Attack Drums vs VADrum2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Attack Drums
This app is a powerful sound engine and pattern sequencer inspired by a classic VST plugin. It excels at creating drum sounds but can also be used for vocals and other instruments, featuring a unique text-based vocoder.
- 24-part sound engine
- Pattern sequencer
- Phrase Vocoder (text-based)
- Versatile effects section
- Inter-App Audio & Audiobus 3 support
- MIDI Sync
- Export song to audio file
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Attack Drums is a synthesizer designed mainly for drum sounds, but the powerful sound engine can also be used for everything else - including vocals. Based on the Waldorf Attack VST PlugIn from 2001, it consists of a 24-part sound engine, now packed with a pattern sequencer and a versatile effects section. One highlight of the effects section is the new Phrase Vocoder, a vocoder that uses written text instead of spoken words. Lyrics in - song out, adjust gender as you have always wanted! Just like Waldorf Nave, Attack Drums is a seriously in-depth musical instrument - easy and fun to use, but a sonic beast at its core! Specifications: -24 Sounds -Four independent effect slots with selectable effect: *Delay *Equalizer *Overdrive *Phaser *Flanger *Chorus *Phrase Vocoder -Reverb -Compressor -Pattern Sequencer -999 Patterns -Polyphonic steps - up to 8 notes per step -Fractional track/step timing -Audiobus 3 -Inter-App Audio -MIDI Settings -MIDI Sync -Loop function -Export song to audio file -AudioCopy / AudioPaste -Content control via iTunes File Sharing -Trigger Pads -Mixer -Recording
VADrum2
Create electronic music with a virtual analog drum machine. Features a synthesizer with 27 voices, built-in effects, and a powerful sequencer. Save projects to iCloud and use it as a standalone app or an Audio Unit Extension.
- 27 virtual analog and sample playback drum voices
- Integrated delay, chorus, flanger, reverb, EQ, and compressor
- 16-bar pattern sequencer with parameter automation
- Stand-alone app and AUv3 extension support
- Ableton Link and Bluetooth MIDI compatibility
- iCloud Drive project saving
- Universal Purchase for iOS and macOS
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VADrum2 is a virtual analog drum machine for iPhone, iPad and Mac. VADrum2 consists of drum synthesizer, effects and a sequencer. The drum synthesizer includes 27 drum voices, which are 23 virtual analog modules and 4 sample playback modules and they are inspired by the iconic analog drum machines of the 1980’s. The Effects includes delay, chorus, flanger, reverb, eq, and compressor. The sequencer offers ability to program 16 bar pattern per clip and parameter automation. Project files can be saved in iCloud Drive. VADrum2 works as a stand alone or as an Audio Unit Extension (AUv3). Stand Alone supports Ableton Link, Bluetooth MIDI and MIDI IN/OUT. Main Features Drum Synthesizer - 27 drum synthesizer modules (24 virtual analog and 4 sample playback) Sequencer - 16 bar patterns per clip. Total 16 clips. - Parameter automation. Audio Export - Linear PCM format (AIFF, WAV and CAF) and compressed format (AAC) - Support iCloud Drive. - Support Universal Purchase (Works on iOS devices and macOS devices) - Support Ableton Link, Bluetooth MIDI, MIDI In / Out. - Support Audio Unit Extension (AUv3) System Requirements - AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) requires host application which support AudioUnit Extension. - AudioUnit Extension (AUv3) is supported by Apple Garage Band on iOS and macOS, and Apple Logic on Mac. For any other DAW, it depends on the application and some of them don’t support AudioUnit Extension (AUv3).
Screenshots
Verdict
Attack Drums and VADrum2 both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of VADrum2's written reviews are positive against 34% of Attack Drums's. VADrum2 also leads on device support (4 vs 1). Attack Drums's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.5). On price, rating, ratings volume 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
Attack Drums costs $14.99 and VADrum2 $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Attack Drums against 4.5 for VADrum2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 16 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of Attack Drums's written reviews are positive against 86% of VADrum2's.
Attack Drums ships an update every 2 weeks, VADrum2 every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Attack Drums | VADrum2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 | $14.99 |
| Rating | 4.4 (23 ratings) | 4.5 (16 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 34.2% of reviews | 85.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 23 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 97 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Waldorf Music | Ryo Togawa |
Customer experience
Attack Drums
VADrum2
Bugs and requests
Attack Drums
Reported bugs
21 issues- Crashes when loading own samples
- Lag with MIDI clock sync
- Inconsistent MIDI response and routing
- Low velocity response
- Transport controls not showing in DAWs
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- App crashes on startup
- App won't open on iOS 9
- Display scaling issues on iPad mini
- Sound designer page not working on iPad 2
- Copy bug
- Sequencer limited to one bar
- Random velocity on pads
- Crashes with Audiobus
- Screen doesn't fit on iPad mini
- Controls not working on iPad mini
- Sound cut out
- Locks up on iPad 2
- Not compatible with iPad 2
- Sluggish and slow performance
- App closes for no reason
- Display on iPad mini scaled incorrectly
Requested features
19 requests- Ableton Link support
- Improved MIDI sync
- Smoother IAA and MIDI integration
- More pattern steps (64+)
- Support for triplets and higher note divisions
Show 14 moreShow fewer
- Dropbox integration
- Disable opening animation
- Separate outputs in iOS
- Auto-envelope setting for samples
- Parameter automation
- MIDI CC parameter control
- MIDI port/channel selection
- Looping multiple patterns for jamming
- Subfolders for samples
- Interface facelift
- Live tweaking of FX, rolls, stutters
- Parameter locks
- Triplet grids option
- Ability to export MIDI patterns
VADrum2
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Attack Drums
No in-app purchases
VADrum2
No in-app purchases









