Comparison

AirDrum by Async Audio vs tapeworm

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

Head to head
About

AirDrum by Async Audio

Transform wrist movements into drum beats and record musical ideas on your iPhone. This app offers motion-controlled drumming with MIDI output for integration with DAWs like Ableton Live. Explore expressive effects and a growing library of drum kits.

Highlights
  • Motion-based drumming
  • MIDI output (USB/Network)
  • DAW compatibility (Ableton Live)
  • Assignable drum kits
  • Real-time gesture triggering
  • XY pad for effects
  • Loop recording
Read full description

Turn motion into rhythm. Play beats using simple wrist movements and record loops directly on your iPhone. Physical movement is translated into responsive drum hits, creating a new way to sketch rhythms anywhere. Now with full MIDI output, AirDrum can send drum hits directly to Ableton Live and other DAWs via USB or wireless Network MIDI. Use it as a motion-controlled MIDI controller to record performances, trigger drum racks, or play your own sounds. Choose a drum kit, assign sounds to slots, and play in real time by moving your phone. An integrated XY pad lets you shape effects while you play, adding expression and variation without breaking your flow. Record short loops in the Looper to capture ideas quickly, whether you’re practicing, experimenting, or building beats. Features: • Motion-based drumming using iPhone sensors • MIDI output via USB and wireless Network MIDI • Compatible with Ableton Live and other DAWs • A growing library of drum kits with assignable sounds • Real-time gesture triggering • XY pad for expressive effects control • Loop recording and playback AirDrum is free to use with included kits. Additional kits are available for purchase if you’d like to expand your library and support the app.

About

tapeworm

This music app offers a unique tape delay effect with a "wiggly, dirty" sound. Control delay time by stretching or flicking a virtual tapeworm, with options for manual or random adjustments. It includes analog-modeled saturation, compression, and amplifier stages for a rich audio experience.

Highlights
  • Interactive tape delay time control
  • Manual and free modes for delay
  • Analog-modeled tape saturation and compression
  • Overdrivable feedback
  • AUv3 plugin compatibility
  • Performative sound design elements
Features
Read full description

Tapeworm is a tape echo with a unique method of changing the delay time, and a wiggly, dirty sound. You can set the delay time manually by stretching the worm. The record button will flash to show the current interval. You can exit the fixed time mode and enter free mode by toggling. This lets the delay time change randomly, which you can encourage by flicking the tapeworm around. Double tap to reset, adding a fun performative element to your sound. Feedback can be overdriven. An analog-modeled tape saturation and compression, and amplifier and limiter stage, keep it sounding juicy when it gets loud. Tapeworm is audio unit (AUv3) compatible, meaning you can use it as a plugin in your app of choice like AUM, GarageBand or Logic. We hope you enjoy using tapeworm for music, or just for fun.

Screenshots

AirDrum by Async Audio4 screens
tapeworm3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AirDrum by Async Audio at 5.0 against tapeworm's 4.1. AirDrum by Async Audio also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). tapeworm's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (13 vs 3). On price, 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

Both are free to download. AirDrum by Async Audio sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. tapeworm asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AirDrum by Async Audio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 13 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AirDrum by Async Audio ships an update every 9 days, tapeworm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
AirDrum by Async Audio versus tapeworm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAirDrum by Async Audiotapeworm
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.1 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews—62.5% of reviews
Number of ratings313 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAsync Audio LLCRadii Research

Customer experience

AirDrum by Async Audio

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

tapeworm

All ratings13 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative23.1%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.5%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

AirDrum by Async Audio

One-time4
  • Voltage Drum Kit$1.99
  • Prism Drum Kit$1.99
  • Dust Drum Kit$1.99
Show 1 more
  • Fader Drum Kit$1.99
None

tapeworm

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AirDrum by Async Audio free?
AirDrum by Async Audio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is tapeworm free?
tapeworm is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, AirDrum by Async Audio or tapeworm?
AirDrum by Async Audio is rated higher. AirDrum by Async Audio averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while tapeworm averages 4.1 from 13 ratings.
Do AirDrum by Async Audio or tapeworm have ads?
Neither AirDrum by Async Audio nor tapeworm shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AirDrum by Async Audio or tapeworm?
AirDrum by Async Audio ships an update every 9 days, and tapeworm every 3 weeks. Most recently, AirDrum by Async Audio was updated on October 30, 2026 and tapeworm on October 28, 2026.

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