Comparison

Saucillator vs KeyPad MIDI Controller

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

Head to head
About

Saucillator

Create and play custom synthesizers and instruments on your mobile device. Manipulate oscillators and effects with touch, record live loops, and design unique sounds with a variety of timbres and customizable effects. Supports AUv3 for use in other music production apps.

Highlights
  • Custom synthesizer creation
  • Touchscreen oscillator manipulation
  • Live looping and recording
  • AUv3 instrument support
  • Multi-track looper and beat generator
  • Parametric EQ and filters
  • MIDI controller support
Features
Read full description

Musical inspiration at the touch of your fingertips - from doodle to zen in seconds. Inspired by the Korg Kaossilator and Moog synthesizers, Saucillator transforms mobile devices into a platform for creating, playing, and sharing digital synthesizers. Users use the touchscreen to manipulate oscillators and effects, and can also do live-looping and recording. Our goal is to be beginner friendly while at the same time offering all the deep, complex features traditional synth users love. Saucillator also now supports AUv3 so you can use many of its features in AUv3-supported host applications (tested with AUM, Loopy Pro, Garageband. Note that some host applications only support some output). A multi track looper and beat generator are available to create synth loops and synchronize a beat/click track alongside it. Loops can be modified, toggled, and added as you're playing. Users are able to play custom modular synthesizers using the x-y axes of the touchscreen. The x-axis corresponds to amplitude (volume) and the y-axis corresponds to frequency (pitch). Playback can also be looped, recorded, and EQed using a Parametric EQ. On top of performing, users are able to create their own custom synthesizers, which consist of a custom timbre and user-defined effects. A variety of timbres are included: Sine, Square, Saw, Pulse, Noise, Theremin, "Singing Saw", "Electric Eel", and "Starslide" (among many more). These, as well as any user-created synths, can be mixed and matched at different harmonics, amplitudes, and phases to create custom sounds. Each synth has customizable fx parameters as well, including Envelope (ADSR - attack & release), Vibrato LFO (rate & depth), Tremolo, Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Distortion, Parametric EQ, and Note Lag (Portamento). We also include a Filter (low-pass, highpass, bandpass) that can be modulated using an Envelope or LFO. Custom synths can also be shared with the Saucillator community via an easy built-in sharing tool. Download other users' synths or upload your own, all from in app! Other abilities: -Choose scale: Pentatonic, Major, Minor, Blues, or Chromatic (among others). -Choose the base note for the pad. -Control the grid size. -Record to disk. -Live visualization of waveforms. -Play synths with external midi controllers -AUv3 instrument support Special thanks to Garrett Langley (http://dribbble.com/glangley) for helping with design and general usability. Saucillator. I think it's the sauce, boss!

About

KeyPad MIDI Controller

Transform your device into a professional MIDI controller with touch-optimized piano keys, drum pads, and performance controls. It supports SFZ, SF2, WAV, and M4A samples, and can control iOS apps, hardware synths, and Mac software wirelessly or wired.

Highlights
  • Touch-optimized piano keyboard
  • 9-pad drum grid
  • XY performance pad
  • Built-in sound engine (SF2, SFZ, WAV, M4A)
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • Network MIDI for Mac control
  • Aftertouch and MPE expression
Features
Read full description

