Comparison

Midiflow vs X/Y PAL

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

Head to head
About

Midiflow

This app enables seamless MIDI data transfer between different applications on your device. It allows for app synchronization, routing MIDI from sequencers to synths, and assigning keyboard zones. Users can save and recall configurations, and monitor MIDI activity.

Highlights
  • App-to-app MIDI routing
  • MIDI clock synchronization
  • Channel filtering and remapping
  • Note and velocity manipulation
  • Custom virtual MIDI ports
  • Preset saving and recall
  • Controller filtering and remapping (in-app purchase)
Features
Read full description

Midiflow allows you to send MIDI from app to app in a similar way to what you already do with audio. That way, you can sync apps with each other or send MIDI parts from a sequencer app to different synth apps. You can also route the MIDI from your keyboard to apps and assign different key zones to them. Different settings can be stored as a preset, recalled later and inserted into another preset. Furthermore, all MIDI transfer can be monitored in order to find problems or just to learn what MIDI is doing (normally) behind the scenes. Important news: There is a full documentation on the Midiflow website now! HOW DOES IT WORK? Midiflow allows you to create multiple routings. Each routing receives MIDI data on its source and sends it to its destination. The selectable sources and destinations include your CoreMIDI compatible MIDI interface and other apps if they provide a virtual MIDI port. You can also create custom ports that can be used by other apps to receive data from Midiflow or send data to it. A routing also has a modifier which allows you to filter data or modify it. That way, you can transpose notes, limit them to a key range, change the MIDI channel of the incoming data, etc. (see the feature list below). LIST OF FEATURES + MIDI clock – specify tempo and your apps will be in sync + Channel filtering and remapping + Velocity filtering – a routing is only active for notes in a given velocity range + Note shift – shift all notes by a given number of half-tone steps + Note remapping – shift each note individually + Velocity remapping – apply a velocity curve, transform to fixed velocity, or specify the map value by value. In the latter case, you can also export the mapping to the clipboard, edit it in another app like Apple Numbers, and paste it back in Midiflow + Filtering out Clock or dividing the tempo into subdivisions + Filtering out SysEx + Connect to other iPads/iPhones via Bluetooth MIDI (iOS8 or higher) + Save a configuration as a preset, which can be recalled later or inserted into another preset + Custom virtual MIDI ports, which can be selected in other apps as a source or destination + Control aspects of Midiflow via MIDI. For example, select presets or control the clock with any MIDI command + Launch your synth apps from Midiflow (works with an increasing number of apps) + Sharing your configurations ADDITIONAL FEATURES (available as an In-app purchase) + Filtering and remapping of controllers – transform (a) the controller type, e.g. from CC1 to pitch-bend or note value to CC1, and (b) transform the value in several ways: as a linear remapping from an input range to an output range, as a curve, or as a value by value list. In the latter case, you can also export the mapping to the clipboard, edit it in another app like Apple Numbers, and paste it back in Midiflow. This allows you to create very sophisticated remappings. + Controller conditions – adjust your routings depending on other MIDI messages. This allows you to create sophisticated behavior within your setup by switching routings on and off. DOES MIDIFLOW WORK WITH MY SYNTH APPS? Midiflow works with every app that has a correct MIDI implementation. In the best case, it has an own virtual MIDI port and can be configured so that it receives MIDI only on that port. Unfortunately, some apps don't have that, but can at least be restricted to one MIDI channel. In that case, you can send to that channel on the global MIDI port "Network Session 1". If you can't select a channel either, then the app won't work with Midiflow. There is a tutorial video on www.midiflow.com that explains this in more detail.

About

X/Y PAL

This app serves as an X/Y pad MIDI controller, allowing users to manage up to 8 parameters per pad. Customize MIDI channels, control change messages, value ranges, colors, and names for each parameter. Visualize CC value changes with on-screen bars.

Highlights
  • X/Y pad MIDI controller
  • Control up to 8 parameters per pad
  • Customizable MIDI channel and CC messages
  • Configurable CC value range
  • Parameter naming and coloring
  • MIDI output device selection
  • Visualized CC value changes
Features
Read full description

X/Y PAL is your handsome X/Y pad MIDI controller. Control up to 8 parameters per pad. Each parameter can be configured: - set MIDI Channel and control change message, - set the CC value range, - set a color and a name - pick the MIDI output device and - inverse the CC value mapping. On the iPad up to 4 pads can be visible in landscape mode and up to 2 in portrait mode. On the iPhone there can be 2 pads visible and controlled at once. Pick CC value mappings from a list of predefined devices to help create your custom pads. CC value change is visualized using bars on the side of each pad. ** CONFIGURE PARAMETERS ** - configure the X/Y Pads in the settings section - configure each of the 8 parameters by clicking on the sidebar in the settings section - pick from a predefined list of devices to easily set the CC value and name or just set some custom name and CC value - set the color of the parameter by clicking on the color button - inverse the CC value mapping by selecting the inverse button for the parameter - select the MIDI output for each parameter - configure the CC value range for each parameter.

