Comparison

ChordPolyPad vs PolyPipe

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

PolyPipe

This app is a multi-lane polyphonic sequencer plugin for creating evolving musical patterns. It allows for independent control of rhythm, pitch, and modulation across multiple lanes, generating complex and unique sequences in real-time. Ideal for generative music and experimental pattern creation.

Highlights
  • Multi-lane sequencer with 4 independent lanes
  • Pattern-based structure with multiple patterns per lane
  • Advanced step parameters (pitch, velocity, gate, probability)
  • Chord-aware steps and chord strumming
  • Multiple step modes (random, chord, bass, hybrid)
  • Polyrhythmic playback with differing lane/pattern lengths
  • Probabilistic sequencing with per-step chance
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

PolyPipe is a multi-lane, polyphonic AUv3 sequencer plugin designed for creating evolving musical patterns rather than fixed, repetitive loops. Instead of thinking in terms of a single step sequence, PolyPipe lets you build multiple independent lanes, each with its own rhythm, pitch logic, octave behavior, probability, and modulation data — all running together as a coherent musical system. It comprises elements of some of my favourite sequencers of all time, all rolled into a single interface. At its core, PolyPipe takes incoming MIDI notes (or internally generated notes) and uses them as a musical “seed.” These notes are then processed through patterns, scales, transposition rules, and step logic to generate new musical phrases in real time. This makes it especially suited for generative music, complex arpeggiation, bass-and-chord splitting, and long-form evolving sequences. Each lane in PolyPipe is its own sequencer voice. A lane contains one or more patterns, and each pattern is made up of steps. Steps don’t just define when a note plays — they can also define how it plays. A step can include pitch offsets, velocity, gate length, strumming, probability, repeats (ratchets), ties for legato behavior, and even chord information. Patterns can be enabled or disabled independently, shifted by octaves, and combined with global transposition. Because lanes can have different lengths, directions, and step modes, the resulting sequences naturally phase against each other, creating variation without manual intervention. PolyPipe applies musical logic at the MIDI output stage rather than hard-coding notes upfront. Pitch values can be forced into a chosen scale and key, allowing even highly experimental patterns to stay musically coherent. Different step modes (such as forward, backward, ping-pong, random, chord, bass, or hybrid note/chord modes) let each lane behave differently, from traditional arpeggios to controlled chaos. PolyPipe Sequencer is built for musicians who want to explore ideas quickly, create unique patterns, and discover results they wouldn’t think to program manually. It rewards experimentation: small changes to probability, repeats, or step logic can dramatically alter the musical output while staying rhythmically locked and musically usable. PolyPipe Features ○ Multi-Lane Sequencer: with 4 independent lanes. ○ Pattern-Based Structure: where each lane contains multiple patterns. ○ Advanced Step Parameters: including pitch offset, velocity, gate length, auto-roll, repeats (ratchets), and legato ties. ○ Chord-Aware Steps: allowing steps to trigger chords, rotated voicing, or individual notes depending on lane mode. ○ Multiple Step Modes such as Up, Down, Ping-Pong, Random, Drunk, Chord, Bass, and hybrid note/chord modes. ○ Chord Strumming: allowing guitar like strumming patterns. ○ Polyrhythmic Playback: through lanes and patterns of differing lengths and directions. ○ Probabilistic Sequencing: with per-step chance and variable repeat behavior for evolving patterns. ○ Octave Transposition Control: per pattern and globally for rapid harmonic variation. ○ MIDI CC Sequencing: allowing lanes to output modulation data. ○ Real-Time MIDI Interaction: where incoming notes influence pitch selection, chords, and playback behavior. ○ Live-Safe Parameter Editing: with immediate feedback and no need to stop playback. ○ Generative-Focused Design: optimized for long-form evolving sequences rather than static loops. ○ Long Patterns: up to 32 steps in length, chain-able up to 128 steps. ○ 4 MIDI Output Ports: allowing each of the 4 phase-locked arpeggiators to be routed to a different instrument. ○ Global Swing: allowing 8th- and 16th-note swing across all 4 arpeggiators. ○ Rhythm Generator: creates rhythmic patterns that are none chord/scale specific.

Screenshots

ChordPolyPad3 screens
PolyPipe4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PolyPipe at $7.99 against ChordPolyPad's $17.99. PolyPipe also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). ChordPolyPad's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 75%) and ratings volume (51 vs 10). On rating, 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 PolyPipe $7.99 up front. ChordPolyPad sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. PolyPipe asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for ChordPolyPad against 4.6 for PolyPipe. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChordPolyPad has 51 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of ChordPolyPad's written reviews are positive against 75% of PolyPipe's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, PolyPipe every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
ChordPolyPad versus PolyPipe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChordPolyPadPolyPipe
Price$17.99$7.99 — better
Rating4.6 (51 ratings)4.6 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews92.1% of reviews — better75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings51 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#185 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013 — better
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaurent Colson4Pockets.com

Customer experience

ChordPolyPad

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

PolyPipe

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

ChordPolyPad

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

PolyPipe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ChordPolyPad free?
ChordPolyPad costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is PolyPipe free?
PolyPipe costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ChordPolyPad or PolyPipe?
ChordPolyPad and PolyPipe are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 51 and 10 ratings respectively.
Do ChordPolyPad or PolyPipe have ads?
Neither ChordPolyPad nor PolyPipe shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChordPolyPad or PolyPipe?
ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, and PolyPipe every 2 weeks. Most recently, ChordPolyPad was updated on October 11, 2026 and PolyPipe on October 12, 2026.

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