S vs PadDrums
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
S
This app is a polyphonic synthesizer that works with specific hardware. It offers a variety of sound engines, filters, and effects for creating unique audio textures. Advanced modulation options and a flexible routing system allow for deep sound design.
- Dual engine slots per voice
- Multiple sound flavors (analog, wavetable, FM, speech)
- Classic and Modern filter modes
- Advanced FX rack
- Two free-routing LFOs
- Unified mod matrix
- Standalone, AU, and AUv3 formats
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s-2 is a polyphonic synthesizer designed to work with the Roland AIRA Compact S-1. ENGINE Each voice runs two parallel engine slots that mix together. Pick a sound flavor per slot, including: • Classic analog — saw, square, sub, noise, pulse-width • Wavetable • FM • Speech • Chord • Plucked string FILTER AND FX Classic mode runs a vintage-style ladder filter into a simple Delay → Chorus → Reverb chain. Modern mode swaps in a multi-mode SVF (LP / BP / HP) followed by a 3-slot Advanced FX rack with Bitcrusher, Drive, Flanger, Phaser, Auto-Filter, Tape Delay, Plate Reverb and Chorus. MODULATION Two free-routing LFOs (sine / triangle / saw / square / random / noise, with optional clock-sync), a dedicated filter envelope with two destination slots, and a unified mod matrix dialog that visualizes every routing in one place. Click any knob in Learn mode to assign — no digging through menus. FORMATS • Standalone for iOS • Audio Unit (AU) for Logic Pro and other AU hosts • AUv3 plugin for iPad / iPhone in AUM, GarageBand, Cubasis and more - s-2 is an independent third-party application. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Roland Corporation. "Roland", "AIRA", "AIRA Compact", and "S-1" are trademarks of Roland Corporation, used here only to describe MIDI compatibility between this app and that hardware.
PadDrums
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PadDrums turns your iPhone into a full electronic drum kit — no hardware required. ■ 4 Sound Kits Switch instantly between Acoustic, 808, Techno, and LoFi kits. Play Kick, Snare, Hi-Hat, Open Hat, Toms, Crash, and Ride across 9 responsive pads. ■ Fully Customizable Pads Reassign any sound to any pad and build your own custom kit from scratch. ■ Preset Beat Patterns Trigger 2-beat, 4-beat, 8-beat, or 16-beat rhythm patterns with one tap. Fine-tune the groove with BPM and swing controls. ■ Built-in FX Shape your sound with reverb and other effects, right on the pad. ■ True Multi-Touch Hit multiple pads at once without dropouts, for a real, expressive playing feel. Whether you're sketching a beat, practicing rhythm, or just jamming — PadDrums puts a full drum kit in your pocket.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: S at none against PadDrums's shown. S also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.5). PadDrums's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
S ships an update every 6 weeks, PadDrums every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | S | PadDrums |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 26.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mathias Kirkerød | Kouki Yoshimoto |
In-app purchases
S
No in-app purchases
PadDrums
No in-app purchases









