# KORG iM1 vs MidiQuestEssentialsi

The clearest difference is review sentiment: KORG iM1 at 82% against MidiQuestEssentialsi's 0%. KORG iM1 also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (1K vs 2). MidiQuestEssentialsi's advantage is price (Free vs $29.99) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 7 months). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

MidiQuestEssentialsi is free to download; KORG iM1 costs $29.99 up front. KORG iM1 sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and MidiQuestEssentialsi sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

KORG iM1 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KORG iM1 has 1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of KORG iM1's written reviews are positive against 0% of MidiQuestEssentialsi's.

KORG iM1 ships an update every 7 months, MidiQuestEssentialsi every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KORG iM1 | MidiQuestEssentialsi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $29.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/korg-im1/id966030326/reviews)** | [1.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midiquestessentialsi/id1338670761/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **81.5% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#185** | — |
| Size | 200 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **10.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KORG INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/363714046) | [Sound Quest](https://appshunter.io/developer/1271850366) |

## What reviewers say

### KORG iM1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/korg-im1/id966030326)

**Currently charting:** #185 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app faithfully reproduces the legendary M1 synthesizer, offering its iconic sounds and expanded features for modern music creation. It provides a vast library of presets and intuitive performance tools, making it accessible to both experienced musicians and beginners.

**Highlights:** Faithful reproduction of original M1 sound, Expanded filter resonance and 18 effects, Gigantic library of 3,300 sounds, Intuitive KAOSS pad for performance, Smart Sound Browser for quick sound selection, Compatible with KORG Gadget

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| M1 Cards Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| T1 Cards Pack | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Authentic M1 sound reproduction
- 💰 Great value for money
- 🎹 Faithful recreation of the original hardware
- 🎨 Powerful sound customization options
- 🔗 Works well with MIDI controllers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or stability issues
- 🔇 Low output volume compared to other apps
- 🤔 Confusing UI for patch editing and saving
- 🔴 Missing AUv3 support for integration with DAWs

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing or missing purchased sound cards
- Bluetooth MIDI connectivity issues
- Compatibility problems with certain iOS versions or devices

**Requested features**

- Add AUv3 support for better DAW integration
- Improve preset management and saving capabilities
- Increase master volume control options
- Expand sound library with more cards/expansions


### MidiQuestEssentialsi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midiquestessentialsi/id1338670761)

This application serves as a comprehensive editor and librarian for MIDI SysEx data, supporting a vast array of popular hardware instruments. It allows users to manage and manipulate sound parameters for a wide range of synthesizers and other MIDI devices.

**Highlights:** SysEx Editor, SysEx Librarian, Supports over 900 MIDI instruments, Parameter management, Sound editing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dave Smith Tetra | $24.99 | one-time |
| Yamaha Reface CS | $24.99 | one-time |
| Yamaha Reface CP | $24.99 | one-time |
| TC-Helicon VoiceWorks | $29.99 | one-time |
| Roland D-50 | $39.99 | one-time |
| Waldorf Blofeld | $39.99 | one-time |
| Untergeek Matrix-6R | $39.99 | one-time |
| Dave Smith Toraiz AS-1 | $49.99 | one-time |
| Korg N364 | $54.99 | one-time |
| MQEssentials v1 All Instrument | $199.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is KORG iM1 free?

KORG iM1 costs $29.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is MidiQuestEssentialsi free?

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

### Which has better reviews, KORG iM1 or MidiQuestEssentialsi?

KORG iM1 is rated higher. KORG iM1 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while MidiQuestEssentialsi averages 1.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do KORG iM1 or MidiQuestEssentialsi have ads?

Neither KORG iM1 nor MidiQuestEssentialsi shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, KORG iM1 or MidiQuestEssentialsi?

KORG iM1 ships an update every 7 months, and MidiQuestEssentialsi every 5 weeks. Most recently, KORG iM1 was updated on November 6, 2026 and MidiQuestEssentialsi on November 2, 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.*