Novation has done for FL Studio what the Launchpad did for Ableton Live: two 8x8 grid controllers, built with Image-Line, that put the Channel Rack under your fingers.
The FLpad (€199) and FLpad Mini (€109) share the same layout, the same 16 dedicated buttons and the same FL Studio views. The difference is the pads. The FLpad gets full-size, velocity-sensitive pads with aftertouch; the Mini gets smaller fixed-velocity pads in a 180 mm square that weighs 380 g. Everything else, from the step sequencer to the pattern launcher, is identical.
Novation's pitch is that FLpad turns FL Studio into a hybrid groovebox. Having spent years clicking steps into the Channel Rack with a mouse, we get the appeal.
What both controllers share
- The Channel Rack on the grid. Pads light up in your channel colours, so what you see on the controller matches what you see on screen.
- A real step sequencer. Program up to 4 instruments at once and zoom between 4x, 2x and 1x views for quick sketches or detailed edits.
- Note view with scales and drum layouts. Play chromatically or locked to a scale, or switch to FPC, Slicex and Fruity Slicer layouts for drums and chopped samples.
- Patterns, mixer and Graph Edit. Launch and build patterns, ride levels with on-pad faders in the Channel Rack Mixer view, and shape velocity and other note properties in Graph Edit.
- Shift functions for the boring stuff. Clone loop, pattern length, channel mutes and pan, tempo, quantise, redo and Score Log, all without reaching for the mouse.
- Custom Modes. Up to 4 user layouts via Novation Components, so the grid also works as a MIDI controller for other software and hardware.
- A generous bundle. 6 months of FL Studio Producer Edition, instruments and effects from UVI, Klevgrand and GForce, and Melodics finger-drumming lessons.
Both connect over USB-C, run on bus power and need FL Studio 2026 (26.1.6 or later) for the full integration.
FLpad: the one for finger drummers
At 240 × 240 × 17.6 mm and 820 g, the FLpad is the same footprint as a Launchpad X. The pads use Novation's force-sensing technology, so they respond to how hard you hit them, and they send aftertouch in Custom Modes. If you play drums and melodies in rather than programming them, this is the one to get.
FLpad Mini: the one for the laptop bag
The Mini shrinks everything to 180 × 180 × 14.2 mm and 380 g. You keep every view and every shortcut, but the pads are fixed velocity with no aftertouch. That's fine for step sequencing, launching patterns and mixing, and less fine for expressive finger drumming. For €90 less, it's the cheapest way to get FL Studio off the mouse.
How they compare
| FLpad | FLpad Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (incl. VAT) | €199 | €109 |
| Pads | 64 full-size RGB, velocity-sensitive, aftertouch | 64 mini RGB, fixed velocity |
| Dedicated buttons | 16 | 16 |
| FL Studio views | Sequencer, Note, Patterns, Channel Rack, Mixer, Graph Edit | Same |
| Custom Modes | Up to 4 | Up to 4 |
| Connection | USB-C, bus-powered | USB-C, bus-powered |
| Size / weight | 240 × 240 × 17.6 mm, 820 g | 180 × 180 × 14.2 mm, 380 g |
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Who buys which
Get the FLpad if you finger drum, play melodies in by hand, or want the pads to respond to how hard you hit them.
Get the FLpad Mini if you mostly sequence, launch patterns and mix, you produce on a laptop away from a desk, or you're buying your first controller.
Look elsewhere if you don't use FL Studio. Both work as MIDI controllers through Custom Modes, but Ableton Live users are better served by a Launchpad X, and if you want keys as well as pads, the FLkey 2 range covers FL Studio with a keyboard. Neither FLpad has a 5-pin MIDI output or works standalone.
Quick Specs
- Pads: 64 RGB in an 8x8 grid (FLpad: velocity-sensitive with aftertouch; Mini: fixed velocity)
- Buttons: 16 dedicated (navigation, Sequencer, Note, Custom Modes, Shift, Patterns, Channel Rack, Channel Mixer, Graph Edit, Clear, Undo, Play, Record)
- Connection: USB-C, USB bus-powered, Kensington lock slot
- Software: FL Studio 2026 (26.1.6 or later) integration; FL Studio Producer Edition 6-month licence included
- In the box: Controller, 1.5 m USB-C to USB-A cable
Pros & Cons
Pros: deep FL Studio integration with no mapping, a step sequencer you can play, slim bus-powered design, a strong software bundle at both prices.
Cons: no 5-pin or TRS MIDI out and no standalone mode, no encoders or faders, and the Mini's fixed-velocity pads limit expressive playing.
Where to Buy
- Both are listed at Soundium now as pre-order, with first units expected in November 2026 (Novation opens EU shipping in early October).
- The EARLY5 code takes 5% off while they are in pre-order.
- 3-year warranty on both controllers.
Pre-order FLpad · €199 Pre-order FLpad Mini · €109
Final Thoughts
FL Studio has always been a mouse-first DAW, and that's part of its charm. FLpad doesn't change that, it just gives the Channel Rack a body. If you've ever wished you could jam a pattern into FL the way Launchpad users jam into Live, this is it. Pick the FLpad for feel, the Mini for price and portability.
Still Unsure?
Tell us how you make music and we'll help you pick between the two. Drop us a message before you order.
Soundium