20 Best Android Music Making Apps in 2021: Free & Paid

By / September 9, 2021

Due to the popularity of music production there’s been a humongous uprise on android application focused on creating music.

There are currently hundreds of android applications that you can download today to start making and producing your own music, but not all of them have been created equally. (Some of them aren’t that good). That’s why we are created this essential list of the best music making applications for android devices.

Here are the 18 of the best free and paid music making apps for Android phones and tablets in 2021.

FL Studio Mobile by Image-Line

FL Studio is a popular computer desktop daw application that has been used by many music producer. Due to it’s popularity the company has a mobile version that’s just as good. It’s rather inexpensive, coming in at $16, and is a fully functional mobile DAW, even equipped with MIDI control. The mobile version can pretty much do everything that the computer version can do.

With FL Studio Mobile, you can record MIDI, control instruments and knobs with MIDI, preview samples and presets, mix tracks, input notes via an on-screen piano, sequence drums, record audio, add automation, and use different effects.

Image Line offers in-app purchases of various samples and virtual instruments, including Groove Machine Synth, Acoustic Guitar, and Tuned 808 Bass, so you can great sounding, high-quality virtual instruments right from your phone.

I’d say this one is probably better for those of you who are a little more well versed in the world of production and are already familiar with FL Studio. Like all DAWs, FL Studio has a learning curve, and the mobile version is no exception. If you’re a complete beginner, I wouldn’t recommend starting out with FL Studio Mobile.

Caustic 3 by Single Cell Software

Caustic 3 has been inspired by rack-mounted synthesizers and samplers and is quite possibly one of the more impressive music making apps for Android that I’ve seen. You definitely get an old-school feel from its graphics.

There are 14 synthesizers and samplers to choose from, including subtractive analog synthesizer, a multi-sample synth, a bass synth, a drum machine sampler, a pad synth, an 8-bit synth, a modular synth, a Hammond-like organ, an 8-band vocoder, an FM synth, a string modeling synth, and a saw wave synth.

Each one is completely configurable so you can really customize your sound to get the outcome you want. Single Cell Software has also provided 20 effects so you can add reverb, delay, and other effects. Caustic 3 also has the ability to record audio and compose in a piano roll.

This app is like FL Studio on crack, and it’s only $10. If you really like analog synthesizers, you’ll love Caustic 3. That being said, it’s probably another app that’s more oriented towards people who are more familiar with producing music, as synthesizers can really take some time to figure out if you’ve never messed around with one.

Audio Evolution Mobile Studio by eXtream Software Development

Audio Evolution Mobile Studio is another really great choice, and it only comes in at $7. This app is pretty similar to any computer-based DAW. It has the ability to record audio, you can mix tracks and set levels, there’s a drum sequencer and it also has MIDI capabilities. There’s a piano roll as well.

Audio Evolution also has an automation feature so you can get really in-depth with editing your tracks. Each mixer track offers a 3-band EQ  aside from the basic volume and panning functions, and there are several in-app purchases that you can make to get yourself some other effects like compression, a de-esser, noise gate, autotune, and reverb.

There are also some virtual instruments built into this app, and it’s also compatible with FL Studio virtual instruments and SoundFont files. Another really handy feature of this app is that it syncs with Google Drive, so you won’t ever lose your tracks that you’ve made.

This app would be good for someone intermediate or advanced, but probably also a beginner too. Even though there are a lot of features to it, it seems to have less of a learning curve than the FL Studio app, and everything is laid out in a really straightforward manner, so it doesn’t get confusing like the aforementioned apps might get to a first time user.

RD4 Groovebox by Mikrosonic

RD4 Groovebox is one of the lesser equipped music making apps for Android, but it still doesn’t lack in features. The cool thing about this app is that it has both an analog and digital vibe going for it. There’s a drum sequencer that has a limit of 99 bars, and there are a fair amount of synthesizers to choose from, as well as effects, including reverb, delay, filter, phaser, and distortion.

