# FunkBox Drum Machine — user reviews

> 178 indexed App Store user reviews of FunkBox Drum Machine by Synthetic Bits, LLC, rated 4.20/5 from 69 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/funkbox-drum-machine/id350437349/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/funkbox-drum-machine/id350437349.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 48 · 4★ 8 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 9

## What do users think of FunkBox Drum Machine?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Excellent little classic drum machine with sequencer
- 👍 Great for messing around with some beats offline
- 👍 Usability and interface are superb (even moreso on an iPad)
- 👍 Samples sound good
- 👍 Fun, fast and simple keep inspiration at the forefront
- 👍 Lovely vintage drum machine emulation
- 👍 Faithful delivery of classic analogue drum sounds
- 👍 Irresistible visual interface
- 👍 Flawless emulation of classic drum machines
- 👍 Versatile, easy to program, and sounds amazing
- 👍 Excellent for jamming and composing beats
- 👍 Crisp and clean vintage drum samples
- 👍 Comprehensive MIDI integration capabilities
- 👍 Incredibly well-thought-out interface and workflow
- 👍 Excellent for live performance and recording

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashes whenever trying to open settings
- 🐛 App won't close, have to reboot every time
- 🐛 Saving patterns not working, crashes
- 🐛 Cannot access the settings, puts me back to Home Screen
- 🐛 Midi is a pain, always asks about Bluetooth, doesn't stay set
- 🐛 Mixer section is really buggy
- 🐛 Kept crashing when trying to edit samples
- 🐛 Occasional crashes on iPhone 4
- 🔋 Background audio causing battery drain that can't be turned off
- 💤 Dated, no updates in 7 years, including crashes

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Crashes on iOS 7 for iPhone 5s
- Presets disappearing after update, unable to load saved banks

**Most requested features**

- Please refresh and update the app a bit
- Add ability to customize drum sounds beyond just volume and panning
- Implement copy/paste functionality for sequences
- Allow programming in 3/4 time signature
- Add ability to adjust the pitch and tuning of drum sounds
- Implement song mode to chain patterns together
- Add ability to export each instrument as a separate WAV file
- Implement Ableton Link support
- Add ability to adjust the speed of the roll button
- Implement more effects and sound manipulation options
- Add a drop-down list for recalling presets instead of individual buttons

## Newest reviews (13 of 178)

### 4/5 — needs an update to be an AU!

*2026-05-07, version 4.0.1*

great app otherwise but thats a big blocker for modern use

### 4/5 — Can’t access settings

*2024-11-10, version 4.0.1*

Cannot access the settings. It puts me back to the Home Screen. Otherwise great app!

### 5/5 — Super useable drum machine

*2022-06-16, version 4.0.1*

I play and record a bunch of different instruments but I’m nowhere near a competent (on time) drummer. For the styles I play (hip hop/soul), FunkBox allows me to create amazing grooves with timeless sounds. Honestly not sure why this app doesn’t have more reviews. It has so many of the classic drum machines that I grew up hearing. 

Took me a while to figure out that if you tap on the image of the drum machine in the ‘Box’ tab, that you can build your own drum machine from the samples of each classic machine. 

The only issue I have so far is that I can’t figure out (or it needs to be added) how to start/stop the drum machine while in any tab other than the ‘Funk’ tab.

### 5/5 — Love it but

*2021-09-24, version 4.0.1*

Have to give 5* but please someone help with a video on saving patterns. I always seem to overwrite them. The Load/Save procedure is labrinthical

### 5/5 — Favorite App of All Time

*2021-07-16, version 4.0.1*

This app has literally stayed on my home screen for 4 consecutive iPhones. No exaggeration, it is to me the greatest app ever made.

### 5/5 — Great

*2021-01-20, version 4.0.1*

I've used this a lot, even live at shows!  Awesome!  Only wish it had fills.

### 5/5 — Great drum machine

*2020-08-11, version 4.0.1*

Being an “old guy” that once had to shell out hundreds if not thousands of dollars for analog gear, I have to laugh when I see a complaint like the idiot Oonion’s that the app didn’t have a paste feature. Oh , sob sob, I have to enter all 2 bars of a pattern by hand. Talk about spoiled little brats.
This app is wonderful for all that it does. I highly recommend it for use in all sorts of situations. Price is fine. $5, big deal. I spent $6 just the other day on a fruit torte, this app lasts much longer.
Yeah, it won’t make your lunch and clean the house but you’ll have hours of enjoyable beat making. Yeah it has limitations but that’s the beauty of a specific piece of gear, you work within those parameters. 
Just get it, and make some music.

### 5/5 — Useful part of my music making

*2020-07-06, version 4.0.1*

Easy to build patterns, great sound set.

Would love to see more sample packs, and beat patterns.

### 4/5 — Could use an update

*2020-06-08, version 4.0.1*

As much as I love this app, the sounds can't be customized beyond simple volume and panning. Sound design would be a great inclusion to drum machines like the 909 and the 606, which originally allowed the user to tweak the synthesized sounds they created. If I were able to adjust the tone of a kick drum, or the decay of a snare drum, etc. , I would love the app even more.

