Ranking updated
Apps to make songs and music
There are two ways to make a song on a phone. Suno does it with AI: describe the song in words, hum a melody or upload a recording, and it returns a full track with lyrics and vocals in any genre. BandLab is a mobile studio to record vocals, build beats with a drum machine and looper and tune vocals with AutoPitch, with SongStarter to generate ideas. GarageBand from Apple gives touch instruments, Live Loops and multitrack recording on iPhone and iPad.
How we picked: music creation apps from a seller shown as a trader in the App Store, with features from each app’s own description. We do not quote plan prices or limits; check the app before you subscribe.
Suno: a whole song from one idea
Suno turns an idea into a full song from a single text prompt, a hummed tune, a tapped beat or an uploaded recording, in genres from hip hop and pop to rock, jazz and electronic. Its AI lyrics generator writes words from any material, so a poem or a set of notes can become a song.
BandLab: a studio in your pocket
BandLab is a mobile studio to record vocals, make beats and mix demos. It has virtual instruments and effect presets, a drum machine, sampler and looper, SongStarter to generate royalty-free song ideas with AI, AutoPitch to tune vocals to the key of the song, and a social platform to collaborate with other creators.
GarageBand: instruments and recording on iPhone
GarageBand turns an iPhone or iPad into touch instruments and a recording studio. Live Loops let you trigger loops like a DJ, you can plug in a guitar or bass and play through amps and stompbox effects, record multitrack songs and download free instruments and loops from the Sound Library. To tune a real instrument first, see guitar tuner apps. To name a song you just heard, see song identification apps.
| App | How you make music | Standout feature | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| SunoApp StoreGoogle Play | AI from a text prompt, humming, a beat or an upload | full songs with vocals and AI lyrics | iOS, Android |
| BandLabApp StoreGoogle Play | record, build beats, mix in a mobile studio | SongStarter AI ideas, AutoPitch, collaboration | iOS, Android |
| GarageBandApp Store | touch instruments, Live Loops, recording | multitrack recording and guitar amps | iOS, iPadOS |
Frequently asked questions
Which app makes a song with AI?
Suno writes a full song with lyrics and vocals from a text prompt, a hummed melody or an uploaded recording. BandLab SongStarter generates song ideas you can build on.
Can I record my own vocals and beats on a phone?
Yes. BandLab records vocals, builds beats and auto-tunes them with AutoPitch, and GarageBand records multitrack songs on iPhone and iPad.
Is there a music maker for Android?
Suno and BandLab work on Android; GarageBand is only for iPhone and iPad.