Each synthesizer has oscillators and filters that you can tweak to get the sound you want. You can also record your own audio from your phone microphone or an external microphone attached to your phone or tablet.

There are four different track channels for you to work with, and you can record live or add notes through the piano roll. If the rack mixer isn’t enough for you, you can export your tracks to Mikrosonic’s audio mixer app, SPC – Music Sketchpad.

This one is definitely one that would work for you if you’re a beginner; there aren’t a bunch of overwhelming options and features to use, and everything is extremely simple. The app was made with multi-touch in mind, so it’s not cramped like some of the other apps that make it seem like they’re trying to squeeze a whole computer-based DAW onto a phone or tablet screen.

You can get RD4 Groovebox for only $5.

G-Stomper Studio by planet-h.com

G-Stomper Studio is a really great app that rivals FL Studio. For only $13, it has a ton of features including a 24-track drum machine, multiple step sequencers (a monophonic melodic sequencer, a polyphonic sequencer, and a sample-based sequencer), and a massive synthesizer that uses FM synthesis, waveform, and sample-based synthesis.

Also included are 24 drum pads, an audio editor, a mixer with 36 channels, over 40 effects, sidechain compression support, and MIDI compatibility. This thing is a straight-up beast. G-Stomper also has a bunch of add-ons presets for the synthesizer, some of which are paid, and others free.

Another really nice feature that G-Stomper has is the ability to export MIDI patterns to use in your other MIDI compatible DAWs. It allows you to export WAV files of both individual tracks and the master track.

G-Stomper is an extremely intuitive tool and I highly recommend it; not only does it come at a great price, but it also has a lot of flexibility which will let you use it to your full creative ability. Because it’s so complex, it does have a learning curve, mainly with the synthesizers and sequencers, but once you get that down, it should be pretty easy.

Drum Pads 24 – Music Maker by Paul Lipnyagov

Drum Pads 24

This one is a little different from your average DAW-like app. Drum Pads 24 – Music Maker is exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of drum pads. Each pad can be assigned a certain loop or drum sample for you to play. Even though this seems like a very basic concept, Drum Pads 24 has more to it than meets the eye.

Each sample can be chopped however you’d like it to be, and you can choose between continuous looping or just a one-shot for the individual pads. The app also gives you the ability to record your own loops and samples with your phone or tablet’s microphone, so you’re not limited to the loops and samples that the app offers.

Additionally, Drum Pads 24 has a pretty solid network community where you can share collections of your samples so that other people can use them in their own work, and people can give you feedback on your beats that you post on your feed. There’s also an in-app store that has sound expansion packs of various genre-specific samples and hits.

Drum Pads 24 is a great option for those of you who don’t want to spend a long time learning the ins and outs of a DAW-type app like FL Studio or G-Stomper. It’s extremely simple and doesn’t have a bunch of bells and whistles that will overwhelm you. On top of all that, it’s free.

Stagelight: Audio and MIDI DAW by Open Labs Music Software

Stagelight is another mobile DAW that’s similar to your average computer DAW. With Stagelight, you can record audio, compose in MIDI with a piano roll, drum sequencer, and edit audio and MIDI. It includes nine instruments including a step sequencer, a drum machine, and SampleVerse, which is a pressure-sensitive hybrid sampler and synth.

SampleVerse includes over 40 presets and three oscillators. You can also import your own samples into it. Additionally, there are seven other keyboard-based instruments: a 3-voice synthesizer, a pulse synthesizer, a set of vintage keyboards and pianos, sampled electric basses and guitars, vintage organs, and vintage orchestral sounds.

Effects included are a compressor, EQ, delay, and flanger, and you can get more with in-app purchases. Stagelight also has a special feature called LoopBuilder, which is a loop-based production tool if you prefer to use loops rather than composing with the piano roll and drum sequencer.

After completing your work, you can upload it to Soundcloud via the app, or save it to Google Drive. Audio files export in stereo and you can export track by track or the full composition.

