# 8 vs SquareBeat

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | 8 | SquareBeat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8-bit-piano/id886945473/reviews) | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squarebeat/id6464103210/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **93** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 23.2% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 40 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rainbow Brainskull LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/886945476) | [James Navarro](https://appshunter.io/developer/514153445) |

## What reviewers say

### 8

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8-bit-piano/id886945473)

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.

**Highlights:** Chiptune music creation, Vibrant CMYK keyboard, Note combination exploration, Retro video game sound style, Upcoming multiple octaves, Upcoming save/record function

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### SquareBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/squarebeat/id6464103210)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SquareBeat Full Version | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 8 free?

8 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SquareBeat free?

SquareBeat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 8 or SquareBeat?

SquareBeat is rated higher. 8 averages 2.2 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while SquareBeat averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do 8 or SquareBeat have ads?

Neither 8 nor SquareBeat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 8 or SquareBeat?

8 ships an update every 13 months, and SquareBeat every 3 days. Most recently, 8 was updated on October 20, 2026 and SquareBeat on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*