VU Studio vs irio pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VU Studio
Create music on the go with a portable beatmaking workstation. Build beats, shape samples, and arrange full tracks with a structured yet fast workflow. Import and edit audio, then organize your ideas into complete songs.
- Portable project workflow
- Sample shaping and editing
- Pattern and sequence building
- Full track arrangement timeline
- Dedicated editing views
- Mixer for balancing tracks
- Live performance effects
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VU Studio is a beatmaking workstation built for creating ideas, shaping samples, and arranging full tracks in one portable project workflow. Start with pads and sounds, build patterns per group, combine those patterns into sequences, then arrange patterns, sequences, and audio tracks on the song timeline. The workflow is direct enough for sketching beats quickly, but structured enough to grow an idea into a finished arrangement. Import audio into pads, preview waveforms, edit sample regions, and use CHOP to split samples into playable slices. VU Studio keeps imported audio inside the project package, so your songs stay portable instead of depending on temporary file picker paths. Use dedicated views for the way you want to work: - PADS for samples, pad settings, and sound preparation - STEPS for fast pattern programming - PIANO for detailed note and event editing - SEQUENCE for building song sections from patterns - SONG / Timeline for arranging the full track - MIXER for balancing groups, pads, audio tracks, sends, inserts, and master output - LIVE for performance effects and quick sound manipulation - BROWSER for finding and loading audio sources VU Studio projects are saved as managed .vustudio packages. Export creates a portable .vustudio archive for transfer or backup, with project data and assets kept together. On iOS, projects live in Documents so they remain visible in Apple Files. You're a fan of my previous VU202 app? That's great - VU Studio supports .vu202 project file - move your project and keep 100% edit possibilities! Whether you are chopping drum breaks, programming patterns, building sections, importing samples, or moving a project between iOS and desktop, VU Studio is designed around a simple idea: keep the beatmaking flow fast, organized, and portable.
irio pro
This app offers a modular effects canvas for musicians, allowing for flexible signal chain routing with studio-grade modules. It supports various instruments and DAWs, featuring advanced amp modeling and modulation capabilities.
- Modular effects canvas
- Free signal chain routing
- Studio-grade audio modules
- Advanced amp modeling (NAM player)
- Customizable modulation effects
- AUv3 plugin support
- Scene and preset switching
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irio pro is a complete guitar rig / modular effects rig for iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Mac, built around a high-end NAM player. Add amps, cabinets, pedals and effects, connect them in any order, and play it all live from the perform page. It is easy to start with and as deep as you need it to be. It runs on its own or as an AUv3 plugin in your DAW, and it works just as well for bass, synths, vocals or any other audio. GUITAR / AMP - NAM (Neural Amp Modeler) player: A2, standard and nano models, one-tap input calibration to your interface, phase switch, dual mono - Cab section with IR loading, noise gate, 3-band EQ, high and low cut - Dual-cab IR blender with alignment scope - Drives and fuzzes - rosa: audio to MIDI converter - Chromatic tuner EFFECTS - 8 delays and 6 reverbs, among them a spring reverb with one to four springs and two classic digital reverbs of the 1980s in one module - Convolution for delays, reverbs and cabs - Chorus, flanger, pitch vibrato, photocell vibe, wah, ring modulator - Pitch shifting - Compressors - Noise gate - Parametric EQ with live analyzer - 8-voice synth - Analog guitar synthesizer after a classic 1980 unit, played from a normal guitar cable ROUTING / ENGINE - Free routing, any order - Multi-channel in and out - Instances limited only by CPU - Live metering on every connection - Patch-wide tempo - Hosts other AUv3 effects - Hosts AUv3 instruments - Block cards, 40+ DSP blocks - Engine blocks as modules on the main canvas - Folders: part of the rig in a card with a canvas, ports, shortcuts and memories of its own - Linked modules: modules of one kind that share every setting, with one badge colour per group - Any one-in one-out module can run as dual mono: a second pair of pins, one set of controls MODULATION - Three modifier types: LFO, envelope follower, hand-drawn LFO - Route a modifier to almost any control - One modifier to many targets, each with its own range - LFO rates and delay times lock to the tempo PERFORM - 8 scenes per preset - Perform page with multiple pad banks - Pads trigger presets, scenes, module memories, stomps, module switches (Stop, Freeze, Kill Dry), A/B, tap tempo, looper and player transport - Pads are momentary or latching, groupable, in 16 colors - Multi-pads: one pad controls several targets - XY pads - 4 assignable knobs - Shortcuts: switches and knobs assignable to any control - MIDI learn on every control - Host automation in AUv3 (AUTO slots) - Saveable perform layouts TOOLS - 4-track looper - Take recorder - Audio file player - Metronome with speed trainer - Whole-system backup - Mirror: a second iPhone or iPad shows and controls the device on your interface, canvas and perform page alike - Share a whole setup between your devices over Wi-Fi - Sync: both devices get every preset, memory and file either one has - Dark or light appearance Free version, no time limit: NAM player, morph drive, gyre mod, irio delay, irio verb, 3-band EQ, noise gate, audio player, metronome, global tempo. Free 5-day trial of everything, once per Apple ID, started when you choose. Pro Complete unlocks all modules. One purchase, no subscription, at any time. More at iriopro.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: irio pro at 100% against VU Studio's 56%. irio pro also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. VU Studio sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and irio pro sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
irio pro holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of VU Studio's written reviews are positive against 100% of irio pro's.
VU Studio ships an update every 6 days, irio pro every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VU Studio | irio pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (8 ratings) | 4.9 (16 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 16 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 171 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dariusz Chynek | Mads Rohde |
Customer experience
VU Studio
irio pro
In-app purchases
VU Studio
- S2400$0.99
- EMAX$0.99
- MPC 2000$0.99
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- MPC 2000 2$0.99
- SP202$0.99
- S900$0.99
- SP1200$0.99
- MPC3000$0.99
irio pro
- 5-day TrialFree
- Pro Complete$29.99








