Comparison

Patterning vs Tako Kick

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

Head to head
About

Patterning

This music creation app offers a circular drum machine with a powerful sequencer. It's free to download and includes a vast library of drum kits and effects. Unlock advanced production and sync tools through an in-app purchase or a monthly subscription.

Highlights
  • Circular drum machine interface
  • Powerful sequencer engine
  • Extensive drum kit library
  • Built-in effects and mixing
  • Song mode for arrangement
  • Audio and MIDI export options
  • Ableton Link and MIDI sync
Read full description

Patterning is a circular drum machine that is both intuitive and deep. Built on the powerful sequencer engine of "Patterning 3: Drum Machine," this new iPhone version bottles the energy and excitement of our flagship instrument for the small screen. Free to download and make music with. The full sequencer, drum kits and sampler, effects and mixing, project saving, and access to nearly 800 drum kits are all included. "Patterning Studio" is an in-app purchase that unlocks production and sync tools for life : - AUv3 : Run Patterning as an instrument plugin. - Song Mode : chain patterns into full songs - Unlimited access to over 800 free drumkits. - Audio export as stereo or multitrack stems (WAV or AIFF) - Ableton Live Set export, with a free Ableton Live 12 Lite license - MIDI file export - MIDI output to hardware and your DAW - Ableton Link - Link Audio : send stereo or multitrack audio wirelessly to Ableton Live. - MIDI clock send/receive Patterning Studio is offered at a discounted price for existing owners of "Patterning for iPhone." Alternately, you can subscribe to Patterning+ and unlock all current and any future features on a monthly basis.

About

Tako Kick

This app is an eight-voice generative drum machine that creates complex polyrhythms. Users can independently shape each voice's rhythm and sound, build evolving grooves, and explore synthesized kits. It offers performance controls and the ability to save and share presets.

Highlights
  • Eight-voice generative drum machine
  • Independent voice shaping
  • Synthesized drum kits
  • Evolving groove creation
  • Performance and mixing controls
  • Preset saving and sharing
  • AUv3 instrument support
Features
Read full description

What if an octopus could play drums? Tako Kick is an eight-voice generative drum machine excelling in musical polyrhythms. Shape each voice independently, tuning its rhythm and sound across a range of synthesized kits. Build evolving grooves with pattern, density, pitch, accents, and feel controls. Explore each kit’s timbre, and add movement with built-in modulation sources. Keep rhythm and sound independent in each voice's left and right columns - change the timbre without affecting the beat, or change both at once. Performance controls allow interactive mixing/soloing/muting, and global control over drum assignments and pitch. Save and share complete presets to recall your rhythm, tuning, modulation, kit, and mix settings. Presets can be dynamically loaded for another element of in-time performance. Play Tako Kick standalone on iPhone and iPad, or load it as an AUv3 instrument in AUM and other compatible hosts. Sync to the host and use it with MIDI. Tako Kick is a tactile rhythm instrument for finding grooves. Use it to practice drums, get ideas, make beats, or just to have fun.

Screenshots

Patterning4 screens
Tako Kick4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tako Kick at none against Patterning's 3. Tako Kick also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 days). Patterning's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 1). On price, rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Patterning sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Tako Kick 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 Patterning against 5.0 for Tako Kick. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Patterning has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Patterning ships an update every 3 days, Tako Kick daily. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Patterning versus Tako Kick: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPatterningTako Kick
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (10 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings10 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.617.6
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOlympia Noise Co.Radii Research

Customer experience

Patterning

All ratings10 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

Tako Kick

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Patterning

Subscriptions1
  • Patterning+$1.991 Month
One-time2
  • Patterning Studio Upgrade$7.99
  • Studio Pack (Lifetime)$12.99
None

Tako Kick

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Patterning free?
Patterning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tako Kick free?
Tako Kick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Patterning or Tako Kick?
Patterning and Tako Kick are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 10 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Patterning or Tako Kick have ads?
Neither Patterning nor Tako Kick shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Patterning or Tako Kick?
Patterning ships an update every 3 days, and Tako Kick daily. Most recently, Patterning was updated on September 27, 2026 and Tako Kick on September 15, 2026.

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