Stagelight seems to be a bit similar to FL Studio so I would say it’s probably better for someone intermediate or advanced if you don’t wanna go through the hassle of taking a while to learn what everything does in the DAW.

You can buy the Pro version of Stagelight for $15.

Soundtrap by Spotify Ltd.

 Soundtrap is what I would call a very nice middle of the road-mobile DAW. It’s simple enough that beginners can use it, and it’s got some nice tools for more intermediate and advanced users. It’s mostly loop based, but there are also a few virtual instruments included in the app (piano, organ, synth, and drums).

Effects can be used on guitar, bass, and vocals. Soundtrap is MIDI compatible and you can use the built-in piano roll to compose, or you can record your own audio, or stick with the loops from the loop library they offer.

Something different about Soundtrap is that it was made with collaboration in mind. Each project is stored in the Cloud and therefore will sync across all your devices. Soundtrap has a built-in text and video chat so you can communicate while collaborating in real time. The Soundtrap community offers you the ability to reach out to other musicians using the app to find collaborators that way.

When exporting your finished project, it can be uploaded directly to Facebook, Soundcloud, Twitter, as well as distribution websites like Deezer, Rhapsody, Google Play, and Spotify.

The cherry on top: it’s free.

SunVox by Alexander Zolotov 

SunVox is really similar to Caustic 3; it’s another old-school analog synthesis type of DAW. In SunVox, you can set up your synthesizer chain with different synthesizers and effects.

It features a microtonal sequencer, an analog generator, a drum synth that contains over 120 drum samples, a classic FM synth, an FFT synth for more atmospheric/ambient sounds, a multisample virtual instrument, and something called MetaModule, which you can use to make your own synthesizer.

SunVox is extremely customizable; you can edit every parameter to your liking and change up the order of different effects to experiment and get the exact sound you want. The effects included in SunVox are a 3-band EQ, a waveshaper, a side chain compressor, distortion, and echo, among plenty of others. If you want to record audio from an external source, you can do so in the provided Sampler instrument.

The only downside to SunVox being so customizable is that the synth chains can get a little messy and confusing. It’s not as organized as Caustic 3 is, and the scattered synthesizer and effects blocks can get pretty overwhelming on a small screen. However, SunVox works with Windows and Mac as well, so if you wanted to use it on a bigger screen, you can without any hassle.

This powerful application only costs $6.

Music Maker JAM

This mobile application has made out top 19 list due to how much positive feedback this app has received.

Music Maker Jam is a mobile application for Android that has created over 4 million songs and beats. It allows you to ‘create, remix and share beats’ in all different sorts of genres from trap, hip-hop, drum and bass and more. They strive in trying to make music creation easy.

You can pick from using their inbuilt loops, beats, and samples to quickly get set up and making music. This mobile application also has global challenges that you can compete in, so is great for people with a more competitive side.

According to their application page on google play store, you can:

  • Use their 300+ studio-quality loops
  • Record your own vocals
  • Adjust the tempo and harmonies
  • has a built-in mixer
  • Share your tracks on social media directly from that app

Walk Band – Multitracks Music

Walk Band is a completely free mobile application that is marketed as a virtual toolbox for music instruments.

Built into the application is a range of instruments that range from pianos, guitars, bass, and drums.

This application has support for USB midi controllers which is something not a lot of these mobile applications have.

It has multitrack recording and editing, voice tracking, a piano roll mode and midi to mp3 conversation. It also has built-in synthesizers and mixers.

If you’re interested in making music from a mobile device this isn’t a mobile application you want to miss.

Built into this application is a ‘music zone’ where you can upload and share your music.

Hip-Hop Producer Pads

This mobile application is on the list due to the high amount of positive feedback and reviews it has.

Hip-hop producer pads is a virtual sampler and drum machine that is aimed at hip-hop producers. Built into the app you can use loops, one-shots and samples to produce your own hip-hop tracks.

Other features such as a metronome and fx effects are also built into the application to help you produce to the right timing and to make your music sound different.

