Comparison

ChordPolyPad vs ChaosArp 2

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

Head to head
About

ChordPolyPad

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
Read full description

"ChordPolyPad" is a MIDI chords player that lets you create chord sets using a large internal library, any custom combination of notes, or randomly generated chords. Each preset contains either 8 groups of 16 pads or 2 groups of 64 pads, for a total of 128 pads. In addition to playing chords, each pad can generate customizable MIDI controls on its horizontal and vertical axes, allowing expressive real-time modulation. "ChordPolyPad" can be used as a standalone application or as an AUv3 MIDI effect plug-in. The app supports full internal and external MIDI input and output. An internal sound bank is included for immediate use. The AUv3 MIDI effect plug-in supports multiple instances. A compatible host is required and must support the Audio Unit v3 (AUv3) MIDI effect format. Hosts supporting AUv3 MIDI effect on iOS: Logic Pro, Cubasis, Beatmaker, AUM, Audiobus, NanoStudio, Auria Pro, apeMatrix. Hosts supporting AUv3 MIDI effect on macOS: Logic Pro 10.7 or later. Features: • Standalone application and AUv3 MIDI effect plug-in • 8 groups of 16 pads or 2 groups of 64 pads per preset (128 pads) • Assignable MIDI port and MIDI channel for each pad • Customizable X/Y controller per pad • Per-note velocity control for each chord • Strumming configuration per pad • Copy and paste for pads and groups • Drag and drop chords directly from the library • Chord filtering and quantizing based on the selected scale • Predefined scales and possibility to create custom scales • Advanced random chord generator with diverse musical moods featuring voice leading and context-aware harmonic progressions for naturally flowing compositions • Stop "Audio Background" automatically after inactivity (15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, or never) • Internal sound bank • Receive MIDI notes and control from external devices • Send MIDI to a virtual port usable as MIDI input by other "Core MIDI" compatible apps • Preset manager with support for in-app purchase packs • "Program Change" support • Preset sharing support by "AirDrop", "Mail", "Messages", and other supported services • Native iCloud support • "iCloud Drive" support in the "Files" app on iOS and "Finder" on macOS • Full support for "Windowed Apps" mode on iPad • Undo/Redo Supported MIDI connections: • Virtual "Core MIDI" connections between apps • Any compatible MIDI interface • MIDI over Wi-Fi • MIDI over Bluetooth

About

ChaosArp 2

This music production tool generates complex and dynamic MIDI patterns by modulating pitch, rhythm, velocity, and duration. It offers a versatile arpeggiator and sequencer with chaotic modulation for evolving musical ideas.

Highlights
  • Chaotic MIDI arpeggiator
  • Variable step sequencer
  • Pitch and rhythm modulation
  • Randomizable velocity and duration
  • Pitch/scale quantization
  • XY performance pad
  • MIDI learn and export
Features
Read full description

ChaosArp 2 is a chaotic MIDI arpeggiator/stepper plugin, capable of transforming your musical ideas into intricate, dynamic patterns with a unique twist. Using the same chaotic tricks as LoAdKer, ChaosArp 2 can modulate parameters such as pitch, rhythm, velocity, and duration, thus creating evolving, complex but high musical patterns that breathe new life into your music. Elevate your music production today with ChaosArp 2! Features - Fully-featured MIDI arpeggiator with variable rate, multiple arpeggio patterns including chords, latch, and a span of up to 4 octaves - A variable 1 to 16-step sequencer with forward/backward/ping-pong play modes, pattern presets and more - Chaotic pitch and rhythm modulators - Advanced editing of the rhythm modulator slots so you can create your own chaotic patterns - Randomizable velocity and duration - Pitch/scale quantization so that you will never play the wrong note again - XY performance pad for real-time expressive control - MIDI learn - MIDI record and export

Screenshots

ChordPolyPad3 screens
ChaosArp 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ChaosArp 2 at $5.99 against ChordPolyPad's $17.99. ChaosArp 2 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). ChordPolyPad's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 67%) and ratings volume (51 vs 3). On 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

ChordPolyPad costs $17.99 and ChaosArp 2 $5.99 up front. ChordPolyPad sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. ChaosArp 2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ChaosArp 2 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChordPolyPad has 51 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of ChordPolyPad's written reviews are positive against 67% of ChaosArp 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, ChaosArp 2 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
ChordPolyPad versus ChaosArp 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChordPolyPadChaosArp 2
Price$17.99$5.99 — better
Rating4.6 (51 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.1% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings51 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaurent ColsonAchillefs Sourlas

Customer experience

ChordPolyPad

All ratings51 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews114 reviews
Positive92.1%
Neutral3.5%
Negative4.4%

ChaosArp 2

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral33.3%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

ChordPolyPad

One-time3
  • Retro Pop$4.99
  • Clubwave$4.99
  • Liminal Spaces$4.99
None

ChaosArp 2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ChordPolyPad free?
ChordPolyPad costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is ChaosArp 2 free?
ChaosArp 2 costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ChordPolyPad or ChaosArp 2?
ChaosArp 2 is rated higher. ChordPolyPad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while ChaosArp 2 averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do ChordPolyPad or ChaosArp 2 have ads?
Neither ChordPolyPad nor ChaosArp 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChordPolyPad or ChaosArp 2?
ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, and ChaosArp 2 fortnightly. Most recently, ChordPolyPad was updated on November 1, 2026 and ChaosArp 2 on October 30, 2026.

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