How Do LitPads and Soundboard Studio Compare Overall?
- Per-pad parametric EQ
- Pitch shifting
- MIDI controller support
- Setlist mode
- Audio ducking
- Visual skins
- Global hotkeys
- Pad grid playback
- Board organization
- No per-pad EQ
- No pitch shifting
- No MIDI support
- No setlist mode
- No audio ducking
Both apps are custom soundboard apps that run on Mac, iPad, and iPhone as universal Apple apps. Both use a pad grid interface for organizing and triggering sounds. The similarities end there.
LitPads is built on Apple's AVAudioEngine with a per-pad audio processing chain: each pad runs through its own mixer, varispeed, time-pitch, and 3-band parametric EQ before reaching the master output. Soundboard Studio provides basic playback without per-pad audio processing.
What Features Does LitPads Have That Soundboard Studio Lacks?
Per-Pad Parametric EQ
LitPads provides a 3-band parametric EQ on every pad. The high pass filter cuts from 20 Hz to 2,000 Hz. The low pass filter cuts from 1,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz. The parametric band offers adjustable center frequency, gain (-24 dB to +24 dB), and Q/bandwidth. A 2048-point FFT spectrum analyzer displays live frequency content behind the EQ curve. Soundboard Studio has no EQ of any kind.
Pitch Shifting
LitPads shifts pitch by 24 semitones (two full octaves) in two modes. Pitch mode changes pitch without affecting speed. Speed mode changes both together like vinyl or tape. Fine tuning adjusts by plus or minus 50 cents. Soundboard Studio has no pitch shifting.
MIDI Controller Support
LitPads connects to any USB or Bluetooth MIDI controller. MIDI Learn maps notes to pads with one button press. Velocity sensitivity scales pad volume based on hit intensity. Soundboard Studio has no MIDI support.
Setlist Mode
LitPads organizes pre-programmed cue sequences for theatre, worship, and live events. Three advance modes (manual, auto-advance, timed) control cue progression. Each cue triggers multiple sounds simultaneously. No other soundboard app offers setlist mode, including Soundboard Studio.
Audio Ducking
LitPads automatically lowers the volume of all other pads when a designated trigger pad fires. The duck amount is adjustable from 5% to 80% with configurable fade times. Soundboard Studio has no ducking feature.
How Do the Prices Compare?
LitPads Pro costs $14.99 with per-pad EQ, pitch shifting, MIDI, setlists, and ducking. Soundboard Studio costs $159.99 without any of those features. The price difference is $145.00.
LitPads also offers a free tier with 3 boards, 16 pads per board, all four play modes, retrigger modes, file import, audio recording, background playback, and sound search. Soundboard Studio does not offer a meaningful free tier.
The price difference is $145.00. LitPads Pro provides every feature Soundboard Studio offers plus per-pad EQ, pitch shifting, MIDI, setlists, ducking, and skins. The value proposition is unambiguous. The complete best soundboard apps covers all available options in detail.
What Do Both Apps Have in Common?
The shared features represent the baseline of what a soundboard software app on Mac should offer. The differentiation lies entirely in audio processing, hardware integration, and performance features, where LitPads leads across every category.
Both apps are built natively for Apple platforms. LitPads uses Swift and SwiftUI with AVAudioEngine. Both run on Apple Silicon without Rosetta translation. Both support background playback and lock screen controls on iOS.
Which App Is Better for Musicians?
Musicians who use hardware controllers (pad controllers, keyboards, foot pedals) can only use LitPads. MIDI Learn maps any note to any pad with velocity sensitivity. Soundboard Studio has no MIDI input of any kind.
Per-pad EQ lets musicians cut low-frequency rumble from recorded samples, boost presence on quiet loops, and surgically remove problem frequencies. The real-time spectrum analyzer displays what the audio actually sounds like after processing. Soundboard Studio plays audio files as-is without any processing.
Which App Is Better for Theatre and Live Events?
The setlist performance UI includes a vertical cue list with numbered cues, a highlighted current cue with expanded notes, a large GO button, auto-scroll, and spacebar trigger on Mac. Each cue can reference existing pads from any board or import standalone audio files. Operator notes like "wait for applause to die down" display directly in the performance view.
The best soundboard for Mac covers additional Mac-specific features relevant to theatre installations, including global hotkeys and floating favorites panels.
Is There Any Reason to Choose Soundboard Studio Over LitPads?
Users who already own Soundboard Studio and have built an extensive sound library in the app may face a migration cost. Board export formats are not interchangeable between the two apps. Users considering a new purchase have no reason to choose Soundboard Studio at $159.99 over LitPads at $14.99.
LitPads also ships with three visual skins (Classic Dark, Neon Circuit, Golden) that change the entire app appearance. Soundboard Studio does not offer visual customization of the interface.
Marcel Iseli is an indie developer, DJ, and music producer with over 20 years behind the decks and in the studio. Rooted in hip hop culture, he collects drum machines, samplers, and vintage audio gear. LitPads grew out of that obsession: decades of triggering samples on hardware led him to build the software equivalent he always wanted.