Comparison

Tapko vs Algonautic

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

Head to head
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.

About

Algonautic

This app provides an interactive ambient chord pad instrument for iPad, allowing musicians to generate full chord voicings with a single tap. It offers various modes for sequencing, strumming, and evolving chord progressions, and can be integrated with DAWs as an AUv3 MIDI effect.

Highlights
  • Pads fire complete chord voicings
  • Sync to DAW or trigger freely
  • Gate and Latch modes
  • Strum mode for natural movement
  • Transition rules for evolving progressions
  • Mutation mode for harmonic variations
  • AUv3 MIDI effect compatibility
Features
Read full description

Algonautic A MIDI chord pad instrument for iPad. Each pad maps to a full voiced chord. Route the output to your DAW, layer it, sequence it, and capture it as MIDI. The chord library comes from my own catalogue: a harmonic language I developed across Sonic Dreams Vol. 1 & 2, now available as a playable instrument. *** Features • Pads fire complete chord voicings — one tap, full harmony • Sync to your DAW or trigger freely • Gate and Latch modes hold chords for as long as you need • Strum mode spreads chord attacks for natural movement • Transition rules step through chords in order or randomly — useful for progressions that evolve on their own • Mutation mode introduces inversions and harmonic variations over time • Two Part Doublers add bass and top-voice doublings in real time, each on its own MIDI output channel • Runs as an AUv3 MIDI effect in Logic Pro, AUM, Cubasis, and other compatible hosts — or standalone • MIDI only. No audio engine, no added audio latency *** Compatibility Notice Requires an AUv3-compatible host for plugin functionality.

Screenshots

Tapko4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tapko at 100% against Algonautic's 50%. Tapko also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and price ($4.99 vs $5.99). Algonautic's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.2). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Tapko costs $4.99 and Algonautic $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tapko holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Tapko's written reviews are positive against 50% of Algonautic's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tapko ships an update every 4 days, Algonautic every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Tapko versus Algonautic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTapkoAlgonautic
Price$4.99 — better$5.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPad
Requires iOS18.212.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid Lars GuvaAxart Labs OU

Customer experience

Tapko

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

Algonautic

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Tapko

No in-app purchases

None

Algonautic

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tapko free?
Tapko costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Algonautic free?
Algonautic costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tapko or Algonautic?
Tapko is rated higher. Tapko averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Algonautic averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Tapko or Algonautic have ads?
Neither Tapko nor Algonautic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tapko or Algonautic?
Tapko ships an update every 4 days, and Algonautic every 3 days. Most recently, Tapko was updated on September 20, 2026 and Algonautic on September 7, 2026.

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