ARPJAM vs Bacteria Music
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ARPJAM
This app generates evolving ambient music using two independent arpeggio engines. It features a generative drum machine, sound design tools, and external instrument synchronization. Save and recall your favorite musical setups.
- Dual arpeggio engines
- Generative drum machine
- Sound design controls
- External instrument sync (Ableton Link, MIDI Clock)
- Save and recall presets
- Built-in timer
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ARPJAM is an arpeggio synthesizer that generates ever-evolving ambient music. Layer two independent arpeggio engines, each with its own waveform, scale, and pattern, and let the app weave an endless soundscape that shifts and breathes on its own. ■ Two Arpeggio Engines ARP A and ARP B run simultaneously, each with its own mode, scale, range, waveform, filter, and envelope. Five pattern modes: Random & Chord, Repeat, Random Single, Skank, and Drone. ■ Generative Drums A probability-based drum machine. Tune the firing density, double-hit chance, and open/closed hi-hat ratio for kick, snare, and hihat to create rhythms that evolve naturally alongside the arpeggio. ■ Sound Design Four waveforms — sine, triangle, sawtooth, square. Adjust the low-pass filter, attack, and overdrive per engine. Add depth with ping-pong delay and reverb. ■ Sync with External Instruments [NEW in v1.4] Ableton Link support — wirelessly sync tempo and bar phase with Ableton Move, Live, Koala, and other Link-enabled instruments on the same Wi-Fi network. USB-C MIDI Clock reception is also supported. Sample-accurate timing alignment, with a fine-tune Offset slider for each setup. ■ Redesigned Settings Panel [v1.4] Settings are now organized into five colored sections — Oscillator, Filter, Envelope, Algorithm, and Effects. Each section collapses individually or in bulk, and the state persists between launches. Jump directly to any section via the side rail (iPad) or sticky bar (iPhone). Clear square ON/OFF switches and vivid theme colors — orange for ARP A, lime for ARP B, cyan for Drums — make the whole panel far easier to navigate. ■ Save & Recall Four start presets (Default + SAVE 1/2/3) let you recall your favorite setups with a single tap from the start screen. Presets can be exported and imported as .arpjam files to share with other ARPJAM users. ■ Built-in Timer Choose countdown or infinite mode. The timer fades out with a gentle resolving chord — perfect as a sleep timer or as a companion to meditation. • 8 scales including pentatonic modes • 12 keys (Just Intonation / Equal Temperament switchable) • Groove control for swing feel • BPM 30–200 • English / Japanese language support • Ableton Link / MIDI Clock sync
Bacteria Music
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Make gross, gooey, squelchy music! Bacteria Music is a simple, playful beat maker. Tap the glowing bacteria to build a loop, twist the knobs to make it wetter and grosser, and mash Change Bass and Change Beats to discover new sounds with different drum kits and endless squelchy basslines. When you make something you love, share a clip with a friend in a tap. - Tap-to-play grid with fun ripples and haptics - Wobbly, farty acid-style bass - 12 drum kits, from boomy to bright to lo-fi - Change the bass and the beat independently - Share your creations - No accounts, no ads, nothing saved or collected...just play! Perfect for kids and the young at heart. Made by Soundtron Studios.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bacteria Music at none against ARPJAM's 1. ARPJAM's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. ARPJAM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bacteria Music asks for nothing beyond the download.
ARPJAM ships an update daily, Bacteria Music every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ARPJAM | Bacteria Music |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Every 2 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Takashi Tsunoda | Soundtron Studios LLC |
In-app purchases
ARPJAM
- Remove Ads$0.99
Bacteria Music
No in-app purchases









