8 vs SquareBeat
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
8
Create retro video game music with a vibrant, CMYK-colored keyboard. Explore note combinations to discover unique chip-tune sounds. Future updates will include multiple octaves and recording capabilities.
- Chiptune music creation
- Vibrant CMYK keyboard
- Note combination exploration
- Retro video game sound style
- Upcoming multiple octaves
- Upcoming save/record function
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Make chip-tune style video game music with 8-Bit Piano. All your favorite notes all in one place. Journey through the vibrantly CMYK colored keyboard and discover which notes sound best after other notes! Coming soon: - Multiple octaves - Save/Record function
SquareBeat
Create music by building patterns with samples and AUv3 plugins. Arrange these patterns into songs, import your own sounds, and mix tracks. Features a text-based tracker GUI for rapid development, with all core functionality free except for WAV file export.
- Sequence and manipulate audio samples
- Mix tracks
- Use AUv3 audio unit instruments
- Use AUv3 effects on effect busses
- Connect with other apps via Audiobus
- Export and share songs
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SquareBeat is a music sequencer. Build patterns out of samples and AUv3 plugins, and build songs out of patterns. Import your own samples to make new sounds. Develop songs rapidly with the text based tracker GUI. All functionality is free except wav file export. • Sequence and manipulate audio samples. • Mix tracks. • Use AUv3 audio unit instruments. • Use AUv3 effects on effect busses. • Connect with other apps with Audiobus. • Export and share your song.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SquareBeat at 80% against 8's 23%. SquareBeat also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.2) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 13 months). 8's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (93 vs 8). On price, 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
Both are free to download. SquareBeat sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 8 asks for nothing beyond the download.
SquareBeat holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 8 has 93 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of 8's written reviews are positive against 80% of SquareBeat's.
8 ships an update every 13 months, SquareBeat every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 8 | SquareBeat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.2 (93 ratings) | 4.9 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 23.2% of reviews | 80.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 93 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 114 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rainbow Brainskull LLC | James Navarro |
Customer experience
8
SquareBeat
In-app purchases
8
No in-app purchases
SquareBeat
- SquareBeat Full Version$12.99
