Comparison

BeatGlow vs PadCurrent

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

Head to head
About

BeatGlow

Create unique music with a generative drum machine. Shape synthesized sounds, build songs from patterns, and share your creations as audio or video. Get started with AI-generated patterns or build from scratch with no ads or subscriptions.

Highlights
  • 7-track, 32-step generative drum sequencer
  • Synthesized, editable drum sounds
  • AI-generated pattern starting points
  • Song arrangement and pattern chaining
  • WAV audio and video export
  • Cross-device pattern sharing
Features
Read full description

BeatGlow is a drum machine that glows in the dark. Tap out a beat on a 7-track, 32-step grid and hear it instantly. Every kick, snare, hi-hat, clap and FX hit is synthesized on the fly — there are no samples to download, and nothing is baked in. That means you can reach into any drum and reshape it: raise the pitch, stretch or choke the decay, brighten or darken the tone. The waveform changes, not a filter on top of it. MAKE A BEAT • 7 tracks x 32 steps — kick, snare, hi-hat, clap, plus three FX voices • Tap a pad to place a hit; long-press to accent it for real dynamics • Tempo from 60 to 180 BPM, with tap tempo if you'd rather feel it out • MPC-style swing, from dead straight to a heavy triplet shuffle • Per-track volume and mute in the mixer SHAPE THE SOUND • Pitch, decay and tone dials for every track, with instant preview • Because the sounds are generated, not sampled, edits are unlimited • One tap returns any drum to its original voice BUILD A SONG • Chain patterns into an arrangement, each section repeating as you like • Reorder sections by dragging; playback runs the whole song gaplessly • Keep as many patterns as you want, named and organized SHARE IT • Export a pattern or your complete song as a WAV file • Export a pattern or complete song as a vertical video, ready for social • Send a single pattern or your entire library to another BeatGlow user — they open the file and it imports NEED A STARTING POINT? Describe a style — "laid-back boom bap", "minimal techno", "halftime trap" — and BeatGlow will generate a pattern for you to take apart and rebuild. No account, no API key, no setup. NO NONSENSE No accounts. No sign-in. No ads. No tracking. No subscription. Your beats are saved on your device as you work, and they stay there. MAKE IT YOURS Choose from five visual themes, including Velvet Bloom. Every theme, song mode, sound design, AI generation, WAV export and branded video export remains free. The optional BeatGlow Pro one-time purchase removes the BeatGlow title and footer from pattern and full-song video exports. No subscription. Restore Purchases is available from the question-mark menu > BeatGlow Pro & Purchases.

About

PadCurrent

Features
Read full description

MAKE BEATS YOUR WAY PadCurrent makes it easy to explore sounds, choose loops, and build your own music. START WITH A SOUND PACK Choose a pack to begin creating. Start with the included Hot pack, or unlock the complete pack collection with one in-app purchase. BUILD YOUR BEAT Browse loop categories and choose drums, bass, and melody. Combine sounds to create your own groove using PadCurrent's colorful, easy-to-use controls. EXPLORE DIFFERENT STYLES Discover nine sound packs: Hot, Epic Landscape, Cool, Organic, Sweet, Decades, Cute, Elements, and Sweet Landscape. CREATE ON IPHONE AND IPAD Enjoy dedicated layouts for iPhone and iPad, designed for browsing packs and building beats. UNLOCK ALL PACKS Hot is included. A single, optional, non-consumable in-app purchase unlocks all eight additional sound packs. Restore Purchases is available for previous purchases. No ads. Just pick a pack and start creating.

Screenshots

BeatGlow4 screens
PadCurrent4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BeatGlow at none against PadCurrent's 1. On price, update cadence, 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. PadCurrent sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BeatGlow asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BeatGlow ships an update every 3 weeks, PadCurrent monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
BeatGlow versus PadCurrent: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeatGlowPadCurrent
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB140 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSub Rosa IndustriesHitfire Production AB

In-app purchases

None

BeatGlow

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

PadCurrent

One-time1
  • Unlock All Packs$0.99

Questions

Is BeatGlow free?
BeatGlow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PadCurrent free?
PadCurrent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BeatGlow or PadCurrent have ads?
Neither BeatGlow nor PadCurrent shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BeatGlow or PadCurrent?
BeatGlow ships an update every 3 weeks, and PadCurrent monthly. Most recently, BeatGlow was updated on October 31, 2026 and PadCurrent on November 6, 2026.

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