mpump

mpump is a free browser groovebox for building beats and passing editable patterns through links. It suits beat-makers who want an accessible place to sketch and exchange grooves; its most consequential limitation is that live collaboration depends on a relay users must provide themselves.

Overview

mpump treats a beat link as a working session rather than a finished audio share: recipients can change the groove and send a new version. That makes it useful for asynchronous idea-swapping without accounts. The maker says music stays on the user's device and that the app does not use personal tracking; its source is published under the AGPL-3.0 license.

Key features

The browser instrument set combines drums, bass, synth, a mixer, and effects with real-time synthesis. Patterns, arpeggiators, and Euclidean rhythms give beat-makers several ways to shape sequences. MIDI support, sample import, hybrid sequencing, and live-performance tools broaden its role beyond a basic drum machine.

WAV recording captures audio, while JSON session export and import preserve editable session data. The PWA supports offline use after its first load, useful for continuing work without a connection. MIDI clock synchronization and an Ableton Link bridge connect mpump with Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Bitwig, Traktor, djay, and other Link-enabled apps.

Live Jam supports up to 4 peers and Live Set up to 49 listeners. Both are opt-in, but the public hosted relay is offline, so these live features require users to run their own relay. That is a substantial setup caveat for anyone expecting collaboration to work out of the box.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing, billed Free. It includes the browser groovebox, drums, bass, synth, effects, and shareable beat links. That makes mpump a low-commitment choice for sketching and sharing; there is no paid tier described for expanding beyond this plan.

Platforms

mpump is available on the web, Android, and iOS. Its PWA supports offline use after the first load, which helps when a connection is unavailable. The browser-based format is a fit for users who want access across devices, while live collaboration still hinges on a user-provided relay.

Who it's for

Choose mpump for free beat-making, editable link-based sharing, and synchronization with Link-enabled music apps. It is less suitable for groups that need turnkey live collaboration, since the hosted relay is offline and setting up a relay is left to users.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free access includes a browser groovebox with drums, bass, synth, and effects, without an account-based workflow.
• Pros: Editable beat links support iterative sharing, while WAV recording and JSON session exchange cover audio and session handoff.
• Pros: Offline PWA use after the first load and MIDI clock/Ableton Link synchronization add flexibility beyond online beat sketching.
• Cons: Live Jam and Live Set require a user-provided relay while the public relay is offline, adding a setup burden to collaboration.

Alternatives

Drum Machine Software is a broader category directory for comparing drum-machine options.

Pick Zenbeats instead if you want a freemium music-production app across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, with basic production features and access to an in-app store in its free version.

Hydrogen is a free alternative for Linux, macOS, and Windows users; 0x808 is another free option for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

For a paid desktop alternative with a free trial, consider Atlas 2 at $99, paid once, with installation on 3 machines. Beatmaker 3 offers paid genre-focused drum instruments, from $49, paid once for an individual title to $99.50, paid once for its 17-instrument bundle.

Playbeat 4, DrumComputer, and Punch 2 are paid alternatives with free trials. Playbeat 4 costs €89, paid once, DrumComputer costs $129, paid once, and Punch 2 costs $149, paid once with installation on 2 computer systems.

Verdict

mpump is a strong fit for beat-makers who want a free, browser-based groovebox with editable sharing, offline PWA use, and music-app synchronization. Choose it for sketching and exchanging sessions; look elsewhere if live group work must function without supplying and operating a relay.