Comparison

Knob Lab vs WiDI

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

Head to head
About

Knob Lab

This application transforms your iOS device into a versatile MIDI controller. It allows you to manage various DAWs and music software remotely via USB, WiFi, or Bluetooth. Create intricate control setups with a single rotary knob, affecting multiple MIDI destinations simultaneously.

Highlights
  • Remote DAW control
  • USB, WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity
  • Virtual MIDI support
  • Audiobus integration
  • Complex control mapping
  • iPad support
  • MIDI logger
Features
Read full description

Knob Lab turns your iPhone or iPad into a MIDI controller built around one idea: a single knob can do many things at once. ONE KNOB. MANY MOVES. Map a knob to up to 8 MIDI destinations. Each has its own range, direction, channel and color, so one turn can open a filter, pull the resonance back and bring the delay in over the second half of the sweep. BUILD YOUR OWN MACROS • Control Change, Program Change and Pitch Bend destinations • Name every knob and every destination, so a setup reads at a glance • Invert any range, or start a destination part-way through the turn • Rotate completely, snap to middle, pan left/right, or return to origin on release • A colored lane for every destination shows where each one is A LAYOUT FOR EVERY SETUP Start with one big knob, or unlock layouts with 2, 6 or 12 knobs on a single screen. PLAYS WITH EVERYTHING • Music apps on the same device, through Knob Lab's virtual MIDI output • Computers over Wi-Fi, with a network MIDI session • A Mac over USB or Bluetooth, with Sonic Logic Central • Class-compliant USB MIDI interfaces and synths plugged into your iPhone or iPad MADE FOR TOUCH Large, precise knobs, a quick guided start, Dark, Light and Neon themes, and full support for iPhone Duo in portrait and landscape. The one-knob layout is free. The 2, 6 and 12 knob layouts are in-app purchases, available one at a time or all together.

About

WiDI

Create custom MIDI control surfaces and an integrated step sequencer to send MIDI events and play sequences. Connect to MIDI instruments and DAWs via network sessions or class-compliant interfaces. Automate control values with advanced modulation options.

Highlights
  • Customizable control surface (buttons, pads, knobs, faders)
  • Integrated step sequencer with multiple tracks
  • MIDI Network Session support for DAWs
  • Auto-discover MIDI CC numbers
  • Automate CC values with step modulator
  • Support for class-compliant MIDI interfaces
Features
Read full description

WiDI is a control surface with an integrated step sequencer in which you create controls such as buttons, pads, knobs and faders to send MIDI events and play sequences. • CONTROL SURFACE AND SEQUENCER: A control is bound to a channel and a specific MIDI Control Change. You can either specify the CC number if you know it, or let the app learn it. Once placed on the surface, use this control to interact with your MIDI device. Alternatively, any CC event sent by your device will be shown live by the control(s) bound to this CC. Pads are special controls: they can either produce MIDI CC events, Notes or Program changes. If bound to a CC, the pad can act as an on/off switch (you specify the values for each state.) If bound to a note, each tap produces the specified MIDI note. This is especially useful to operate MIDI instruments without keyboards such as synthesizer modules or drum machines. A sequence can hold as many tracks as you wish, and send notes to different MIDI channels. Sequences can play in sync or running freely. You may also group sequences together to start or pause them at the same time. • MIDI: To interface WiDI with any MIDI instruments/devices connected to your Mac or PC, connect to a MIDI Network Session on your Mac or your PC. On a Mac, this is natively supported by macOS, and you do not need to install third party software (use Audio MIDI Setup.) On a PC running Windows, you might want to install rtpMIDI. As an alternative to MIDI Network Sessions, you may use the WiDI Desktop Application. It acts as a MIDI bridge between the network and your MIDI hardware. You can install the desktop application on as many computers as you want (it's free!). It's a very lightweight package that doesn't need to perform any installation procedure whatsoever. You may download the WiDI Desktop Application for macOS on the Mac App Store, or go to : https://www.hypertide.com/widi/ for both macOS and Windows archives. Additionally, any class-compliant MIDI interface natively supported by iOS can also be used directly by WiDI without the need of a network connection. • FEATURES: ○ Use any CoreMIDI-supported MIDI interface connected to your device ○ MIDI network session: use WiDI as an external control surface for any DAW such as Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Cubase, ... ○ Multiple iPhone and iPad can connect to your computer, allowing different control surfaces simultaneously ○ Integrated step sequencer: create sequences, each one holding as many tracks as needed ○ Sequences can run freely or in sync and start simultaneously if grouped together in fire groups ○ Auto discover MIDI CC : you don't need to know each one to add controls, WiDI learns CC numbers sent by your devices ○ Automate CC : sweep ranges or use the step modulator to design patterns to modulate controls values, supporting various advanced options like step-by-step or smooth variations, bouncing, repeating, changing speed ○ Add as many pads as you want to generate MIDI Notes, Control Changes or Program Changes ○ Flexible control surface : set layout and grid size for both portrait and landscape orientations ○ Re-arranging controls is as simple as drag & drop ○ Fully customizable user interface : themes, colors, display of values and labels, aspect ratios, grid spacing, grid coloring, background, ... ○ Integrated File Manager to load and save your surfaces, which are also accessible in the iOS Files app and your computer's iTunes connection ○ Exchange surfaces between devices with the integrated QR code generator and scanner ○ Or use the share feature, so you may import them on any device. We'd love to hear from you! Should you be in need of support or eager to request a new feature, please contact us at support+widi@hypertide.com

Screenshots

Knob Lab4 screens
WiDI4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Knob Lab at Free against WiDI's $1.99. WiDI's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Knob Lab is free to download; WiDI costs $1.99 up front. Knob Lab sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. WiDI asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for Knob Lab against 4.4 for WiDI. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 8 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Knob Lab's written reviews are positive against 80% of WiDI's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Knob Lab ships an update every 4 months, WiDI every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Knob Lab versus WiDI: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnob LabWiDI
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.3 (12 ratings)4.4 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.6% of reviews — better80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.010.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUri NachmiasHYPERTIDE SAS

Customer experience

Knob Lab

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%

WiDI

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Knob Lab

One-time4
  • Two Knob Layout$0.99
  • Four/Six Knob Layout$0.99
  • Nine/Twelve knob layout.$0.99
Show 1 more
  • Unlock all layouts$1.99
None

WiDI

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Knob Lab free?
Knob Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is WiDI free?
WiDI costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Knob Lab or WiDI?
WiDI is rated higher. Knob Lab averages 4.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while WiDI averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.
Do Knob Lab or WiDI have ads?
Neither Knob Lab nor WiDI shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Knob Lab or WiDI?
Knob Lab ships an update every 4 months, and WiDI every 6 weeks. Most recently, Knob Lab was updated on October 24, 2026 and WiDI on October 24, 2026.

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