# Drum Pad Machine vs Drum Set

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Drum Set at none against Drum Pad Machine's 5. Drum Set also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Drum Pad Machine's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 33%) and ratings volume (675K vs 416). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drum Pad Machine sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. Drum Set asks for nothing beyond the download.

Drum Pad Machine holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drum Pad Machine has 675K ratings behind it against 416, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Drum Pad Machine's written reviews are positive against 33% of Drum Set's.

Drum Pad Machine ships an update every 3 months, Drum Set every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drum Pad Machine | Drum Set |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (675K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-pad-machine-beat-maker/id1057968965/reviews)** | [4.4 (416 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-set-real-pad-machine-hd/id1506126294/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **675K** | 416 |
| Positive reviews | **63.3% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#194** | — |
| Size | 230 MB | 467 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Easybrain Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1190815537) | [Satomi Uchida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1340507560) |

## What reviewers say

### Drum Pad Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-pad-machine-beat-maker/id1057968965)

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Create professional-quality music and unique tracks with a variety of styles and sound packs. Utilize instruments, FX, and sequencing for creative sound design. Learn through beat school lessons and share your creations instantly.

**Highlights:** Multiple music styles (Hip-hop, Trap, House, etc.), Professional sound packs, Drum and Piano instruments, Sequencing with tempo and EQ, Beat School lessons, Quick music sharing

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drum Pad Machine Pro - Weekly | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Music Beat Maker Premium | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Drum Pad Machine Pro - Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Beatmaker Premium | $14.99 | per month |
| Drum Pad Machine Pro - Annual | $46.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Incredible music-making experience
- 👍 Easy to learn and use
- 🎶 Wide variety of music genres and beats
- 🎓 Helpful tutorials and lessons
- 🎧 High-quality sound samples

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤬 Excessive and repetitive ads
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional glitches and crashes
- 🤔 Limited customization options
- ⏱️ Lessons and tutorials move too fast

**Reported bugs**

- Recordings sometimes stop unexpectedly
- Difficulty registering multiple button presses simultaneously
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add a search function to find specific beats
- Allow users to create and share their own custom beats
- Implement a pause/resume feature for recordings
- Provide more granular control over tempo and timing


### Drum Set

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-set-real-pad-machine-hd/id1506126294)

Practice drumming with a realistic finger drum pad. This app offers high-quality sounds, customizable drum positions, and a metronome for practice and jam sessions. Record your performances and loop them for further development.

**Highlights:** Realistic finger drum pads, High-quality drum sounds, Customizable drum positions, Metronome with BPM control, Recording and looping functions, Abundant color variations

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drum Pad Machine free?

Drum Pad Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Drum Set free?

Drum Set is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Drum Pad Machine or Drum Set?

Drum Pad Machine is rated higher. Drum Pad Machine averages 4.6 out of 5 from 675K ratings, while Drum Set averages 4.4 from 416 ratings.

### Do Drum Pad Machine or Drum Set have ads?

Both Drum Pad Machine and Drum Set show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drum Pad Machine or Drum Set?

Drum Pad Machine ships an update every 3 months, and Drum Set every 5 weeks. Most recently, Drum Pad Machine was updated on October 30, 2026 and Drum Set on October 27, 2026.

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