Comparison

ChordPolyPad vs Descent Granulator

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

Descent Granulator

This app captures audio, breaks it into tiny grains, and manipulates them for unique sound effects. Explore subtle thickening, rhythmic delays, frozen soundscapes, and shimmering pitch-shifted textures.

Highlights
  • Real-time granular engine
  • Pitch shifting with quantization
  • Six-axis randomization
  • Diffusion and feedback controls
  • Tempo sync
  • 35 factory presets
Features
Read full description

Descent is a real-time granular effect that captures incoming audio, breaks it into tiny grains, and scatters them across time and pitch. The result: everything from subtle thickening and rhythmic delays to vast frozen soundscapes and shimmering pitch-shifted clouds. GRANULAR ENGINE Control up to 50 simultaneous grains with independent settings for duration, overlap, and envelope shape. Play grains forward, reverse, or randomly mixed for tape-style effects, reverse swells, and glitchy textures. PITCH SHIFTING WITH QUANTIZATION Transpose from -24 to +24 semitones. Lock pitch shifts to specific intervals—octaves, fifths, or any chromatic combination—for harmonically correct shimmer and transposition effects. SIX-AXIS RANDOMIZATION Independently randomize pitch, pan, position, amplitude, duration, and grain count. Dial in subtle organic movement or push into complete textural chaos. DIFFUSION AND FEEDBACK High-feedback mode with a diffusion control transforms delays into lush, reverb-like washes that never get harsh or run away from you. TEMPO SYNC Lock grain timing to your session's tempo or let textures evolve freely in untethered mode. 35 FACTORY PRESETS Covering shimmers, delays, reverbs, pitch effects, and experimental sound design. Cross-platform XML presets are compatible across all Audio Damage plugin formats and operating systems. SOUND DESIGN IDEAS Add subtle depth with a few long grains and minimal randomization Create rhythmic delays with short, quantized grains at high feedback Build infinite sustain pads by freezing audio with high grain count and overlap Craft shimmer effects by quantizing pitch to octaves and fifths Transform vocals into ethereal textures with diffusion and wide panning AUv3 compatible. Runs standalone or hosted in AUM, ApeMatrix, Audiobus, Cubasis, GarageBand, and other AUv3 hosts on iOS 13 or newer. From Audio Damage—making creative software for discerning musicians since 2002.

Screenshots

ChordPolyPad3 screens
Descent Granulator1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ChordPolyPad at 92% against Descent Granulator's 0%. ChordPolyPad also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.7) and ratings volume (51 vs 3). Descent Granulator's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $17.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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 Descent Granulator $4.99 up front. ChordPolyPad sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Descent Granulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ChordPolyPad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. 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 point the same way: 92% of ChordPolyPad's written reviews are positive against 0% of Descent Granulator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
ChordPolyPad versus Descent Granulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChordPolyPadDescent Granulator
Price$17.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.6 (51 ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews92.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings51 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB61 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaurent ColsonAudio Damage, Inc.

Customer experience

ChordPolyPad

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

Descent Granulator

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

ChordPolyPad

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

Descent Granulator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ChordPolyPad free?
ChordPolyPad costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Descent Granulator free?
Descent Granulator costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ChordPolyPad or Descent Granulator?
ChordPolyPad is rated higher. ChordPolyPad averages 4.6 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Descent Granulator averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do ChordPolyPad or Descent Granulator have ads?
Neither ChordPolyPad nor Descent Granulator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChordPolyPad or Descent Granulator?
ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, and Descent Granulator every 2 months. Most recently, ChordPolyPad was updated on November 1, 2026 and Descent Granulator on October 24, 2026.

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