# MIDI MACHINE vs 1981 FM

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: 1981 FM at 15.0 against MIDI MACHINE's 18.6. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MIDI MACHINE sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and 1981 FM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MIDI MACHINE ships an update weekly, 1981 FM every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MIDI MACHINE | 1981 FM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1981-fm-80s-track-generator/id6805325447/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Niklas Koellner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885054421) | [Soft Brew Mobile](https://appshunter.io/developer/561703410) |

## What reviewers say

### MIDI MACHINE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midi-machine/id6760569464)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MIDI MACHINE Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### 1981 FM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1981-fm-80s-track-generator/id6805325447)

This app generates complete, unique musical tracks using chaotic mathematical principles. It offers various styles, modes, and keys, with customizable FM synth sounds and effects. Tracks can be recreated using seeds and exported via MIDI.

**Highlights:** Chaos-driven track generation, Four-operator FM synth engine, Multiple musical styles and modes, MIDI export and input, Customizable effects (chorus, delay, reverb), Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AUv3 Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MIDI MACHINE free?

MIDI MACHINE is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 1981 FM free?

1981 FM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do MIDI MACHINE or 1981 FM have ads?

Neither MIDI MACHINE nor 1981 FM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MIDI MACHINE or 1981 FM?

MIDI MACHINE ships an update weekly, and 1981 FM every 2 weeks. Most recently, MIDI MACHINE was updated on October 24, 2026 and 1981 FM on October 24, 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.*