Comparison

KR8 vs Nimbus Synth

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

Head to head
About

KR8

Features
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KR8-0 is a drum machine for live performance. It runs a step sequencer with 16 to 64 steps, four drum kits, per-channel mute and solo, per-channel volume, and a BPM range of 40 to 220. The audio engine runs on a dedicated thread separate from the UI, so the tempo holds regardless of what's happening on screen. Four kits are included. The default kit is synthesis-based: each sound is generated from mathematical waveforms and envelopes computed in real time, with no sample files involved. The three additional kits are sample-based, using recorded drum sounds loaded from audio files on the device. No internet connection is used at any point. No account is required. No data leaves the device.

About

Nimbus Synth

Features
Read full description

Nimbus Synth is an ambient instrument you play by moving. No keys, no piano roll, no menus to learn. Tilt your phone, drag a finger across the screen, and slow, evolving drones grow out of the motion. Every gesture shapes the sound in real time. SIX VOICES Layer up to six ambient timbres: Sub Drone, Warm Pad, Glass, Air, Metallic, Cello Dark, each with its own character, sculpted through tilt and touch. ALWAYS IN KEY Seven scale modes and note-exclusion keep whatever you play in tune with itself. No wrong notes. LOOP AND LAYER Record a phrase, loop it, and keep playing on top. Quantize to tempo, add a metronome with time signatures and subdivisions, and build a piece one layer at a time. SAVE YOUR IDEAS Keep a library of recordings and slot presets to return to later. NIMBUS SYNTH PRO A one-time unlock, no subscription: โ€ข Unlimited saved ideas and presets โ€ข Export recordings as WAV and MIDI (free tier exports MP3) โ€ข MIDI Out: send what you play live to a DAW or hardware synth over Network MIDI Made for headphones, a quiet room, and a phone in your hand.

Screenshots

KR83 screens
Nimbus Synth4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Nimbus Synth at Free against KR8's $2.99. Nimbus Synth also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17). KR8's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Nimbus Synth is free to download; KR8 costs $2.99 up front. Nimbus Synth sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. KR8 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KR8 ships an update every 4 days, Nimbus Synth weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
KR8 versus Nimbus Synth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKR8Nimbus Synth
Price$2.99Free โ€” better
Update frequencyEvery 4 days โ€” betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS1715.1 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size5 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerdevin sewellOndre Studios, LDA

In-app purchases

None

KR8

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Nimbus Synth

One-time1
  • Nimbus Synth Pro$6.99

Questions

Is KR8 free?
KR8 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nimbus Synth free?
Nimbus Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do KR8 or Nimbus Synth have ads?
Neither KR8 nor Nimbus Synth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KR8 or Nimbus Synth?
KR8 ships an update every 4 days, and Nimbus Synth weekly. Most recently, KR8 was updated on October 13, 2026 and Nimbus Synth on October 14, 2026.

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