Comparison

Sessions Nano vs Pixelsynth

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

Head to head
About

Sessions Nano

A compact audio mixer and AUv3 host designed for mobile music creators. It allows users to connect gear, mix live audio, add effects, play virtual instruments, and record performances in a focused, uncluttered environment.

Highlights
  • 8-channel audio mixer
  • Host AUv3 plug-ins
  • Internal MIDI buses
  • External MIDI control
  • Backing track support
  • Automatic always-on recorder
  • Direct to disk recording
Features
Read full description

Sessions Nano is a compact audio mixer and AUv3 host for mobile producers and performers. It may be small, but it’s no lightweight. Sessions Nano lets you connect audio and MIDI gear, mix live audio, add effects, play virtual instruments, host MIDI sequencers and generators, play backing tracks, record your performances and more. By stripping away complexity and getting back to basics, Sessions Nano provides a less distracting environment that helps maintain a clear focus on being creative. Neatly organised in a visual, uncluttered design, everything you need to make music is just a tap away. Key features include: * 8-channel audio mixer * Host AUv3 plug-ins - up to 8 virtual instruments, 20 audio FX and 4 MIDI generators * 2 MIDI Buses for routing MIDI data from generators to virtual instruments * 2 Audio Buses for shared effects and submixes * Route audio to plug-in side chains * Play MIDI layers and splits from external keyboards * External MIDI control of volume, pan, plug-in bypass, start/stop and tempo * Backing tracks with support for up to 4 stems * Automatic always-on recorder continuously captures the last 5 minutes of your performance * Unlimited duration manual ‘direct to disk’ recording * Ableton Link and External MIDI clock sync * Built-in metronome * Low latency multi-threaded audio engine with plug-in delay compensation and sample accurate MIDI timing * Sessions Nano projects can be opened in Sessions Pro (requires Sessions Pro 10.0 or later) Sessions Nano includes a 3-day trial and a one-time in-app purchase that unlocks everything. Promotional materials depict Sessions Nano hosting Audio Units from third party manufacturers. These Audio Units are not included with Sessions Nano and no endorsement from or affiliation with these manufacturers is implied. All trademarks from these manufacturers are property of their respective holders.

About

Pixelsynth

This app transforms musical input into a vibrant visual experience, allowing users to see and shape their sound in real-time. It offers a playful and immediate way to create music, with all controls and feedback displayed on a single screen. Designed by a Deaf musician, it prioritizes visual feedback as an integral part of the instrument.

Highlights
  • Real-time visual sound shaping
  • Interactive 16-pad grid
  • Adjustable waveforms, filters, and envelopes
  • LFO, delay, and reverb effects
  • AUv3 instrument compatibility
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Make a sound in seconds—and shape it while it plays. Pixelsynth turns taps, drags, melodies, and chords into a colorful instrument you can understand by watching it. Everything you play lives on one screen. Touch a note and start exploring. FROM THE DEVELOPER OF PIXELBOOP Pixelsynth is a new visual instrument from the maker of Pixelboop. Both apps share a love of playful grids, immediate feedback, and musical ideas that begin with one touch. PLAY FIRST. LEARN BY WATCHING. Sixteen pads invite you to find a melody, hold a chord, or strum across the screen. Notes light up as you play, and every sound control moves in front of you. You can see what each gesture is doing while you hear the result. SHAPE THE SOUND LIVE • Switch waveforms to change the character of your sound. • Sweep the filter from bright and open to soft and focused. • Shape attack, decay, sustain, and release for crisp plucks, swelling notes, and long tails. • Add motion with LFO, repeating echoes with delay, and depth with reverb. Each control is a colorful tank. Touch higher or lower inside it to set the value directly. Values in the upper half stay where you leave them; notes in the lower half drain away after you lift. It feels immediate because the picture and the sound follow the same gesture. MADE TO BE SEEN Created by a Deaf musician, Pixelsynth treats visual feedback as part of the instrument. The entire musical surface is drawn on a 40 by 24 pixel grid—just 960 pixels—so every control stays visible and every change has a visual response. PLAY IT YOUR WAY Open Pixelsynth as a standalone instrument on iPhone or iPad, or load the included AUv3 instrument in a compatible iOS music host. Your host can send MIDI notes and save the instrument state with your project. A compatible host is available separately. FREE TO EXPLORE No account. No in-app purchases. No third-party ads. The instrument works offline. The standalone app may occasionally show developer news or an introduction to Pixelboop, which you can close immediately. Pixelsynth does not track you or collect the music you play. Open it. Touch a note. See where it takes you.

Screenshots

Sessions Nano4 screens
Pixelsynth4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pixelsynth at none against Sessions Nano's 2. Pixelsynth also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, 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

Both are free to download. Sessions Nano sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Pixelsynth asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Sessions Nano against 5.0 for Pixelsynth. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sessions Nano ships an update every 5 days, Pixelsynth every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Sessions Nano versus Pixelsynth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSessions NanoPixelsynth
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpen Planet Softwarede Bastion, Inc

Customer experience

Sessions Nano

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pixelsynth

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Sessions Nano

One-time2
  • 3-Day TrialFree
  • Full Unlock$9.99
None

Pixelsynth

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sessions Nano free?
Sessions Nano is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pixelsynth free?
Pixelsynth is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sessions Nano or Pixelsynth?
Sessions Nano and Pixelsynth are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Sessions Nano or Pixelsynth have ads?
Neither Sessions Nano nor Pixelsynth shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sessions Nano or Pixelsynth?
Sessions Nano ships an update every 5 days, and Pixelsynth every 9 days. Most recently, Sessions Nano was updated on October 19, 2026 and Pixelsynth on October 11, 2026.

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