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Your favorite iOS DAW in 2025?
I've been using Cubasis for a while, it's a great DAW overall right until the moment it comes to AUv3 automation: when it works, it's quite frustrating and annoying, and when it doesn't, it crashes the whole DAW. I only need a nice piano roll, audio tracks, AUv3 automation, and ideally multicore audio (the reason I started my DAW journey is that Drambo only handles a couple dozen plugins on my A12Z).
What do you use, and what would you recommend? What's your experience with latest versions of iOS DAWs?
Cubasis - would be awesome, if not for the automation (if an update overhauls the automation system, I'd probably have zero reasons to consider anything else)
Logic - I really regretted paying $200 for it on Mac, since I just couldn't get used to the lack of logic in its interface, and to the ridiculous lack of incoming MIDI clock sync, and the iOS version is a pricey subscription, but lately I've been thinking that maybe it's worth it after all?
GarageBand - extremely limited for my use cases
NS2 - no audio tracks, no AUv3 automation
Auria Pro - no AUv3 automation, abandoned by devs
FLSM - no AUv3 at all
Audio Evolution Mobile - seems to be really decent, the developer is active, I tried it on the phone and hated the interface, but hopefully it's better on the iPad
Zenbeats - also seems to be a decent DAW, but maybe I'm missing something?
n-Track Studio - anyone using this one?
Anything else?
Comments
I'm interested in Audio Evolution Mobile, is it pretty comparable to Cubasis? Honestly Logic Pro works just fine for what I do but I'm sick of paying for the subscription.
AEM (for me) is the NS2 with audio tracks that I was waiting for. Maybe not the prettiest of them all but if you just want to get it done this is the one. The documentation is excellent. Everything I’ve tried works with it (except AudioKit synths for some reason) I have used pretty much all the other DAW’s and the least amount of friction is with AEM.
Zenbeats forever
It has everything that I need and also it is multiplatform, so when I need some sounds from my VSTs it's not a problem.
https://forum.loopypro.com/discussion/66192/frustrating-state-of-ios-daws-closing-out-2025#latest
I had a thread not long back discussing some DAW frustrations. Might be a good read for a feel on what people don’t like haha. Since the thread I’ve been hopping between Logic Pro and Cubasis but should give AEM a proper go.
I agree it is a great DAW. Maybe the OP had a difficult time like I did with the navigation bar in the left side. I am talking about the 3 buttons in the middle that should not be showing in certain context when the Ui it triggers is visible because of the size of the ui.
Also if the documentation was not painfully out of date. The ui as completely changed since the donc was done.
But once you know it , it’s a breeze.
Another vote for AEMS here. Has things which really set it apart: fx grid which allows user routable parallel processing, tempo/time signature changes (gradual or immediate), Vocal Tune Studio built in (as an iap) whether used for its intended use or for experimental pitch and timing changes, excellent quality soundfonts in the shop, Evolution One synth based on Audiokit Synth One, great deals on the Tonebooster effects and instruments, and it’s all available on Android too where the bespoke audio driver for USB audio peripherals seems to work better than Google’s own.
I think it would probably be Logic Pro if it wasn’t subscription, but I don’t know there is a DAW that I really like for iPad.
Maybe Cubasis if I had to pick one.
it’s funny to see that there is basically ZERO progress in field of iOS DAWs in recent approx 3 years…
kinda sad. It’s ghost town..
My favorite DAWs are probably FL Studio Mobile and Cubasis 3. FL Studio Mobile for music creation, Cubasis 3 for vocal recording/processing and mastering of tracks/EPs/albums. Although I also like Auxy Studio for creating music, but that's more of a groove box than a DAW.
Cubasis 3
On iOS: Gadget and bounce to Cubasis for automation with effects.
Or AUM and just jam, or also bounce to Cubasis.
Granted, I usually don’t need to get to the Cubasis stage. Been considering trying Drambo for the same duty, though I think it lacks audio tracks.
How about using Loopy Pro?
I think there has been progress, but it’s just been very slow. Possibly due to the small profits made from iOS development and larger companies not wanting to put large teams of developers the projects. I’d imagine coding a fully-fledged DAW is a pretty significant coding project.
Most comfortable with n-Track Pro(non-subscription variant) love them all though.
Their manual seems a bit lacking though..
Audio Evolution mobile has a great one actually..@Dwrae actually hired a pro to write it
Logic for iPad came out 2 1/2 year ago. That’s big movement.
Just curious what you’d like to see versus what’s already out there. 😎✌🏼
Plus Apple messes with stuff so much.
