GrimoHex vs SWAY
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GrimoHex
Create beats quickly with a tactile, hardware-inspired sampler and step sequencer. Record, shape, and sequence sounds for fast music production on your iPhone. Ideal for producers and beat makers on the go.
- Hardware-style pad workflow
- 128-step sequencing
- Sample recording and playback
- Sample editing tools
- Real-time sound shaping
- MIDI-focused sequencing
- Pattern-based music creation
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GrimoHex is a modern sampler and step sequencer built for fast, tactile beat creation on iPhone. Designed for producers, electronic musicians, and mobile beat makers, GrimoHex gives you a focused hardware-inspired workflow without the clutter of a full DAW. Record sounds, shape samples, build patterns, and perform ideas quickly from a compact pad-based interface. At its core, GrimoHex combines a hands-on sampler, drum machine, and step sequencer into one streamlined music production app. It is made for sketching beats, building loops, sequencing drums, triggering samples, and creating patterns wherever inspiration hits. Key features: • Hardware-style pad workflow for fast beat making • 128-step sequencing for detailed pattern creation • Sample recording and playback • Trim, zoom, and sample editing tools • Real-time sound shaping controls • MIDI-focused sequencing workflow • Pattern-based music creation • Clean interface designed for speed and focus • Built for mobile producers, beat makers, and electronic artists GrimoHex is ideal for making drum patterns, sample-based beats, loops, sketches, and performance-ready ideas on the go. Whether you are building rhythms from recorded samples, sequencing external gear, or creating patterns directly on your phone, GrimoHex keeps the process fast and musical. A focused sampler. A tactile sequencer. A compact groovebox for iPhone.
SWAY
Create synthesized rhythms using touch and motion. Build complex patterns with independent track lengths, parameter locks, and live recording. Shape your sound with LFOs, effects, and vinyl textures. Export your creations as WAV or MP3.
- 16 synthesized tracks
- Independent track lengths
- Parameter locks and live recording
- Swipe-to-paint sequencing
- Independent track effects
- Device motion control
- Export WAV/MP3
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Move the sound. SWAY is a synthesized rhythm instrument for iPhone and iPad. Build patterns, shape sounds, and perform with touch and motion. • 16 synthesized tracks and four patterns. • Independent track lengths from 1 to 16 steps for shifting rhythms. • Per-step parameter locks, live recording, and swipe-to-paint sequencing. • Live pads, track mutes and solo. • Eight momentary punch-in effects: Repeat, Filter, Brake, Echo, Reverse, Crush, Gate and Pitch. Stack effects with multi-touch and release each pad to restore the sound. • Hold TRIG / YES for temporary rhythmic fills, with slide-controlled density. • Three independent LFOs per track with synthesis and effect destinations. • Independent track effects and a shared effects bus: delay, reverb, DJ filter and tape loops. • Vinyl texture with warmth, drift and dust. • MIDI input and output, including Bluetooth MIDI connections to compatible hardware and virtual MIDI routing to other music apps. • Per-track MIDI channels, notes and gate lengths, with per-step Note and Gate locks. Choose internal sound, MIDI output, or both for each track. • Keep performing across apps with background playback when MIDI is enabled. • Bind a display parameter to device motion, then rotate your device to play it. • Export stereo WAV or MP3, or aligned WAV stems for your DAW. • Save and delete projects locally, and import or export editable project files. • A portrait instrument on iPhone and a wide landscape console on iPad. Sound generation and project storage work locally. Bluetooth MIDI requires a compatible device or adapter.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: GrimoHex at 5.0 against SWAY's 4.2. SWAY's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $12.99) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
GrimoHex costs $12.99 and SWAY $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
GrimoHex holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SWAY has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
GrimoHex ships an update every 5 days, SWAY weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GrimoHex | SWAY |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $12.99 | $3.99 — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.2 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | James Draper | 弢 张 |
Customer experience
GrimoHex
SWAY
In-app purchases
GrimoHex
No in-app purchases
SWAY
No in-app purchases









