# GridStep vs Harmonaut

The clearest difference is price: Harmonaut at Free against GridStep's $3.99. On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Harmonaut is free to download; GridStep costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for GridStep against 5.0 for Harmonaut. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 6 respectively.

GridStep ships an update every 2 weeks, Harmonaut every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GridStep | Harmonaut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridstep/id6756443258/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harmonaut/id6784680994/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 5 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joe Topjian](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860697112) | [District One Mobile, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/812513884) |

## What reviewers say

### GridStep

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gridstep/id6756443258)

A professional MIDI step sequencer offering a focused grid-based workflow for clear, controlled, and predictable music creation. It functions as a standalone app and an AUv3 plugin, ideal for both live performance and composition.

**Highlights:** Grid-based MIDI step sequencing, Explicit edit modes for notes, velocity, slides, and mutes, Trigger-based step advance, Controlled pattern generation, AUv3 MIDI effect plugin, Standalone app functionality

**In-app purchases:** none


### Harmonaut

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harmonaut/id6784680994)

Create music by feel without needing music theory. This app generates rich chords and smooth progressions, allowing you to shape the mood with intuitive controls. Save and reorder your musical ideas effortlessly.

**Highlights:** Play by feel, no theory required, Shape mood with tension and brightness faders, Smooth voice leading for flowing progressions, Chords named for musicians, Save and reorder progressions, Works on iPhone and iPad

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GridStep free?

GridStep costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Harmonaut free?

Harmonaut is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, GridStep or Harmonaut?

GridStep and Harmonaut are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do GridStep or Harmonaut have ads?

Neither GridStep nor Harmonaut shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GridStep or Harmonaut?

GridStep ships an update every 2 weeks, and Harmonaut every 10 days. Most recently, GridStep was updated on October 11, 2026 and Harmonaut on October 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*