So, do you start with your project in the iPad then transfer it to the Desktop Zenbeats?
well i am still ok-ish with NS2.. but objectively every DAW on iOS lacks some crucial feature (or it has some major flaw) and I don’ see any improvement on this segment. Any potential progress in future, nothing that small incremental ipdates here and there. I am just disappoimted in general after all
those years.
Anickt has mentioned AEMS (Audio Evolution Mobile Studio) is closest to NS2 he's found on iOS. Have you given AEMS a try yet? I haven't tried it yet though have purchased it, but I'm wondering what makes AEMS similar to NS2.
Anickt, can you tell us what AEMS has that makes it similar to NS2, mate?
I've been meaning to ask for a "similarities comparison" for a while now.
Also Dendy, if you put too many expectations on iOS DAWs to function like on Desktop, you'll be disappointed. iOS is a different experience, much like a DAWless hardware setup is a different experience, etc. I've embraced the quirks and "shortcomings" of the iOS ecosystem and have produced more music on iOS (including client work!) than I ever did on desktop. iOS is where I'm most comfortable and is my calling.
Then again Dendy, I've never seen anyone rock a Dirtywave M8 as proficient as you do. I think hardware is your calling rather than iOS and Desktop (save for using desktop to record the final results). And honestly, I can't wait to hear more music from you.
I'm just able to complete more songs on mobile since it's easier to carry to whole setup around and arrange and mix on the fly, though technically you can do that too with a slim laptop like an MacBook Air.
Which sound fonts are your favorites? How are the orchestra and acoustic drum kits SFs in comparison to say, the Korg Module expansions?
not even remotely close imho, I found the UI clunky and convoluted and it lacks 80% of feastures i like in NS2 🤣 Automation editing is nightmare when compared to NS .. at least for me.. my subjective point of view. If somebody likes it, ok. For me it's way way behind NS (as i said multiple times i don't care much about audio tracks)
I did not said that.. never expected this.. also i am very ok with NS, i miss few things se are very different things that most of people miss (definitely not audio tracks lol)
I just said progress in iOS daws is sluggish and there is not much new happening in recent years, when i started on iOS back in 2011 i expected things will be much better 15 years later.. first half of this era was progress MUCH faster .. recent few years it's like small incremental updates here and there but nothing groundbreaking... I had big expectation from Logic but they totally screwed UI.
It's same for me no doubt.. but i must also admit i am simply disappointed that after revolutionary era 2011-2022 cirrca, now the progress slowed down significantly ..
@dendy I think it's normal that the curve of innovation flattens, tbh. Same thing with devices - it gets to the point where Apple just don't have much to add, so nobody gives a f*ck about new device releases any more, they're not exciting like they were ten years ago. None of this is to say that you're not right and that the iOS music production ecosystem couldn't be better. It certainly could be.
I'm very curious whether the release of Logic Pro for iPad actually harmed this ecosystem or helped it. People thought it would be such a big deal at the time, but it seems it hasn't played out that way. Certainly if YouTube views are anything to go by, this niche is shrinking, not growing.
If anything, many people are disappointed by the Logic Pro for iPad experience. For many, it might be their first experience of trying to make music on an iPad, so that could just give an overall impression that iPads are inferior to desktops when it comes to making music.
Logic Pro. I don’t get the hate. I arranged and finished my latest ep using it and it did everything I needed perfectly. The AI mastering assistant is worth the sub price alone.
Loopy Pro for idea generation though.
I've been mostly using LogicPro for iPad for the past year and it does most of what I need it to do, when it doesn't it's Mac time.
As for the iOS/iPadOS platform in general I feel it has come to a point where the real innovation is mostly gone and we get 're-packaging' of existing functionality in the form of 'new apps' with pricing that is more or less a 'race to the bottom' which is not sustainable in the long run...
BAM – technically it's a groovebox but it's very DAW-like groovebox definitely inspired by Ableton Live.
recent version increased the number of FX slots (that can be AUv3's) to 8 both for audio and MIDI.
there is no audio tracks yet but i don't use them anyway.
not using iPad nearly as much for anything. That product might be generally in decline and macOS seems resurgent. I use Logic / Mac mini now, though I love the fact that Cubasis runs on my iPhone.
Have been holding out / praying for the Logic team to do the same. The primitives are there:
https://youtube.com/shorts/aF2X-bwFISA?si=22XFqvqK9eONuaNT
https://youtube.com/shorts/bAHtAdGqC4A?si=gxJ_anNxDnAU5o4g
Roland Zenbeats. It is a hidden gem and a fully capable DAW in its current form. And who knows what the future might bring….😉🎹🎼✨
/DMfan🇸🇪
👊
/DMfan🇸🇪