# LK vs Groovebox

The clearest difference is rating: Groovebox at 4.7 against LK's 4.3. Groovebox also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 64%) and ratings volume (4.8K vs 709). LK's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LK sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Groovebox sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Groovebox holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Groovebox has 4.8K ratings behind it against 709, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of LK's written reviews are positive against 79% of Groovebox's.

LK ships an update fortnightly, Groovebox every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | LK | Groovebox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (709 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lk-ableton-and-midi-controller/id944972221/reviews) | **[4.7 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groovebox-beat-synth-studio/id1242847278/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 709 | **4.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **79.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 123 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Imaginando Lda](https://appshunter.io/developer/895445015) | [Focusrite Audio Engineering](https://appshunter.io/developer/321949338) |

## What reviewers say

### LK

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lk-ableton-and-midi-controller/id944972221)

This app offers remote control for Ableton Live and MIDI devices, enhancing electronic music production and live performance. It features a sequencer, clip launcher, and extensive MIDI capabilities, with modular in-app purchases to tailor functionality.

**Highlights:** Ableton Live integration, MIDI sequencing and control, Clip launching, Virtual MIDI support, AUv3 integration, Modular in-app purchases, Device control

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Chorder | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MIDI Pads | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock MIDI Controller | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock X/Y Pad | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Keyboard | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Step Sequencer | $7.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Matrix | $9.99 | one-time |
| All Modules Bundle | $39.90 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works perfectly
- 🎹 Great for Ableton Live
- 🎨 Powerful features
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💯 Excellent app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔌 Connection issues and unreliable wireless
- 💰 Expensive with separate module purchases
- 🤔 Confusing setup and documentation
- 🔋 High battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Clip renaming tool not working
- Occasional MIDI note sticking
- UI disappearing and requiring restart
- Wireless connection randomly dropping
- Exclusive track arming mode issues

**Requested features**

- Add MIDI CC mapping and automation
- Implement vertical view for session mode
- Allow saving and loading of custom settings
- Improve MIDI note and velocity handling
- Add MIDI transformers and generators


### Groovebox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groovebox-beat-synth-studio/id1242847278)

Create electronic music with this mobile studio app. Features inspiring synths, drum machines, and world-class instruments. Easily build beats, melodies, and arrange tracks for production.

**Highlights:** Beat and synth music studio, Touchable instruments for melodies and beats, Five powerful instruments: Drumbox, Horizon, MiniMon, RetroBass, Poly-8, Arrange tracks with sections, Record synth parameters as automation, Ableton Link and Ableton Export for collaboration, Expandable instruments and sound packs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trap Bass | Free | one-time |
| Sequential Arps | Free | one-time |
| Ambient Hip Hop | Free | one-time |
| Dirty 909 | Free | one-time |
| Hip Hop Orbit | Free | one-time |
| Hypnotic Bass | Free | one-time |
| Golden Era Bass | $0.99 | one-time |
| Neuro Leads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Composed Melodics | $0.99 | one-time |
| Drum Booster | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Refreshing simplicity
- 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Excellent sound quality
- 🚀 Flexible and powerful
- 🚀 Inspiring and creative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes occasionally
- 🔒 No iCloud sync or cloud backup
- 🔒 Limited export options
- 🔒 Lack of MIDI support
- 🔒 Clunky piano roll and note editing

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when exporting projects
- Playback issues with certain patterns
- Disappearing UI elements when scrolling
- Inconsistent behavior when changing sections

**Requested features**

- Add song mode and ability to chain sections
- Improve piano roll and note editing
- Implement MIDI support and mapping
- Add more export options like MIDI and multi-track
- Implement iCloud sync and cloud backup


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LK free?

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

### Is Groovebox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LK or Groovebox?

Groovebox is rated higher. LK averages 4.3 out of 5 from 709 ratings, while Groovebox averages 4.7 from 4.8K ratings.

### Do LK or Groovebox have ads?

Neither LK nor Groovebox shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LK or Groovebox?

LK ships an update fortnightly, and Groovebox every 6 weeks. Most recently, LK was updated on November 6, 2026 and Groovebox on November 6, 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.*