light stages Every control source is mappable to any CC, note, or pitch bend, on any channel. Build the controller you actually want. One-time purchase. No accounts. No telemetry. No subscriptions. Made by Pounding Systems.

Screenshots

Virtual EP3 screens
Mobile MIDI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Virtual EP at Free against Mobile MIDI's $8.99. Mobile MIDI's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.1). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Virtual EP is free to download; Mobile MIDI costs $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Virtual EP ships an update every 7 months, Mobile MIDI every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 5 level
Virtual EP versus Mobile MIDI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVirtual EPMobile MIDI
PriceFree — better$8.99
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.114.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size103 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcos Gennari PatroniAdam Hammad

In-app purchases

None

Virtual EP

No in-app purchases

None

Mobile MIDI

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Virtual EP free?
Virtual EP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mobile MIDI free?
Mobile MIDI costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Virtual EP or Mobile MIDI have ads?
Neither Virtual EP nor Mobile MIDI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Virtual EP or Mobile MIDI?
Virtual EP ships an update every 7 months, and Mobile MIDI every 2 months. Most recently, Virtual EP was updated on September 10, 2026 and Mobile MIDI on September 18, 2026.

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