Musaic vs Acapella: an Acapella alternative for iPhone
Both apps record you several times and put every take into one split-screen video. Musaic needs no account, and the free version records up to 10 layers with no time limit. It adds a timeline, effects on every layer, lyrics and chord detection. Acapella has a community where you find other singers and record with them. If that is what you want, Acapella is the better app.
| Musaic | Acapella | |
|---|---|---|
| Price and account | ||
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| Paid version | $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year | $9.99 a month or $47.99 a year, plus one-time purchases for length and frames ($0.99 to $7.99) |
| Account | None | An Acapella account to collaborate, separate from your Apple ID |
| Watermark | In the free version, removed with Pro | Acapella branding, removed with Pro |
| Recording | ||
| Layers in one video | Up to 10, free | Up to 9 |
| Recording length | No limit, free | Limited in the free version. 3 and 10 minutes are sold as upgrades |
| Modes | Mosaic (split screen), Live Studio (cut between takes), Twin Beta (you twice in one shot), Audio only | Split screen |
| Layouts | 77 layouts, free | Frames, more in paid packs |
| Layout changes during the song | Yes, free | Not advertised |
| Lean over border | Yes, free. Your head or guitar reaches into the next pane | Not advertised |
| Metronome | Yes | Yes |
| Latency calibration | Yes, a sync offset remembered for every combination of headphones and microphone | Not advertised |
| Microphone and output | Chosen separately in the recorder, for example AirPods for listening and the iPhone microphone for recording. How it works | Not advertised |
| Import a video | Yes, free | One video per project Pro |
| Editing and sound | ||
| Timeline | Trim and move takes, layout events, text overlays, free | Not advertised |
| Audio effects per layer | Reverb, echo, EQ, compressor, warmth, doubler, 12 voice styles, your own presets, free | EQ, noise gate, pan |
| Keyframes | Audio and video effects change over the song, free | Not advertised |
| Fix one line in a take | Yes, Fix audio Pro | Record the whole grid again |
| Instruments | Keys, bass, drums, strings, synth and more, played in the app, free | Not advertised |
| Chord detection | Chords, beat and key from your take, then bass, drums and keys generated from them Pro | Not advertised |
| Lyrics in the video | Transcribed and synced word by word, about 30 styles Pro | Not advertised |
| Animations | An animated scene or figure for every sung line Pro | Not advertised |
| Export and sharing | ||
| Video quality | 1080p or 4K, 30 or 60 fps, free | 1080p Pro |
| Audio export | The mix and every track separately, free | ALAC or m4a, CD quality with Pro |
| Working with others | Send the project as an iCloud link or a file, the other person gets an editable copy | Collabs inside the app |
| Community and feed | No, on purpose | Yes, a discover tab |
| The app | ||
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro |
| Last update | 27 September 2026 (1.4.1) | 14 July 2025 (4.46) |
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Four ways to record
Mosaic puts every take on screen at once. Live Studio shows one take at a time and you cut between them. Twin puts you twice into the same shot. Audio records without the camera.
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Timeline and keyframes
Trim and move each take, change the layout at any point of the song, and let audio and video effects change between two keyframes.
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Lean over border
Your head or your guitar can reach over the divider into the next pane. Choose Person, Person + gear or Green screen.
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Effects on every layer
Reverb, echo, a three-band EQ, compressor, warmth, doubler and 12 voice styles. Save a chain as a preset and start new layers with it.
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Chords and instruments Pro
Musaic finds the chords, beat and key in your take and generates bass, drums and keys from them. The instruments themselves are free to play.
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Lyrics and animations Pro
Musaic transcribes your lyrics, times them word by word and shows them in the video. Animate turns every line into a small scene.
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Fix audio Pro
Sing one passage of a layer again and keep the rest of the take.
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No account
Nothing to sign up for and nothing to log in to. Pro is an App Store subscription on your Apple ID.
Acapella has a discover tab and in-app collabs. You can find singers you do not know yet and record a song together with them. Musaic has nothing like that. Acapella has been around since 2015 and has many more ratings than Musaic, and it runs on Apple Vision Pro.
Musaic is a recording app, not a social network. There is no account and no feed. Your video goes where your audience already is: TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube.
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Is Musaic a good alternative to Acapella?
If you record the parts of a song yourself and want one split-screen video, yes. Musaic needs no account, records up to 10 layers with no time limit in the free version, and adds a timeline, per-layer effects, lyrics and chord detection. If you want to find other singers inside the app and collaborate with them, Acapella is the better fit, because Musaic has no community.
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Do I need an account to use Musaic?
No. Musaic has no account and no sign-in. Pro is an App Store subscription on your Apple ID. Acapella needs its own account to collaborate with other people, separate from your Apple ID.
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How much does Musaic cost compared to Acapella?
Musaic is free, and Musaic Pro costs $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year in the US. Acapella is free, and its subscriptions cost $9.99 a month or $47.99 a year, with one-time purchases for recording length and frames on top. Prices from the US App Store on 27 September 2026.
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Can I collaborate with other people in Musaic?
Yes, with people you already know. You send the whole project as an iCloud link or a .musaic file, and the other person gets an editable copy with every take. There is no feed and no way to find strangers to sing with, and sharing is free.
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Can I fix one line without recording the whole part again?
In Musaic, yes. Fix audio records a new version of one passage inside a layer and keeps the rest of the take. It is part of Musaic Pro. Acapella's help center describes redoing a whole grid.
Musaic - Recording Studio is free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. Musaic Pro adds lyrics, animations, chord detection and Fix audio, and removes the watermark.
Acapella: its App Store page and its help center, read on 27 September 2026. Acapella is a trademark of Mixcord Inc. This page is mine and not connected to Mixcord. If something here is out of date, tell me and I will fix it.