Comparison

DM10 vs Solderbox

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DM10

This app is a powerful drum and synthesizer machine for electronic musicians. It offers a modern audio engine with a wide array of drum kits, instruments, and synth presets, alongside advanced sequencing and effects for creative music production.

Highlights
  • 228 drum kits
  • Bass & Lead synths
  • AudioUnit support
  • Polyrhythmic tracks
  • Advanced sequencing
  • Real-time FX automation
  • User drum kit creation
Read full description

DM10 is the ultimate Drum & Synth Machine for iPhone, iPad and Mac — from the creators of DM1, winner of the Apple Design Award 2012. 256 vintage & modern drum kits. Built-in Bass & Lead synths. A powerful step sequencer. Full Mixer, 4 FX slots & intuitive Song Mode. Everything you need to produce beats, from sketch to finished track — in one beautifully designed app One purchase. No subscriptions. No in-app purchases. You get everything. DRUMS & KITS • 256 drum kits — Vintage, Acoustic, Hip-Hop, Electro & more • 10 instruments (Piano, Vibraphone, Wurlitzer…) • Drum Pads with customizable layout • Custom drumkit per track • User drum kit creation with samples import & export • Drums Glitch mode • Drumkits Randomizer STEP SEQUENCER • Drum & Synth step sequencer • 45 patterns • Variable step count, Accent, Triplets & Swing • Time signatures • Polyrhythmic tracks • Steps Probability & Retrig • Playhead Randomize • Custom Tempo, Kit, Mixer & FX per pattern • Steps Randomizer MIXER & FX • Mixer with level, pitch, length, pan & automation • 4 FX slots per track with real-time automation — 15 effects available: Overdrive · Delay · Reverb · Filter · Phaser · Formant · Texturizer · Robotizer · Dalek · Flanger · Decimator · Ring Modulator · Resonator · Compressor · Noise Gate • Mixer & Fx Randomizer SONG MODE • Song mode with intuitive editing • Audio export — master & separated tracks • Project import & export SYNTH ENGINE • Bass Synth — 3 VCO, Filter, ADSR, BitCrush, Detune • Lead Synth — 2 VCO, VCO Modulation, Filter, ADSR, Vibrato • 40 Bass & Lead factory presets PRO CONNECTIVITY • AudioUnit (AUv3) • Full MIDI support — Mapping, File Import & Export, External Clock • Audio Background support • Ableton Link • iCloud Shared Folder • Computer keyboard support VINTAGE DRUM MACHINES • 116 drum kits meticulously sampled from legendary machines: Roland TR-808, TR-909, TR-606 · Akai MPC2000 · Linn 9000 · Oberheim DMX · E-MU SP-12 · Simmons SDS-5 · Fairlight CMI · Teenage Engineering PO-12 · Korg · Yamaha · Boss · Casio · Alesis · Linn · Kawai · Pearl · Elektro-Harmonix · Wersi · Novation · Waldorf · Ensoniq · Sequential Circuits and many more. ACOUSTIC DRUM KITS • 32 acoustic kits recorded at Fingerlab Studio — sampled from iconic brands: Oyster · Ludwig · DW · Gretsch · Pearl · Premier · Slingerland · Sonor · Yamaha · Rogers • 26 percussion & instrument kits recorded at Fingerlab Studio STYLES DRUM KITS • 82 drum kits from various music styles: Hip-Hop, Electro, Dubstep, Trap, Synth, Concrete… Questions or feedback? contact@fingerlab.net Stay tuned! The Fingerlab Team

About

Solderbox

This app is a compact, semi-modular synthesizer designed for generative music creation. It offers a comprehensive set of modular functions, aiming for analog-like sound and behavior with unique digital effects and an 'Instability Engine' for organic fluctuations.

Highlights
  • Generative synthesis tools
  • Analog-like sound emulation
  • Instability Engine for organic fluctuations
  • Audio Unit (AUv3) compatibility
  • Built-in Pulsequencer melody generator
  • Multiple filter modes
  • Stackable patch cables
Features
Read full description

Solderbox is a compact semimodular synthesizer, made in collaboration with Jakob Haq. It is heavily based on Jakob's own modular rack design (which features a lot of modules made by hand). The app is designed to offer a set of modular functions that is both comprehensive and eclectic, including several tools for generative synthesis, random signals and the surgical mangling of audio waves and modulation signals. A lot of effort went into making everything sound and behave as analog as digitally possible (with the exception of the unashamedly digital Entropy lo-fi effect processor). Additionally, the built-in Instability Engine injects the subtle fluctuations simulating the effects of crosstalk, leaky signals and expired electrical components. This is a living instrument with a soul of its own. - Full Audio Unit compatibility (AUv3 instrument, audio effect) - Universal design (iPhone, iPad, MacOS AUv3) - Built-in Pulsequencer (LFO-based generative melody generator with custom scales) - 4 mode Low-pass filter (6, 12, 18, 24 dB) - 3 voice polyphony - Drone mode - Stackable patch cables - DIY Lo-Fi digital delay circuit emulation - All synth settings exposed a AU Parameters (for automation and MIDI learning in your host of choice) Find the user manual on ruismaker.com

Screenshots

DM104 screens
Solderbox3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Solderbox at 5.0 against DM10's 4.6. Solderbox also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 72%) and iOS requirement (13 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

DM10 costs $12.99 and Solderbox $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Solderbox holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 53 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of DM10's written reviews are positive against 90% of Solderbox's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DM10 ships an update every 4 weeks, Solderbox every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
DM10 versus Solderbox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDM10Solderbox
Price$12.99$12.99
Rating4.6 (53 ratings)5.0 (27 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.9% of reviews90.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings53 — better27
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac
Requires iOS15.013 — better
Further details — not scored
Size454 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFingerlabBram Bos

Customer experience

DM10

All ratings53 ratings
Positive88.7%
Neutral5.7%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive71.9%
Neutral15.6%
Negative12.5%

Solderbox

All ratings27 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%

Bugs and requests

DM10

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Dropping the first beat in some cases
  • Syncing issues in standalone mode

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add probability per step
  • Implement true triplets and flams
  • Allow tempo changes within a song
  • Increase pattern count beyond 45
  • Add more time signature options
Show 1 more
  • Implement MIDI mapping for pattern changes

Solderbox

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

DM10

No in-app purchases

None

Solderbox

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DM10 free?
DM10 costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Solderbox free?
Solderbox costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DM10 or Solderbox?
Solderbox is rated higher. DM10 averages 4.6 out of 5 from 53 ratings, while Solderbox averages 5.0 from 27 ratings.
Do DM10 or Solderbox have ads?
Neither DM10 nor Solderbox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DM10 or Solderbox?
DM10 ships an update every 4 weeks, and Solderbox every 6 weeks. Most recently, DM10 was updated on September 21, 2026 and Solderbox on September 23, 2026.

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