Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Cubasis VS plugdata

Compare Cubasis VS plugdata and see what are their differences

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Cubasis logo Cubasis

Cubasis is Steinbergโ€™s streamlined, multitouch sequencer for the iPad.

plugdata logo plugdata

plugdata is a free/open-source visual programming environment based on pure-data. It is available for a wide range of operating systems, and can be used both as a standalone app, or as a VST3, LV2, CLAP or AU plugin.
  • Cubasis Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-30
  • plugdata Landing page
    Landing page //
    2025-02-20

Cubasis features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Cubasis is known for its intuitive and accessible interface, making it easy for both beginners and experienced users to navigate and create music efficiently.
  • Comprehensive Feature Set
    It offers a wide range of features including MIDI and audio recording, virtual instruments, a variety of effects, and automation, providing a complete DAW experience on mobile devices.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Cubasis is available on both iOS and Android devices, allowing users to create and edit projects on multiple platforms.
  • High-Quality Sound Engine
    The application uses a high-quality audio engine that ensures professional-grade sound output and provides real-time processing for all tracks.
  • Integration with Other Steinberg Products
    Cubasis can seamlessly integrate with other Steinberg products, like Cubase, allowing users to transfer projects easily between mobile and desktop environments.

Possible disadvantages of Cubasis

  • Limited Track Count
    Compared to desktop DAWs, Cubasis may have a limited number of tracks and effects that can be used simultaneously, which might be restrictive for larger projects.
  • Resource Intensive
    The application can be resource-intensive on mobile devices, potentially leading to performance issues on older hardware.
  • In-App Purchases
    While the base application comes with many features, a number of advanced functionalities and additional instruments require in-app purchases.
  • Learning Curve for Beginners
    Despite its intuitive interface, complete newcomers to digital audio workstations may still need time to understand all the features and workflow.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users have reported occasional crashes or stability issues, especially during complex tasks or when used on older devices.

plugdata features and specs

  • Integration with Pure Data
    PlugData offers a user-friendly interface and enhances the Pure Data digital signal processing capabilities by integrating it seamlessly, making it more accessible for both beginners and experienced users.
  • VST3 Plugin Support
    It allows users to run Pure Data patches as VST3 plugins in digital audio workstations, combining Pure Dataโ€™s power with industry-standard music production tools.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    PlugData is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring that users across different operating systems can utilize it without platform-specific limitations.
  • Enhanced User Interface
    The redesigned and modernized interface improves usability and the visual programming experience, making it more intuitive compared to the traditional Pure Data setup.
  • Active Community and Open Source
    As an open-source project, PlugData benefits from community contributions, which fosters ongoing development, improvements, and shared resources.

Possible disadvantages of plugdata

  • Learning Curve
    Beginners may still face a steep learning curve when first using Pure Data via PlugData, as understanding digital signal processing concepts is necessary.
  • Performance Limitations
    While ideal for many users, the performance may not match that of some specialized, commercial digital signal processing tools, particularly in highly demanding projects.
  • Limited Documentation
    The documentation may not be as comprehensive as some proprietary solutions, potentially making it harder for new users to find specific support or tutorials.
  • Dependence on Pure Data
    Though PlugData enhances Pure Data's capabilities, it still relies on Pure Data's frameworks and architecture, which may come with inherent limitations and constraints.
  • Community Dependency
    As an open-source project, its development is highly dependent on community involvement, which can lead to slower updates and fewer new features if community support wanes.

Analysis of Cubasis

Overall verdict

  • Cubasis by Steinberg is considered a strong option for mobile music production.

Why this product is good

  • Cubasis has a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features like MIDI, touch instruments, and effects. It is designed for iOS and Android, making it easily accessible for mobile users. The platform supports multiple tracks, offers high-quality audio processing, and integrates well with other music software.

Recommended for

    Cubasis is recommended for music producers and musicians who want to create and edit music on mobile devices. It is suitable for both beginners and experienced users who need a portable music production solution.

Analysis of plugdata

Overall verdict

  • plugdata is an excellent free and open-source visual programming environment that brings Pure Data (Pd) into a modern, accessible package usable as both a standalone application and an audio plugin, making powerful patch-based sound design available to a wide range of creators.

Why this product is good

  • It's completely free and open-source, lowering the barrier to entry for audio programming
  • Runs as a VST3, AU, LV2, and CLAP plugin so you can use Pure Data patches directly inside your DAW
  • Modernizes the classic Pure Data experience with a cleaner, more intuitive interface
  • Cross-platform support across Windows, macOS, Linux, and even Raspberry Pi
  • Compatible with existing Pd patches and many externals, giving access to a large existing ecosystem
  • Active development and a supportive community around it

Recommended for

  • Musicians and producers who want to build custom instruments and effects inside their DAW
  • Sound designers exploring generative and interactive audio
  • Students and educators learning visual programming and DSP concepts
  • Existing Pure Data users looking for a more modern, plugin-ready environment
  • Hobbyists and experimenters on a budget who want powerful audio tools for free

Cubasis videos

Can you write REAL music on an iPad? CUBASIS 3 [REVIEW]

More videos:

  • Review - Cubasis 3 iOS | Verdict after ONE week (iPad/iPhone)
  • Review - Cubasis 3 First Impressions: Overview, New Features And More

plugdata videos

No plugdata videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cubasis and plugdata)
Music
100 100%
0% 0
3D
0 0%
100% 100
Audio & Music
100 100%
0% 0
Music Generation
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Cubasis and plugdata

Cubasis Reviews

10 Best GarageBand Alternatives for Android
If you are completely into music production and willing to spend almost 25$ to get a powerful DAW, then you should get your hands on Cubasis 3. Just like FL Studio, itโ€™s a full-fledged digital music studio that gives you a desktop DAW-like feel on the small screen. It has endless numbers of MIDI and audio tracks, over 120 virtual instruments, a mixer with 17 effects...
Best Music Making Apps for Android 2023: The Essential Guide
At last, Cubasis has made it onto Android. Itโ€™s easily one of the best mobile platform DAWs out there and now more people can get into it on Android and Chrome OS. This is the real deal, although there are some great alternatives.

plugdata Reviews

We have no reviews of plugdata yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, plugdata seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Cubasis mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Cubasis yet. Tracking of Cubasis recommendations started around Mar 2021.

plugdata mentions (1)

  • loopmaster โ€“ Livecoding Music IDE
    I'm just going to mention Pure Data here, because I'm always surprised when people don't know about it. https://puredata.info/ I use it in my art and music practice to interfaced with hardware like a GameTrak controller, and to control drone motors for bowing/drumming physical things for computer controlled electroacoustic music. I also use it at a university lab for the development of assistive musical... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cubasis and plugdata, you can also consider the following products

SunVox - SunVox is a small, fast and powerful modular synthesizer with pattern based sequencer (tracker).

Pure Data - Pd (aka Pure Data) is a real-time graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical...

FamiStudio - FamiStudio is very simple music editor for the Nintendo Entertainment System or Famicom. It is designed to be easier to use than FamiTracker, but its feature set is also much more limited.

Sonic Pi - Sonic Pi is a new kind of instrument for a new generation of musicians. It is simple to learn, powerful enough for live performances and free to download.

MOTU Digital Performer - Get inspired, then refine your mix โ€” all in a singular workflow.

PdDroidParty - Run your Pure Data patches on Android with native GUIs emulated.