Comparison

ThereminAir vs BeatSeq

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

Head to head
About

ThereminAir

This app transforms your Apple Watch into a unique theremin instrument. Play music through arm gestures, controlling pitch and volume without touching any buttons. Explore different modes and scales to create a variety of sounds.

Highlights
  • Gesture-based pitch and volume control
  • Pure mode for continuous glide
  • Scale modes for staying in tune
  • Adjustable pitch ranges and vibrato depths
  • Live readout of frequency and note name
  • Complication for instant play
Features
Read full description

ThereminAir turns your Apple Watch into a theremin — the legendary instrument you play without ever touching it. Anchor your elbow and sweep your forearm like the hand of a clock: raise it and the pitch rises, lower it and the pitch falls. Rotate your wrist to swell the volume. There are no buttons to press while you play, no strings, no keys — just the motion of your arm in the air, exactly like the real thing. Your arm becomes the antenna. HOW IT WORKS • Sweep your forearm for pitch — glide smoothly or lock to musical notes • Rotate your wrist for volume — from a whisper to full voice • Wobble your wrist on a held note and it sings with real vibrato • Turn the Digital Crown to set your maximum volume • Watch the live readout — frequency, note name, and a scrolling trace of your vibrato PLAY IN KEY Pure mode gives you the classic continuous theremin glide. Prefer to stay in tune? Choose a scale and every note snaps to it: • Major and Minor • Major and Minor Pentatonic • Pick any root note Vibrato sings around the note you land on, so playing in key never sounds locked to a grid. MAKE IT YOURS • Three pitch ranges — Precise for playing in tune, Standard for everyday play, Wide for drama • Three vibrato depths — Subtle, Natural, Wide • The tone brightens as you play louder, the way an acoustic instrument does • Plays the right way round on either wrist, in either crown orientation • Vibrato-only mode, so travelling to a new note stays clean RECOMMENDED SETTINGS Precise range · Pure scale · Dynamic timbre on · Wide vibrato depth · Vibrato only on · Travel-proof vibrato off · Exclusive audio off TAP AND PLAY Add the ThereminAir complication to your watch face and a single tap launches you straight into play mode — no menus, no waiting. Or just say "Hey Siri, play ThereminAir". BUILT FOR THE WATCH • Smooth, low-latency synthesis tuned for Apple Watch • Clean, glanceable interface • Works on the go — your instrument is always on your wrist Whether you're making eerie sci-fi sweeps, practicing pitch, or just playing with sound while you wait for coffee, ThereminAir puts a real instrument on your wrist.

About

BeatSeq

Features
Read full description

BeatSeq is a 16-step drum sequencer for Apple Watch and iPhone. Build beats on your wrist. Edit on your phone. Export to your DAW. THE RADIAL SEQUENCER Your 16 steps wrap around the watch face. Tap any step to fire it. Turn the crown to set BPM. Swipe between 9 voices — kick, snare, hi-hat, tom, crash, clap, rim, bell, and sampler. PER-STEP CONTROL Hold any step to go deeper. Set ratchet (×2/×3/×4 sub-hit rolls), probability gate (100/75/50/25%), or accent — per step, per voice. 4 BANKS · SONG MODE Each drum gets 4 independent banks — A, B, C, D — each with its own pattern and length. Chain up to 8 banks in Song Mode to build a full arrangement. 7 GROOVE PACKS Jungle, house, garage, Euclidean, and more. Generate a full kit or drop individual voices in. Play it as-is or use it as a starting point. 9-VOICE MIXER Dial in volumes on the iPhone or straight from the watch. EXPORT WAV, stems, or MIDI. One tap, straight to your DAW. SYNC Build on your watch. Sync to iPhone. Export and go. Designed for beatmakers, producers, and anyone who wants to sketch ideas anywhere — then take them further.

Screenshots

BeatSeq4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: BeatSeq at $2.99 against ThereminAir's $3.99. BeatSeq also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ThereminAir costs $3.99 and BeatSeq $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ThereminAir ships an update every 11 days, BeatSeq every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
ThereminAir versus BeatSeq: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThereminAirBeatSeq
Price$3.99$2.99 — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTom PardeeImran Azizuddin

In-app purchases

None

ThereminAir

No in-app purchases

None

BeatSeq

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ThereminAir free?
ThereminAir costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BeatSeq free?
BeatSeq costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do ThereminAir or BeatSeq have ads?
Neither ThereminAir nor BeatSeq shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ThereminAir or BeatSeq?
ThereminAir ships an update every 11 days, and BeatSeq every 9 days. Most recently, ThereminAir was updated on October 31, 2026 and BeatSeq on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons