LoopStation vs Decent Sampler
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LoopStation
Transform your device into a powerful musical instrument. Record and layer your own sounds, voices, or instruments to create complex musical arrangements. Add effects, adjust levels, and share your finished loops with others.
- Record synced tracks (overdub)
- Control volume per loop
- Save/Load recordings
- Metronome for timing
- Shift timing of individual loops
- Merge tracks
- Add reverb effect
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LoopStation turns your device into a musical instrument. Record your own sounds / voice and combine them into one big symphony with this looper. Do what you would want to do with a real physical loop pedal. Make your own music by beatboxing, singing or by playing around with your instruments! Start this looper by recording the basetrack or start up the metronome to help you with timing. Every next recording will be an overdub of the basetrack. Add reverb, change volume, adjust the position... it's all possible! When you are done, make a single track of your loop by recording a session. Then share this session with all your friends and fellow musicians by sharing it with the other apps you have on your phone (Facebook, WhatsApp, SoundCloud, Mail, etc...). In order to prevent the app from re-recording itself, It is VERY IMPORTANT to use headphones to keep the recordings clean. Features: - Record synced tracks (overdub) - Control volume per loop - Save/Load recordings - Metronome Premium - Shift timing of each individual loop - Merge tracks - Change playback speed - Add reverb - Session recording - Export sessions to your other apps; Facebook, WhatsApp, SoundCloud, Mail, etc... Let me know if you have any problems or feature requests! With thanks to Unity!
Decent Sampler
This music app lets you use professional-quality sample libraries on your mobile device. It supports Decent Samples libraries and SFZs, and can be used within other music production apps as an AUv3 plugin.
- Use professional sample libraries
- Supports Decent Samples libraries
- Supports SFZ files
- AUv3 plugin compatibility
- Standalone app functionality
- New libraries added weekly
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Did you ever wish you could use professional quality sample libraries on your mobile device? Now you can! The Decent Samples plugin is a sample player that allows you to use your favorite Decent Samples sample libraries on the go (as well as SF2s, SFZs, and EXS files). Many of the most popular Decent Samples releases are available through the app with more being added every week. Because it's also an AUv3 plugin, you can use it from within GarageBand or with AUM.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Decent Sampler at 4.6 against LoopStation's 3.3. Decent Sampler also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 26%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). LoopStation's advantage is iOS requirement (7.1 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, 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
Both are free to download. LoopStation sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Decent Sampler sells 60 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Decent Sampler holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 52 and 52 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of LoopStation's written reviews are positive against 52% of Decent Sampler's.
LoopStation ships an update every 3 months, Decent Sampler monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LoopStation | Decent Sampler |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (52 ratings) | 4.6 (52 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.2% of reviews | 52.2% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 52 | 52 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 7.1 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rene Zuidhof | Decidedly, LLC |
Customer experience
LoopStation
Decent Sampler
Bugs and requests
LoopStation
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Decent Sampler
Reported bugs
23 issues- Instant crash on load
- App stopped working after iOS update
- AUV3 crashes out of nowhere
- Unresponsive upon opening
- Server issues for login
Show 18 moreShow fewer
- Instrument remains stuck on a note
- Projects need to be reloaded to show app
- Crash when loading samples
- Failing to load presets when reloading host project
- Adding unwanted temp presets
- Crashing when selecting different samples
- Login prompt won't let paste text
- Can't paste password to login
- Login screen covered by keyboard
- Error 500 when downloading
- Restore Purchases button not working
- Forgotten Password button not working
- Invalid email address for registration
- No URL found when downloading sound packs
- Clicking sounds while using
- Glitching, clicking, and ghost sounds on held notes
- Instrument crashes after a few minutes
- Earthquake pad 02 glitching
Requested features
14 requests- Add user/pass fill from password keeper
- Implement a download manager for multiple instruments
- Allow running within IAA or Audiobus
- Add ability to clear cache
- Fix multi-track support in AUV3
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Add MIDI sequencing
- Add pitch bend functionality
- Add velocity response curve knob
- Add filter stage and more flexible envelope
- Allow disabling iOS auto-lock
- Configure receiving MIDI channel
- Improve preset selection
- Add dark mode
- Support VoiceOver
In-app purchases
LoopStation
- Pro$2.99
Decent Sampler
- Box ViolinFree
- Dave ChoirFree
- Resonator GlockenspielFree
Show 57 moreShow fewer
- Banjo UkuleleFree
- KalimbaFree
- Ukelin$0.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 3$2.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 4$3.99
- Weber 1929 Baby Grand$4.99
- Ramshackle Zither$4.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 5$4.99
- Music Major Sample Library$4.99
- Sawblade Kalimba Library$4.99
- Melodica$4.99
- Distance: Zero$4.99
- Little Church Organ$4.99
- Indie Guitar$5.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 6$5.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 7$6.99
- Paper Drums$6.99
- Relic Keyboard$7.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 8$7.99
- HS-3715 Keyboard$7.99
- Malevolence by Venus Theory$8.99
- Viola Ensemble$9.99
- Indie Bass$9.99
- Metal Cups$9.99
- Phonoharp$9.99
- Violin Ensemble$9.99
- Ethereal Vocals$9.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 10$9.99
- Kalimba by Darel$9.99
- Dangerous Undertones$9.99
- Chroma Vol. 1$9.99
- Luminate$9.99
- Horror Box$9.99
- Tape Violins Sample Library$10.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 11$11.00
- Interlaced Sample Library$14.99
- Decent Sampler Store Item 15$15.00
- Decent Sampler Store Item 16$16.00
- Decent Sampler Store Item 19$19.00
- alt.strings$19.99
- Felt & Fog$19.99
- Organic Orchestra$19.99
- Indie Drums$19.99
- Bitscape 95$19.99
- Thyssia by Venus Theory$19.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 20$20.00
- Decent Samples Store Item 24$24.00
- The Void$24.99
- Processed Guitars$24.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 25$25.00
- String Flows$29.99
- 70s Summer Camp Sample Library$29.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 30$30.00
- LoFi VaporTones Ds$33.99
- Decent Samples Store Item 39$39.00
- Decent Samples Store Item 40$40.00
- Chamberlin M1 by Jamie Lidell$49.99
Questions
Is LoopStation free?
Is Decent Sampler free?
Which has better reviews, LoopStation or Decent Sampler?
Do LoopStation or Decent Sampler have ads?
Which is updated more often, LoopStation or Decent Sampler?
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