ChordPolyPad vs Outgrowth
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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"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
Outgrowth
This app is a sample-based instrument designed for creative audio manipulation. It offers five unique engines for processing samples and five audio effects for sound shaping, with extensive modulation capabilities. Explore a vast library of presets and samples to reimagine your audio.
- Sample processing engines (Stem, Retain, Reflect, Radiate, Delve)
- Audio effects (Subvert, Submerge, Strike, Ripple, Smear)
- Robust modulation matrix
- MPE compatibility
- 100+ presets and 200+ samples
- Preset system
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Outgrowth is a sample-based instrument built collaboratively by Aqeel Aadam Sound and BlankFor.ms. Designed with creativity, flexibility, and performance in mind, Outgrowth provides unique, multifaceted ways to reimagine audio with your mouse or keyboard. MPE compatible. Includes 100+ presets and 200+ samples built by BlankFor.ms. Outgrowth features five unique engines for processing samples: - Stem: A basic one-shot style player that repitches the sample - Retain: A granular stretching engine that sustains the sample indefinitely - Reflect: A looping algorithm that loops the sample at a consistent rate across all pitches - Radiate: An additive resynthesizer that maps each harmonic of the sample to a sine wave oscillator - Delve: A wavetable synthesizer in which the sample becomes the basis for a completely unique wavetable Outgrowth also features five standout audio effects for shaping your sounds further: - Subvert: A unique shaper that flattens or inverts the sample’s volume - Submerge: A singular effect for adding dimensional realism to sample repitching - Strike: A dynamic control for adding an acoustic-like response to sample playback and performance - Ripple: A one-knob tape emulation handcrafted by BlankFor.ms that can be subtle, deconstructive, and anywhere in between - Smear: A pre-ADSR reverb for congealing notes and blurring boundaries between pitch and texture And further still, Outgrowth offers a robust modulation matrix for generative or performative control over all parameters. Control every single parameter within Outgrowth via LFOs, unique random sources, velocity, note pitch, aftertouch, MPE control, and more. Finally, Outgrowth offers a robust preset system, including more than 50 bespoke presets and over 100 samples by BlankFor.ms. Explore ethereal ambient pads, haunted lofi keys, shimmering tape-infused plucks, gnarled percussive textures, and more.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Outgrowth at none against ChordPolyPad's 3. Outgrowth also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). ChordPolyPad's advantage is price ($17.99 vs $19.99). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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
ChordPolyPad costs $17.99 and Outgrowth $19.99 up front. ChordPolyPad sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Outgrowth asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ChordPolyPad against 4.7 for Outgrowth. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51 and 20 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of ChordPolyPad's written reviews are positive against 85% of Outgrowth's.
ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, Outgrowth every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChordPolyPad | Outgrowth |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $17.99 — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 4.6 (51 ratings) | 4.7 (20 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 92.1% of reviews — better | 84.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 51 — better | 20 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 88 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Laurent Colson | Aqeel Aadam |
Customer experience
ChordPolyPad
Outgrowth
In-app purchases
ChordPolyPad
- Retro Pop$4.99
- Clubwave$4.99
- Liminal Spaces$4.99
Outgrowth
No in-app purchases









