# ChordPolyPad vs StepBud

The clearest difference is price: StepBud at $4.99 against ChordPolyPad's $17.99. StepBud also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). ChordPolyPad's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 71%). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

ChordPolyPad costs $17.99 and StepBud $4.99 up front. ChordPolyPad sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. StepBud asks for nothing beyond the download.

ChordPolyPad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51 and 38 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of ChordPolyPad's written reviews are positive against 71% of StepBud's.

ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, StepBud fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChordPolyPad | StepBud |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $17.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordpolypad/id694599930/reviews)** | [4.4 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepbud-auv3-midi-sequencer/id1453104408/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **51** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | **92.1% of reviews** | 70.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#200** |
| Size | 54 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laurent Colson](https://appshunter.io/developer/381525765) | [Cem Olcay](https://appshunter.io/developer/523633853) |

## What reviewers say

### ChordPolyPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordpolypad/id694599930)

This app is a versatile MIDI chord player that allows users to create and play complex chord sets. It offers extensive customization for pads, MIDI controls, and chord generation, functioning as a standalone app or an AUv3 MIDI effect plugin.

**Highlights:** Standalone app and AUv3 MIDI effect plugin, 128 pads per preset, Customizable X/Y MIDI controllers, Advanced random chord generator, Internal and external MIDI support, Chord filtering and quantizing, Preset manager with in-app purchases

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retro Pop | $4.99 | one-time |
| Clubwave | $4.99 | one-time |
| Liminal Spaces | $4.99 | one-time |


### StepBud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepbud-auv3-midi-sequencer/id1453104408)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app is a versatile MIDI sequencer that allows for unlimited steps and detailed control over each step's parameters. It integrates with other music apps and supports various sequencing modes for creative performances.

**Highlights:** Unlimited steps, Step parameter control (note, velocity, rate, etc.), Custom MIDI CC messages, Step locking and skipping, Master fader with copy/shift modes, Step Editor for detailed note editing, Arpeggio modes (up, down, random)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChordPolyPad free?

ChordPolyPad costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is StepBud free?

StepBud costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ChordPolyPad or StepBud?

ChordPolyPad is rated higher. ChordPolyPad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while StepBud averages 4.4 from 38 ratings.

### Do ChordPolyPad or StepBud have ads?

Neither ChordPolyPad nor StepBud shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ChordPolyPad or StepBud?

ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, and StepBud fortnightly. Most recently, ChordPolyPad was updated on October 23, 2026 and StepBud on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*