Clockworks vs Epicycle
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Clockworks
Create complex polyrhythms visually by layering geometric shapes on a clockface. Explore diverse instruments, scales, and effects to generate intricate musical patterns without needing music theory knowledge. Export your creations as MIDI, audio, or sheet music.
- Visual polyrhythm creation
- Layered shape system
- 10 sampled instruments
- Built-in drum kits
- Dozens of scales
- Scene-based arrangement
- Export to MIDI, WAV, PDF
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Clockworks turns rhythm into geometry. Build polyrhythms by layering rotating shapes on a clockface — each shape's sides become evenly-spaced beats, so a triangle and a pentagon played together weave intricate cross-rhythms with zero math. • Layer multiple shapes, each its own voice • 10 instruments — sampled piano, e-piano, guitars, plus synth keys, organ, marimba, vibes and more • Built-in drum kits with a step sequencer • Dozens of scales across many categories for instant melodic results • Scene-based arrangement to evolve your loop over time • Pro FX: 3-band EQ and BPM-synced echo • Export to MIDI, audio (WAV), or sheet music PDF No theory required — just add shapes and listen.
Epicycle
Create complex rhythms and polymeters using Euclidean rings on your iPhone or iPad. Explore generative patterns with a built-in sound engine. Unlock advanced features like MIDI output and export for external hardware synchronization.
- Euclidean ring rhythms
- Up to eight simultaneous tracks
- Polymeter generation
- Built-in sound engine
- Scene saving and launching
- MIDI out and clock sync
- .mid file export
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Epicycle is a MIDI sequencer for iPhone and iPad. Every rhythm is a Euclidean ring, and each track's parameters generate its pattern. Layer rings of different lengths for polymeter, and hear them on the built-in sound engine with no external gear. EUCLIDEAN RINGS Each track is a ring, and you can run up to eight at once. A track's pattern follows from its parameters, so you see the rhythm as a shape. POLYMETER Give tracks different lengths and they play together. Loop-lock protects one track's pattern while you change the others. SCENES Save pattern states as scenes and launch them with quantize. FREE TO PLAY Epicycle is free to download. The full sound engine and every creative feature are free, up to eight tracks, with no time limit. MIDI OUT, CLOCK AND EXPORT A one-time lifetime unlock adds live MIDI out, MIDI clock in and out, and .mid export, so you can drive and sync external hardware and apps. Requires iOS 18 or later. VoiceOver is supported.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Clockworks at none against Epicycle's 1. Clockworks also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Epicycle's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 2). 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
Both are free to download. Epicycle sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Clockworks asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Clockworks against 5.0 for Epicycle. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively.
| Parameter | Clockworks | Epicycle |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Every 2 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dylan Cantor | Outhaul |
In-app purchases
Clockworks
No in-app purchases
Epicycle
- Lifetime Unlock$24.99









