Comparison

VU Studio vs Foundry

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Foundry

This app is a powerful sampler designed for music producers. It automatically detects tempo and key, allowing for precise slicing and manipulation of audio samples. Perform and record on velocity-sensitive pads, then refine your performance on a timeline for professional results.

Highlights
  • Automatic BPM, key, and downbeat detection
  • Beat-grid slicing with draggable markers
  • Per-slice pitch, type, and length editing
  • Velocity-sensitive pad grid
  • Timeline editing with quantization
  • On-device processing, no account needed
Features
Read full description

Foundry is a sampler for producers who want to get right to chopping. Import a track from Files, and Foundry finds the tempo, key, and downbeat automatically. Slice it on a beat grid with draggable markers, audition each slice, and retune or restretch it to your project tempo, repitch for that classic sampler feel, or stretch to keep the key. Then play. Sixteen velocity-sensitive pads, a count-in, and a loop of any length. Arm, record, and your performance lands on a timeline where you can nudge hits, quantize them to a grid with adjustable strength, and bounce the result to a WAV in Files. CHOP • Automatic BPM, key, and downbeat detection • Beat-grid slicing with draggable markers and a minimap • Loop finder that confirms the grid on tricky tracks • Per-slice pitch, type, and length editing • Repitch or time-stretch slices to follow the project tempo • Project-wide transpose PADS • 4×4 pad grid with a scrolling waveform playhead • Adjustable loop length and count-in • Arm + record transport TIMELINE • Every hit recorded as a dot on its lane • Drag single hits or whole groups • Quantize grid and strength • Bounce takes to WAV, share to anywhere Sessions save automatically and pick up where you left off. Everything runs on-device - no account, no upload, no tracking. Foundry offers features under a pro subscription and will auto-renew at the end of the period, unless auto-renewal is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payments will be chaged to your AppleID. You can manage your subsctiption via the Apple App Store "Subscriptions" panel. You may cancel your subscription any time. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

VU Studio4 screens
Foundry4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Foundry at 100% against VU Studio's 56%. Foundry also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5). VU Studio's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. VU Studio sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Foundry sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Foundry holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of VU Studio's written reviews are positive against 100% of Foundry's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VU Studio ships an update every 6 days, Foundry weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
VU Studio versus Foundry: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVU StudioFoundry
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (8 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterWeekly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size171 MB97 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDariusz ChynekQuerci

Customer experience

VU Studio

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral11.1%
Negative33.3%

Foundry

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

VU Studio

One-time8
  • S2400$0.99
  • EMAX$0.99
  • MPC 2000$0.99
Show 5 more
  • MPC 2000 2$0.99
  • SP202$0.99
  • S900$0.99
  • SP1200$0.99
  • MPC3000$0.99
3 purchases

Foundry

Subscriptions2
  • Foundry Pro$2.991 Month
  • Foundry Pro7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Foundry Pro Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is VU Studio free?
VU Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Foundry free?
Foundry is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, VU Studio or Foundry?
Foundry is rated higher. VU Studio averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Foundry averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do VU Studio or Foundry have ads?
Foundry shows ads; VU Studio does not.
Which is updated more often, VU Studio or Foundry?
VU Studio ships an update every 6 days, and Foundry weekly. Most recently, VU Studio was updated on November 2, 2026 and Foundry on October 31, 2026.

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