Comparison

Fishtail vs MeloDraw

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

Head to head
About

Fishtail

This app generates complete musical forms using algorithmic composition based on music theory. Users can shape, perform, and rearrange these compositions, routing seven musical channels to their chosen instruments via MIDI. It offers extensive control over keys, modes, and expressive elements.

Highlights
  • Algorithmic music generation
  • Multi-section compositions
  • Seven-channel MIDI output
  • Retain, reorder, and perform Takes
  • Multiple intonation systems
  • AUv3 MIDI plug-in support
  • Ableton Link integration
Features
Read full description

Fishtail is a generative MIDI instrument for iPhone and iPad. It composes complete musical forms, then lets you shape, perform, retain and rearrange them! Fishtail does not use AI to generate music. Its musical output is created through algorhythmic generation grounded in musical theory. Build pieces from sections with independent keys, modes, meters, cadences and expressive treatments. Generate distinct Takes, compare them, reorder them and hand the next Take over at a natural whole-piece boundary. Fishtail produces MIDI rather than sound. Use it standalone or as an AUv3 MIDI plug-in, and route its seven musical channels to the instruments you choose. Ableton Link supports shared tempo and transport. Features: • Complete multi-section generative compositions • Seven-channel MIDI output • Retain, reorder and perform Takes • Seven intonation systems • Normal MIDI, pitch-bend and MPE output • MTS output • Ableton Link • .fishtail project save and recall • Standard MIDI and per-channel export • Experimental analogue CV file packages • Accessible light and dark interfaces No account, advertising, analytics or tracking. Tested in AUM

About

MeloDraw

Features
Read full description

Draw a melody or a beat and hear something genuinely new every time - not a pre-made pack, a fresh procedural generation each draw. Shape what you draw: adjust tempo and pitch afterward, extend a piece you like, keep every past draw in your history and swipe back through it. Layer a melody with a beat into a Combo, then arrange several drawn pieces into a full song. REAL INSTRUMENTS, ANY SOUND - All 128 General MIDI instruments, played with real sampled sound. - Build your own custom sound three ways: a slider editor, humming into the mic, or a photo's colours. RECORD YOUR OWN VOICE - Play a saved song while recording vocals over it - MeloDraw mixes them together automatically. - Multiple people's takes can sit on the same song, each tagged with who sang it. YOUR MUSIC, ON YOUR DEVICE - No account, no server, no internet connection at all - MeloDraw has no networking code. - Back up your whole library to a file and restore it on a new device whenever you like. - Turn on App Lock to keep your saved music behind Face ID or Touch ID. Free to use, with no in-app purchases.

Screenshots

Fishtail3 screens
MeloDraw4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: MeloDraw at Free against Fishtail's $14.99. 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

MeloDraw is free to download; Fishtail costs $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fishtail ships an update every 2 days, MeloDraw daily. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Fishtail versus MeloDraw: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFishtailMeloDraw
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAMY NICOLA MCBRIDEKangsoo Lee

In-app purchases

None

Fishtail

No in-app purchases

None

MeloDraw

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Fishtail free?
Fishtail costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is MeloDraw free?
MeloDraw is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Fishtail or MeloDraw have ads?
Neither Fishtail nor MeloDraw shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fishtail or MeloDraw?
Fishtail ships an update every 2 days, and MeloDraw daily. Most recently, Fishtail was updated on September 14, 2026 and MeloDraw on September 23, 2026.

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