Comparison

SideChain AUv3 vs Tapko

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

Head to head
About

SideChain AUv3

Create a classic EDM pumping effect with tempo-synced volume ducking. This app offers full parameter control for automation and allows saving/loading custom presets. Fine-tune your audio envelope with adjustable floor, delay, curve, and release settings.

Highlights
  • Tempo-synced volume ducking
  • Full parameter automation
  • Save and load presets
  • Adjustable ADSR envelope controls
  • EDM pumping effect
Read full description

Simple tempo-synced volume envelope for that classic EDM pumping effect. All parameters exposed for automation. The default setting will probably do what you need, but you can also save/load presets. Set floor value, delay, curve, release point - control the envelope like a standard ADSR __ If you're having an issue, please email me at support@scalenumbers.com rather than leaving a review, as apple doesn't send developers any alerts when reviews are left, so I won't know you've tried to contact me.

About

Tapko

This app is a powerful drum sampler for musicians, offering a 16-pad grid for loading and manipulating sounds. It provides extensive per-pad editing, advanced sampling features like velocity layers and round robin, and seamless integration with music hosts.

Highlights
  • 16-pad grid with per-pad sample import
  • Per-pad editing (EQ, pan, reverb)
  • Velocity layers and round robin sampling
  • MIDI Learn for instant assignment
  • Built-in stereo reverb
  • Kit creation, import, and export
  • Multi-output routing
Features
Read full description

Tapko is a fast, no-nonsense drum sampler built by a musician for musicians. Load your sounds, build your kit, and play — standalone or as an AUv3 plugin in your favorite host. Use Tapko on its own as a playable drum machine, or load it as an AUv3 instrument in AUM, Loopy Pro, GarageBand, Cubasis, and more. 16 PADS, TOTAL CONTROL • 16-pad grid with per-pad sample import (WAV, AIFF, MP3, M4A, FLAC, CAF) • Per-pad 3-band EQ, volume, pan, gain, choke groups, and configurable Fade Out • Swipe pads to tweak volume, EQ, pan, and reverb send on the fly • MIDI Learn — tap a pad, play a note, instantly assign note and channel • Swipe left/right on single-sample pads to cycle saved versions • Built-in stereo reverb with per-pad send and global room/decay controls ADVANCED SAMPLING • Velocity layers — up to 5 layers per pad with adjustable velocity ranges • Round robin — cycle through up to 5 samples per pad (sequential or random) • Layer mode — stack up to 5 samples per pad and trigger them simultaneously • Random velocity — override incoming velocity with base +/- variation for natural dynamics • Sample Editor with zoomable waveform: high-detail zoom view above, full-file overview below with a draggable zoom-window and in/out markers, pinch-to-zoom, trim handles, start delay, attack, and per-pad gain • Global media browser — import clips once, assign to any pad in any kit KITS & SHARING • Create, rename, duplicate, and delete kits • Import and export kits as .tapkokit files • Kit Store — browse and download free community kits • Full backup and restore of all kits and media to a single .tapkobackup file • iCloud sync keeps kits and your Media Library in sync across devices • Build kits on your computer at tapko.davidguva.se MULTI-OUTPUT ROUTING • 9 stereo output buses (1 Main + 8 Aux) for hosts that support multi-output • Assign each pad to an individual output bus for separate mixing and effects • Main bus always carries the full mix — works seamlessly in single-output hosts too MIDI & HOST INTEGRATION • MIDI input with customizable note mapping (GM drum layout by default) • Per-pad MIDI channel assignment (omni or channel 1–16) • MIDI output and Program Change for kit switching • All parameters exposed to the host for automation • Factory presets support BUILT FOR PERFORMANCE • Real-time C++ DSP engine with vDSP acceleration • 48-voice polyphonic playback with intelligent voice stealing • Efficient CPU usage for most kits; usage increases with kit complexity (more layers, longer samples/tails, and heavier FX/routing) STANDALONE & PLUGIN Tapko works as a standalone drum machine right out of the box. It also registers as an AUv3 instrument plugin so any compatible host can load it.

Screenshots

SideChain AUv31 screens
Tapko4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SideChain AUv3 at $2.99 against Tapko's $4.99. SideChain AUv3 also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.2). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

SideChain AUv3 costs $2.99 and Tapko $4.99 up front. 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 — 5.0 for SideChain AUv3 against 5.0 for Tapko. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SideChain AUv3 ships an update every 3 days, Tapko every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SideChain AUv3 versus Tapko: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideChain AUv3Tapko
Price$2.99 — better$4.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperScale Degrees LTDDavid Lars Guva

Customer experience

SideChain AUv3

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Tapko

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

SideChain AUv3

No in-app purchases

None

Tapko

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SideChain AUv3 free?
SideChain AUv3 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tapko free?
Tapko costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SideChain AUv3 or Tapko?
SideChain AUv3 and Tapko are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do SideChain AUv3 or Tapko have ads?
Neither SideChain AUv3 nor Tapko shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideChain AUv3 or Tapko?
SideChain AUv3 ships an update every 3 days, and Tapko every 4 days. Most recently, SideChain AUv3 was updated on September 19, 2026 and Tapko on September 20, 2026.

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