# PlayBacker for iPad vs Pulsar

The clearest difference is price: Pulsar at $4.99 against PlayBacker for iPad's $15.99. Pulsar also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

PlayBacker for iPad costs $15.99 and Pulsar $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

PlayBacker for iPad ships an update every 5 months, Pulsar every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PlayBacker for iPad | Pulsar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $15.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | — | **[4.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-es-drum-machine/id1661825756/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 15 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [INTEGRAL SOUND DESIGN](https://appshunter.io/developer/916683944) | [Dmytro Kiro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621893756) |

## What reviewers say

### PlayBacker for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playbacker-for-ipad/id1022215859)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pulsar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-es-drum-machine/id1661825756)

This music app provides a virtual drum machine with 8 pads for improvising and playing along to built-in rhythm presets. It features real-time rhythm switching, tempo control, and various effects. It also supports Ableton Link and MIDI for seamless integration with other music software and hardware.

**Highlights:** 8-pad drum machine, Built-in rhythm presets, Real-time rhythm switching, Tempo and accent control, Drive, reverb, and filter effects, Ableton Link synchronization, MIDI In/Out support, AUv3 compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PlayBacker for iPad free?

PlayBacker for iPad costs $15.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pulsar free?

Pulsar costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do PlayBacker for iPad or Pulsar have ads?

Neither PlayBacker for iPad nor Pulsar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PlayBacker for iPad or Pulsar?

PlayBacker for iPad ships an update every 5 months, and Pulsar every 3 weeks. Most recently, PlayBacker for iPad was updated on October 29, 2026 and Pulsar on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*