Thanks for you time!

### 4/5 — 音は素晴らしいですが

*2020-05-14, version 4.0.1*

ドラムパッドが同時に2音までしか対応していないのが残念でした。

### 5/5 — Solid & Genius

*2020-03-22, version 4.0.1*

I’ve professionally worked with 
music technology since the 90’s
With music tech apps always a 
glitch or bug somewhere 

This FunkBox is as near perfect as you can get, the more you delve the greater 
it is. The sonic quality is excellent.
Well done guys and thank you 
Never been happier with a music tech app

### 2/5 — 2 stars

*2019-09-15, version 4.0.1*

This is missing really basic functions. For one, you can’t copy/paste sequences. So I can’t copy steps 1-8 and paste to 9-16, for example. Worse, you have to program all 64 steps so if you want to set up a quick 8 or 16 steps, forget it.

I emailed the developer to ask about copy/paste thinking I might be missing how to do it, and didn’t get a response, so there’s that. 

The mixer section is really buggy. 

I bought this app to quickly get some beats going to play instruments along with, but tbh it’s quicker for me to just use ableton. 

This is a good example of why I rarely pay over .99 for an app.

### 5/5 — Best drum app I have used.

*2019-09-06, version 4.0.1*

This is by far the best drum machine app I have ever used

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Lame

*2026-04-03, version 4.0.1*

Mega lame

### 1/5 — Abandonware ⚰️☠️✋🏼🚮🚫

*2025-07-10, version 4.0.1*

It’s dead, Jim

### 1/5 — Dated, crashes

*2024-10-30, version 4.0.1*

All the sounds are there, but no updates in 7 years means this is now horribly dated, including crashes, and most importantly, saving patterns not working. Save your money

### 1/5 — Crashes on settings

*2024-01-04, version 4.0.1*

I do like very much the layout, use, and sounds. However, crashes whenever I try to open settings. No response from tech support.

### 1/5 — Took over my phone!

*2023-12-07, version 4.0.1*

Sounded promising, but the app won’t close. 
I have to reboot every time I use it.

### 1/5 — Abandoned ware?

*2021-12-01, version 4.0.1*

This was a nifty app. Seems it’s become abandoned.

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work with AUM

*2019-12-18, version 4.0.1*

The Midi is a pain, it always ask about Bluetooth. It does not stay set to the way I set the midi.

### 1/5 — Lost interest in five minutes

*2018-09-14, version 4.0.1*

What, was this app developed in 1992?

### 1/5 — херня

*2014-09-22, version 3.4*

не покупайте. нет реальной пользы.

### 1/5 — Opi

*2014-09-15, version 3.4*

E uma bosta !!!!!!!!!

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Old drumbox maravilhoso

*2026-05-13, version 4.0.1*

Quem conhece o conceito de drumbox vai amar! Vc pode usar as baterias eletrônicas vintages mais clássicas e aí dá pode misturar os sons e fazer uma bateria personalizada. Uso há mais de 10 anos nos discos que faço e seguirei usando.

### 5/5 — It crashes…

*2026-04-27, version 4.0.1*

I love this “Machine” very much.
Sounds, functions, so excellent !!!
But, when I try to change the pattern storage, It Crashes.
Please improve the fact that the app is not catching up with the OS.

### 5/5 — Lovely drum machine!

*2025-11-16, version 4.0.1*

Excellent little classic drum machine with sequencer. Great for messing around with some beats offline.

### 5/5 — Please refresh update a bit

*2025-03-29, version 4.0.1*

So good. Just worried because it’s been a long haul since this genius bit of kit has been refreshed

### 5/5 — Incredible

*2024-05-01, version 4.0.1*

The usability and interface are superb (even moreso on an iPad). Samples sound good too. Fun, fast and simple keep inspiration at the forefront.

Thanks you all!!

### 5/5 — Rippin

*2023-12-06, version 4.0.1*

Love this app, recommend it often, and use all the time for writing and for break beats in tunes!

### 5/5 — Still great after all these years

*2023-03-03, version 4.0.1*

Until/unless Uli ever makes good on his promise to clone the hardware, this remains the best CR78 emulation out there. And 808. 909, OBX… and so on. Brilliant, brilliant app!

### 5/5 — Отлично!

*2022-08-24, version 4.0.1*

Но обновите, чтобы нормально смотрелось на современных телефонах.

### 5/5 — The Best Drum Machine

*2022-08-18, version 4.0.1*

This is an amazing Drum machine for 5.00. The only thing is I wish it had a randomizer for drum patterns.

### 5/5 — Love this APP, you get out what you put In

*2022-08-12, version 4.0.1*

Used this on a few of my tracks or just to get ideas.  Make a loop and then bounce it to audio. 

Once in audio you can either leave “as-is” or convert that audio to midi in ableton and then fill in w samples from the same drum machine.  It will keep the same groove or swing from the box but you can then compress, buss or effect each individual sound. 

Use it as a starter to get you somewhere else.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-12.*