This application makes sharing easily accessible with a few clicks of a button you can upload to facebook and twitter.

Song Maker

The name of this mobile application pretty sums up what it does.

This mobile application lets you combine hundreds of free sounds and loops in many combinations to help you produce great sounding music.

It uses multi-track editing that makes adjusting the timing of different sounds and loops extremely easy.

Just like many other mobile applications you can save and share your music.

The creators of this mobile application have just added many Christmas, bass, hip hop, track, and future bass sounds to help you produce.

Music Studio

Music Studio is a mobile application that offers a music production environment for mobile devices.

It has a built-in piano keyboard, studio-quality instruments, a 127 track sequence, not editing and effects such as reverb.

This mobile application has many features that a full suite digital audio workstations would have.

Here’s a list of features this application has to offer:

  • 183 studio recorded instruments that are at 16 bit 441.kHz samples
  • 85-key keyboard
  • Release and attack time settings
  • Pitch bend
  • Microphone recording
  • Audio file import
  • Drum loops
  • Audio effects such as Reverb, Delay, Equalizer, Amp and Limiter
  • Panning options
  • Solo and Mute options for each track
  • Midi import and export and much more…

Drum Pad Machine – Make Beats

This mobile application is great for DJs. Drum Pad Machine is a beat music mixer that lets you create your own music. There’s a couple of reasons why we have listed it on our best music making apps for android devices.

With this application, you can mix loops and record your own melodies by assigning sounds to different virtual pads.

Drum Pad Machine makes it easy to create tracks, mixtapes and record and share your music and songs with other people.

It’s a unique application that’s slightly different than the other mobile applications on this list. It’s a mobile application to test out especially if you’re into DJ’ing.

uFXloops Music Studio

UFXloops is a free application with a collection of tools that lets and helps you produce, mix and record music.

It has a built-in loop sequencer, sampler, beatmaker, song maker, mixer, a soundboard for DJs, beats, and effects, and the ability to record live.

You can use it to make your own drumkits and synthesizers. It also has features such as MIDI imports and a large collection of samples and beats for you to freely use.

Its goal is to help you produce music quickly. Just like other mobile applications on this list it also has popular effects that you can use such as delay, reverb and chorus and the ability to share your music on popular platforms and with friends and family.

MixPads – Drum pad machine & DJ Audio Mixer

MixPads is an android mobile application that has tried to simplify the way you can produce music. It will help you to create music and hip hop beats, make remixes, record your voice and mix it with other audio tracks, produce a beatbox and help you mix songs by adjusting the volume levels.

Key features of MixPads are:

  • 30 drum pads with music loops. These music loops consist of leads, bass, drums, voice, percussion, and other audio effects
  • 12 one-shot sound pads to help you mix your tracks and create beats and melodies
  • Finger drumming
  • Studio quality DJ sound effects: Delay, Rever, Low and high pass EQ filters and Reverse effects
  • A wide range of sample packs to choose from that includes Trap, House, Drill, Trap and other genres of music
  • Import your own music
  • Record your voice
  • Pitch control
  • and much more…

Beat Snap – Music & Beat Maker

Beat Snap truly simplifies the beat making experience and makes making music from your android device so much easier and straightforward.

It works by assigning built-in sounds to drum pads that then allows you to record to a music timeline that you can play back and adjust.

Build into the application is a sound pack with more than 135 sounds that change from trap, dubstep, hip-hop, drum and bass, trans, pop-rock, house, and techno!

The timeline allows you to record up to 32 sequences, so creating full songs is completely possible.

The application also allows you to mix the sounds with different volumes, which can truly make your music come alive.

It has popular sound effects such as reverbs, delays and EQ, and you can also easily share your finished songs with friends and family via SoundCloud, email or messaging apps.

Roland Zenbeats – Music Creation AppRoland Zenbeats Logo

The main reason for adding Roland’s Zenbeat music creation app to this list is the ease of use that it offers to both beginners as well as established producers.