Transform your iPad or iPhone into a professional MIDI controller with a touch-optimized piano keyboard, isomorphic grid, drum pads, and XY performance controls. Control iOS apps, hardware synths, and Mac software wirelessly or wired, as a standalone app or an AUv3 plugin in your favorite DAW. Perfect for mobile producers, live performers, beat makers, and sound designers. CORE FEATURES • Built-in sound engine for SF2, SFZ, WAV, and M4A. • Piano keyboard, isomorphic grid, 9-pad drum grid, and XY performance pad. • Scale mode with 12 scales and any root key, on both piano and grid. • Aftertouch and MPE with Mono AT, Poly AT, and XY MPE modes. • Aftertouch and Mod Wheel remapping to any MIDI CC or Pitch Bend. • Velocity, Pitch Bend, and Modulation faders, plus a latching sustain button. • AUv3 plugin for GarageBand, AUM, Cubasis, BeatMaker, and Drambo. • Network MIDI, OSC output, and 16 MIDI channels + Omni. • Adaptive interface for all iPad and iPhone sizes. VIEW MODES Switch between five layouts from the View menu: Piano: a familiar 2-octave keyboard with height-based velocity. Grid: Isomorphic: every row and column keeps the same interval, so chords and scales have one shape anywhere. Grid: 2 Rows: a piano-style pair of rows, naturals below, sharps above. Grid: Minor Thirds: columns step up by 3 semitones, rows move chromatically. Grid: Big Piano: large naturals with quarter-size sharps. Your view, layout, and root note persist across sessions. SCALE MODE Choose from 12 scales - Major, Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Locrian, Pentatonic Major, Pentatonic Minor, Blues, and Whole Tone - in any of the 12 root keys. On the grid, cells remap so only in-scale notes are laid out, putting every note under your fingers. On the piano, the keyboard keeps its familiar shape - the black and white pattern is how you find your place without looking. Rather than move notes around, out-of-scale keys dim and stop responding to touch, so only the keys in your key are labelled and playable. Wrong notes are simply out of reach. Switch back to Chromatic anytime for the full keyboard. GRID EXPRESSION Every grid layout includes a dedicated mod-wheel row. A vibrant gradient highlights roots and notes, optional labels show note names, and per-note MPE with pitch bend gives each finger independent control. BUILT-IN SOUND ENGINE Play sounds directly without any external app. Load SF2 SoundFonts with multi-preset selection, or import SFZ, WAV, and M4A samples. The low-CPU engine maps samples across the keyboard automatically, and sound files persist across sessions. AFTERTOUCH & MPE EXPRESSION Add expressive depth with four aftertouch modes. Mono AT applies uniform pressure across chords, Poly AT sends independent pressure per note, and XY MPE allocates per-note MIDI channels (2-16) with Y on CC74 and X on Pitch Bend. Remap aftertouch or mod wheel to any MIDI CC or Pitch Wheel. A green gradient on pressed keys shows pressure in real time. CONNECT TO YOUR MAC Control Logic Pro, Ableton Live, or any Mac music software from your iPad or iPhone. Connect wirelessly over your local network with Bonjour, or plug in via USB for a rock-solid, zero-latency link. STANDALONE OR AUV3 Load KeyPad inside GarageBand, AUM, Cubasis, BeatMaker, Drambo, or any AUv3 host to play your instruments without switching apps, with settings saved in your project. Or run it standalone to drive hardware synths, route MIDI to other iOS apps, or control your Mac. TOUCH-OPTIMIZED PERFORMANCE Height-Based Velocity: Touch keys at different vertical positions for dynamic velocity, with three curves to shape the response. XY Performance Pad: Control two parameters at once with multi-touch. Assign any MIDI CC to each axis for filter sweeps, effect morphing, or live sound manipulation. Smart Layout: Scales to the window, keeping the full layout with controls and pads on iPhone, iPad, Split View, and AUv3 plugin.

Screenshots

Saucillator4 screens
KeyPad MIDI Controller3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: KeyPad MIDI Controller at every 2 days against Saucillator's every 8 days. On price, rating, review sentiment 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Saucillator against 4.9 for KeyPad MIDI Controller. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 33 and 13 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Saucillator's written reviews are positive against 100% of KeyPad MIDI Controller's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Saucillator ships an update every 8 days, KeyPad MIDI Controller every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on August 25, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Saucillator versus KeyPad MIDI Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSaucillatorKeyPad MIDI Controller
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (33 ratings)4.9 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews92.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings33 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size93 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGreen Noise LLCDiscoDSP LLC

Customer experience

Saucillator

All ratings33 ratings
Positive97.0%
Neutral3.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral7.7%
Negative0.0%

KeyPad MIDI Controller

All ratings13 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Saucillator

No in-app purchases

None

KeyPad MIDI Controller

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Saucillator free?
Saucillator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is KeyPad MIDI Controller free?
KeyPad MIDI Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Saucillator or KeyPad MIDI Controller?
Saucillator and KeyPad MIDI Controller are both rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 33 and 13 ratings respectively.
Do Saucillator or KeyPad MIDI Controller have ads?
Neither Saucillator nor KeyPad MIDI Controller shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Saucillator or KeyPad MIDI Controller?
Saucillator ships an update every 8 days, and KeyPad MIDI Controller every 2 days. Most recently, Saucillator was updated on August 25, 2026 and KeyPad MIDI Controller on September 20, 2026.

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