Comparison

dot Melody vs Enso Looper

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

Head to head
About

dot Melody

Create intricate melodies, bass lines, and drum beats by manipulating dots on a multidimensional grid. This app offers a powerful sequencer, chord and pattern manipulation, and built-in effects for dynamic music creation.

Highlights
  • Graphic arpeggiator and sequencer
  • Create melodies, bass lines, and drum beats
  • On-the-fly chord and pattern switching
  • Delay and reverb effects
  • MIDI Out and Audiobus support
  • Ableton Link and MIDI Clock Sync
Features
Read full description

dot Melody is a multidimensional graphic arpeggiator, sequencer, and drum machine from the creator of the critically acclaimed music apps Patterning & Chordion. Move dots around to create intertwining melodies, bass lines, and drum beats. Switch chords and patterns on the fly. Process your instruments through delay and reverb effects. Featured on the App Store “Best New Apps” list. Best with headphones or over AirPlay. • iOS 8 and Above • •• Sequencer •• Tap or drag anywhere to create new dots. Move dots horizontally to change pitch within the current chord. Move dots vertically to change duration/rhythm. Tap a dot to make it a rest. Double tap to delete it. •• Chords •• Switch chords/scales on the fly to change the notes in your pattern. Unlimited number of chords Choose from suggested chords or create your own. •• Patterns •• Unlimited number of patterns, each with 3 instrument layers. Copy, reverse, clear, randomize, and generate functions. Easily re-order patterns. •• Instruments •• 3 instrument at a time : lead, bass, and drums. 23 mod-wheel enabled sounds to choose from. Independent volume controls with the mixer. Independent delay effect sends. •• Effects •• Tempo-synced delay with feedback and low pass filter. Reverb with mix and decay controls. •• Tempo & Time Signature •• Tap Tempo function Choose from a range of time signatures for pattern syncing. Use x/x time signature to enter “free mode” and let your instruments create phase patterns. •• MIDI Out •• Each instrument layer can use independent MIDI ports and channels. Mod Wheel support included. Advanced MIDI timing implementation using MIDI timestamps. •• File Management •• Create new files from templates in any key Easily duplicate or re-name files •• Audiobus •• Use dot Melody as an Audiobus source! See http://audiob.us for more information. •• Sync •• Ableton Link, MIDI Clock Sync, and Inter-App Audio Sync.

About

Enso Looper

This real-time audio looper plugin offers a unique and characterful toolkit for producers and live performers. It combines intuitive design with deep features for creating layered grooves, complex textures, and evolving soundscapes. Advanced controls allow for independent speed and direction manipulation, tape-style effects, and MIDI integration.

Highlights
  • Real-time audio looping
  • Overdub modes (conventional and dual tape)
  • Up to four definable Sectors
  • Independent speed and direction control
  • Onboard tape-style saturation, filtering, and chorus
  • Comprehensive MIDI assignment system
  • Animated waveform display
Features
Read full description

Enso is a looper. Not a phrase sampler, not a beat slicer: a real looper, built in the image of the pedal loopers and reel-to-reel tape systems that defined the form, then extended well past what hardware can do. Press one button and it records; press it again and you are looping. Up to five minutes of stereo audio, host-synced or free-running. The play and record heads are completely decoupled, each with its own through-zero speed control from -4x to +4x. Play backwards at half speed while overdubbing forwards at double, and things get strange in the best way. Four sectors give you separate loop regions to crossfade between and overdub within, and a built-in effects section (tape-style saturation and hiss, filters, and chorus) can sit in the feedback path so your loop ages like tape with every pass. Enso runs as an AUv3 plugin in your favorite host, and includes a standalone mode for sketching. FEATURES - Full automatic looping engine: simple to learn, exceedingly powerful, with one-button looping control, both host-synced and free time. - Independent play and record heads: through-zero speed from -4x to +4x on each, with selectable increment and decrement values. - Dub In Place: work like a traditional digital looper, or like a tape looper with the effects and speed changes in the feedback path. - Sector crossfading: define four start and end points, crossfade between them, and overdub or re-record within them. - Effects section: tape-style saturation and hiss, high- and low-pass filters, and a stereo chorus. - MIDI Slice mode: play your loop from a MIDI controller, automatically sliced into 4 to 16 equal pieces. - Full MIDI CC implementation: an assignable MIDI CC page covers most of the looping engine, tuned for foot control. - Auto RTZ: automatically return to zero at a chosen interval to keep loose material in sync. - Cross-platform preset format: XML presets that can store the buffer, compatible with the desktop version of Enso. No subscriptions and no nonsense. Buy it once and it is yours, with free updates. Enso is also available for Mac, Windows, and Linux at audiodamage.com.