As a cross-platform production app, the convenience does not end at the ease of use. This application is based on the revolutionary Stagelight Software by Open Labs that Roland acquired in 2019.

With different drum sounds from a wide range of drum machines, not to mention the instruments, sampling, and effects, there is more than just one thing to do with this application. You can use the drum pads, keys, and note grid to record, as well as be able to tweak sounds using intuitive touchscreen gestures.

The Zenbeat music creation app also features the ZC1 plug-in synthesizer which is a new synthesizer that makes use of the ZEN-Core Synthesis System by Roland. With this tool, you gain access to a maximum of 60 presets while in the free mode, and a sleek touch interface to add to the impressive user experience.

You also have the option to unlock ZC1 so as to be able to share sounds using hardware that is ZEN-Core and ZENOLOGY-compatible. In addition to this, you also get 900 more preset tones as well as up to 90 built-in MFX effects after unlocking the plug-in synthesizer. 

Being an application that is optimized for touch operation, you will get on-screen instruments, controllers, and effects as well. You can easily modulate, tap, swipe, and even pitch-bend sound all from the convenience of gestures with on-screen instruments.

This application also provides you with countless musical possibilities, thanks to the SampleVerse tool, which can be used to edit, play, and even capture sounds that are present in the real world. The multiple oscillators, phrase arpeggiator, extensive filters, and note expression all work together to give you limitless musical capabilities.

In addition to the powerful and useful features that this application offers, you also get to enjoy flexibility in terms of being able to choose the version that suits you best. There are three main versions to choose from: the free version, Platform Unlock, and Ultimate Unlock. The ultimate unlock presents you with all possible features, store packs, instruments, and effects across different platforms and devices.

The full in-app purchase of this app costs $15, which is a good price taking into consideration that you get lots of features and instruments at that cost.

BandLab – Music Recording Studio & Social NetworkBandlab Logo

The number one thing that you will love about this application even before you can start using it is the impressive rating that it has on Google Play Store. With a whopping 4.4 out of 5 stars based on 195,380 as at September 2021, you will definitely feel confident that the application will offer whatever you are after.

This recording and social music creation platform by BandLand is, hands down, one of the best free applications that you can find if you are after recording, editing, and remixing your music. You will get the ability to enjoy using creative effects and making beats as well as making use of loops and samples from BandLab’s royalty-free collection of sound packs from different genres such as hip-hop, rap, house, garage, EDM, rock, and more.

Since the application offers users unlimited cloud storage and accessibility from different devices, you can easily make your music on your phone and be able to access it from your laptop or desktop browser. That’s top-range convenience since you can be on the move but still have access to your music – a perfect definition of music existing everywhere.

BandLand’s convenience extends beyond making music as you can use the application to make new friends as well as connect with collaborators, in addition to being able to start a band without having to worry about physical location limitations. By matching you to producers, potential beatmakers, and DJs, you have various opportunities to promote your music and make your brand grow.

The application offers a collection of useful features such as the 16-Track Mix Editor (which is a multi-track DAW), Sampler (for creating custom instruments), Virtual MIDI instruments (more than 330 of these), Looper, Guitar/Vocal/Bass effect presets (More than 180 such presets), and more. In addition to being able to make, edit, and remix music as well as connect with other parties in the field of music-making, you have the “Explore” option that allows you to enjoy content from the application as well as get inspired by what others have made.

And the best part of it all? This application is absolutely free!

Related Questions:

Should I be using a mobile device to make music? The software found on desktop and laptop computers are often far more powerful and can do much more when compared to mobile music creation application, but that doesn’t mean you can’t produce some decent sounding music from a mobile device.

What are some computer production music software alternatives that I can use? Some computer alternatives are Sonar cakewalk (free), logic pro x (mac, paid), Ableton (paid, windows and mac), Pro Tools (paid, windows and mac), and FL Studio.

What is a daw? DAW stands for digital audio workstations and is another name for music production software.

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