Attack Drums vs Big Swarma
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
Big Swarma
Transform audio into massive, detuned swarms with up to 16 voices. Features adjustable detune, stereo width, and pitch modulation for unique textures. An intense feedback circuit and dual MS20-style filters offer further sound sculpting capabilities.
- Voice multiplier up to 16 voices
- Adjustable detune, stereo width, pitch modulation
- Intense feedback circuit
- Dual MS20-style filters (HPF/LPF)
- Resonance and master cutoff controls
- Raw analog character
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Big Swarma is a powerful voice multiplier and feedback unit designed to transform any audio into massive, detuned swarms. Multiply your signal up to 16 voices with adjustable detune, stereo width, and pitch modulation for lush unisons, aggressive textures, or shimmering drones. Push it further with an intense feedback circuit capable of self-oscillation and FM harmonic mayhem. Sculpt your swarm with dual MS20-style filters (HPF and LPF), each with dedicated resonance controls and a master cutoff knob. Big Swarma delivers a raw, analog character driven by aggressive feedback and wild modulation, for a sound that hits you in the face.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Big Swarma at 100% against Attack Drums's 34%. Big Swarma also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and device support (3 vs 1). Attack Drums's advantage is ratings volume (23 vs 6) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 Big Swarma $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Big Swarma holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of Attack Drums's written reviews are positive against 100% of Big Swarma's.
Attack Drums ships an update every 2 weeks, Big Swarma every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Attack Drums | Big Swarma |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 | $14.99 |
| Rating | 4.4 (23 ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 34.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 23 — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 97 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Waldorf Music | Audiority Srl |
Customer experience
Attack Drums
Big Swarma
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
Show 16 moreShow fewer
- 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
Big Swarma
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Attack Drums
No in-app purchases
Big Swarma
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Attack Drums free?
Is Big Swarma free?
Which has better reviews, Attack Drums or Big Swarma?
Do Attack Drums or Big Swarma have ads?
Which is updated more often, Attack Drums or Big Swarma?
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