Screenshots

dot Melody4 screens
Enso Looper2 screens

Verdict

The call

dot Melody and Enso Looper both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of dot Melody's written reviews are positive against 49% of Enso Looper's. dot Melody also leads on price ($3.99 vs $7.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence 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

dot Melody costs $3.99 and Enso Looper $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

dot Melody holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of dot Melody's written reviews are positive against 49% of Enso Looper's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

dot Melody ships an update every 4 months, Enso Looper every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
dot Melody versus Enso Looper: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterdot MelodyEnso Looper
Price$3.99 — better$7.99
Rating4.7 (43 ratings) — better4.5 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews84.7% of reviews — better48.5% of reviews
Number of ratings43 — better22
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOlympia Noise Co.Audio Damage, Inc.

Customer experience

dot Melody

All ratings43 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral2.3%
Negative4.7%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive84.7%
Neutral5.1%
Negative10.2%

Enso Looper

All ratings22 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral13.6%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive48.5%
Neutral8.9%
Negative42.6%

User reviews

dot Melody

From 43 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💡 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 💡 Creative and inspiring
  • 💡 Unique interface design
  • 💡 Good for generating new ideas
  • 💡 MIDI out functionality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Old and dated interface
  • 🐛 Lacks modern features
  • 🐛 Limited sound palette
  • 🐛 Inability to export MIDI/WAV easily
  • 🐛 Audiobus recording issues

Enso Looper

From 22 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💡 Inspiring looper playground
  • 🚀 Powerful and versatile looper
  • 👍 Great value for money
  • 👍 Intuitive and creative interface
  • 👍 Amazing for glitching and sound mangling

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Too unstable, frequent issues
  • 🐛 Horribly intrusive audio popping/clicking
  • 🐛 Crashes frequently, especially when saving
  • 🐛 MIDI crashes
  • 🐛 Does not work with GarageBand/other DAWs

Bugs and requests

dot Melody

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes experienced in older iOS versions
  • Audiobus recording is garbage
  • Does NOT support iPad screen size

Requested features

9 requests
  • AUv3 support
  • Quick export of MIDI and WAV
  • Update layout for larger screens (iPad)
  • External MIDI control for chord/sequence changes
  • Ability to transpose octaves via MIDI
Show 4 more
  • Chord changes synced to bar changes
  • Trigger chord and track changes via MIDI
  • More diverse and interesting sounds
  • Audioshare export

Enso Looper

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Hit record and it won't record
  • Audio popping/clicking when switching sectors or playback modes
  • Timing is off after playing a while when reopening sessions
  • Crashes before saving, losing all work
  • Crashes when trying to control via MIDI
Show 10 more
  • Stopped loading/functioning
  • Does not connect to GarageBand
  • Does not go past initial message screen
  • Does not register as an audio unit extension in GarageBand
  • Does not show up in GarageBand's 'External' app list
  • Does not show up in DAWs (AUM, Beatmaker, Auria)
  • Buttons do not work (cannot activate recording/playback)
  • Loop still plays even when channel fader is down
  • Instance crashes when routing audio to AudioShare
  • Loses all ENSO instances in a project when one crashes

Requested features

13 requests
  • Fix recording issues
  • Fix audio popping/clicking
  • Implement Undo/Redo functionality
  • Improve stability and fix crashes
  • Respond to tech support queries
Show 8 more
  • Make a standalone version
  • Add threshold auto-start
  • Render loops as uncompressed audio files
  • Allow loading pre-existing loops
  • Save INIT setups for automatic loading
  • Add MIDI version
  • Add an Undo button as a failsafe
  • Improve color coding or button size

In-app purchases

None

dot Melody

No in-app purchases

None

Enso Looper

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is dot Melody free?
dot Melody costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Enso Looper free?
Enso Looper costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, dot Melody or Enso Looper?
dot Melody is rated higher. dot Melody averages 4.7 out of 5 from 43 ratings, while Enso Looper averages 4.5 from 22 ratings.
Do dot Melody or Enso Looper have ads?
Neither dot Melody nor Enso Looper shows ads.
Which is updated more often, dot Melody or Enso Looper?
dot Melody ships an update every 4 months, and Enso Looper every 3 months. Most recently, dot Melody was updated on October 26, 2026 and Enso Looper on October 26, 2026.

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