Screenshots

Midiflow4 screens
X/Y PAL2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: X/Y PAL at 4.6 against Midiflow's 4.0. X/Y PAL also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and price ($1.99 vs $7.99). Midiflow's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (39 vs 9). On ads, device support 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

Midiflow costs $7.99 and X/Y PAL $1.99 up front. Midiflow sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. X/Y PAL asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

X/Y PAL holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Midiflow's written reviews are positive against 78% of X/Y PAL's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Midiflow ships an update every 5 weeks, X/Y PAL every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Midiflow versus X/Y PAL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMidiflowX/Y PAL
Price$7.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.0 (39 ratings)4.6 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews58.8% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings39 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better9.3
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJohannes DoerrDANIEL BRUEGGE

Customer experience

Midiflow

All ratings39 ratings
Positive69.2%
Neutral2.6%
Negative28.2%
Written reviews119 reviews
Positive58.8%
Neutral5.0%
Negative36.1%

X/Y PAL

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral22.2%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Midiflow

Reported bugs

45 issues
  • Frequent crashes while editing CC map
  • Mapped CCs dropped during performance
  • App does not open on iOS 10
  • Layout issues on iPhone 11 (no 'Done' button)
  • App stops working, opens for 2 seconds then closes
Show 40 more
  • Bug in Velocity remapping: 'Reset curve' makes screen blank
  • Note Off messages have vel value = 0
  • App simply doesn't start after paid updates
  • No 'Done' or 'Back' button visible in menus
  • App crashes when editing a song and saving
  • Edits lost after crash
  • Backup song lost after crash
  • App crashes when trying to remap
  • App crashes on first note when Roli Seaboard is connected
  • App closes when searching for nearby devices
  • App closes when selecting 'find nearby devices' or 'advertise device'
  • App doesn't work with iOS 14
  • App doesn't work with iOS 15
  • App doesn't work with iOS 16
  • App crashes on iPad 5 after update
  • App closes immediately after starting
  • No back or cancel button, stuck in menus
  • CC control mapping issues (e.g., CC7 dropped)
  • Bluetooth connectivity crashes the app
  • Program Change to MIDI note remapping not working
  • App doesn't search for nearby devices
  • App force closes when remapping
  • GUI problems with returning to main page
  • App crashes on first note
  • App doesn't load after paid updates
  • No return button
  • Layout issues on iPhone
  • Filter out Note Off messages functionality missing
  • Frequent crashes while editing
  • Mapped CCs dropped during performance
  • Note off velocities are ignored
  • App doesn't open
  • App closes immediately
  • App doesn't work with SampleTank in background
  • Remapping doesn't work properly
  • MIDI messages blocked or morphed
  • Remapping adds code instead of replacing
  • Fixed MIDI channels in Korg iPolysix
  • Does not work with Arturia iMini/iProphet
  • App shutdown on iPad 2

Requested features

6 requests
  • AUv3 plugin version
  • Mass sharing of songs
  • Dark mode
  • Ability to map multiple notes from one key press
  • Individual transpose for split zones
Show 1 more
  • More MIDI features controllable by external hardware

X/Y PAL

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Midiflow

One-time3
  • Send Controller On Load$1.99
  • Controller Conditions$2.99
  • Controller Remapping$3.99
None

X/Y PAL

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Midiflow free?
Midiflow costs $7.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is X/Y PAL free?
X/Y PAL costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Midiflow or X/Y PAL?
X/Y PAL is rated higher. Midiflow averages 4.0 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while X/Y PAL averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.
Do Midiflow or X/Y PAL have ads?
Neither Midiflow nor X/Y PAL shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Midiflow or X/Y PAL?
Midiflow ships an update every 5 weeks, and X/Y PAL every 8 months. Most recently, Midiflow was updated on September 26, 2026 and X/Y PAL on September 25, 2026.

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