AirDrum by Async Audio vs tapeworm
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Motion-based drumming
- MIDI output (USB/Network)
- DAW compatibility (Ableton Live)
- Assignable drum kits
- Real-time gesture triggering
- XY pad for effects
- Loop recording
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. AirDrum by Async Audio sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. tapeworm asks for nothing beyond the download.
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.
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.
| Parameter | AirDrum by Async Audio | tapeworm |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.1 (13 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 62.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 13 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Async Audio LLC | Radii Research |
Customer experience
AirDrum by Async Audio
tapeworm
In-app purchases
AirDrum by Async Audio
- Voltage Drum Kit$1.99
- Prism Drum Kit$1.99
- Dust Drum Kit$1.99
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- Fader Drum Kit$1.99
tapeworm
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is AirDrum by Async Audio free?
Is tapeworm free?
Which has better reviews, AirDrum by Async Audio or tapeworm?
Do AirDrum by Async Audio or tapeworm have ads?
Which is updated more often, AirDrum by Async Audio or tapeworm?
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