Comparison

BeatMaker 3 vs Drambo

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BeatMaker 3

This music production studio offers an intuitive audio and MIDI workstation, combining desktop software power with hardware efficiency. Create, perform, and record your musical ideas with advanced sampling, sequencing, and mixing tools. Integrate external apps and export your finished tracks.

Highlights
  • Streamlined performance and recording workflow
  • Advanced sampling engine with live stretching
  • Classic timeline and flexible scene-based sequencing
  • Full-fledged mixer with multi-channel routing
  • AUv3 and IAA app integration
  • Inspirational sound library and export options
Read full description

▸ REDEFINING MUSIC PRODUCTION BeatMaker brings unmatched efficiency and depth in an intuitive audio and MIDI workstation. Look no further, the power of traditional desktop software and real hardware is now united into one single production studio. ▸ PLAY • PERFORM • RECORD Its streamlined workflow lets you perform and shape your ideas quickly and effectively, turning your instruments into full productions. Inspirational performance tools such as repeat, roll, swing, key scales & chords and macro controls will boost your creativity tenfold. Take control of it all with your MIDI gear and the new smart binding system. ▸ CRAFT YOUR OWN INSTRUMENTS 128 banks of 128 pads, where each one of them is a full-fledged instrument with multiple dimensions. Record and chop live, assemble, mangle and resample: our state of the art sampling engine will sculpt your ideas, giving life to your instruments with a full modulation and layering system. With ZPlane’s Elastique live stretch and pitch shift, adjust your loops and instruments to match the tempo or go experimental. You can even integrate your favorite synth & effect apps with full AUv3 and IAA support. ▸ PRECISE SEQUENCING The classic timeline based pattern & song editor gives all the modern sequencing features you‘d want to arrange complete tracks. Adding to this foundation, the new flexible Scene Mode opens up opportunities for remixing and live performances, looping and arranging clips in new ways. All the patterns, automations and sequencing tools are available right where you would expect. Add audio tracks to the mix, stretch them, turn your arrangements into a complete masterpiece. You can even play in sync with other software using Ableton Link. ▸ INSPIRATIONAL LIBRARY The ever growing sound store will bring premium and exclusive content to your own library. The genius of our sound designers will enhance your productions instantly, whether you’re looking for a classic 808 bass or exploring new musical genres. ▸ FULL FLEDGED MIXER Multi-channel recording & input/output routing is now a reality with the support of USB audio interfaces. Fine-tune your mix with the modern mixing board: every track, every pad has its own channel with unlimited effects and up to 8 sends. Add new depths to your sound with our palette of effects (internal or external AUv3/IAA). ▸ EXPORT AND SHARE Export your compositions and separated elements into single stems to share, re-use, re-work, re-master within a traditional studio setup Read the full specs on http://intua.net ! ▸ COMPATIBILITY - Works with 32-bits and 64-bits iPads. - Native iPad Pro support - iOS 9.3+ required - Best experience on newer models - iPhone version coming soon ▸ Documentation - Full documentation and tutorials available at http://support.intua.net

About

Drambo

This app offers a flexible sound design experience, allowing users to build beats, create synthesizers, and process audio with effects. Its innovative modular system simplifies connections and organization, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced musicians. It functions as a standalone application or a plugin within a DAW.

Highlights
  • Modular sound design
  • Intuitive cable-less connections
  • Advanced sequencer
  • Standalone and AUv3 plugin
  • Over 140 modules
  • Polyphonic stereo processing
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

"Drambo changes the face of iOS music apps." Cult of Mac Drambo is your all-in-one sound laboratory that adapts to your workflow: build beats as a groovebox, design synths, or transform audio with effects, standalone or inside your favorite DAW. At the core of Drambo is a fresh approach to modular design that makes creating with modules easy, fun, and accessible. Connections happen automatically as you add or move modules, so there are no messy cables to slow you down. The interface adapts to your workflow, generating modulation controls when you need them, and even lets modules contain other modules for perfect organization. You’re always free to override the automatic connections, but most of the time, you can just dive in, experiment, and shape sounds without getting tangled in wires. Use a deep and innovative sequencer to compose patterns and whole tracks, for production or live performance. Go beyond simple looping sequences with parameter locking, conditional step components, parameters automation and powerful scene morphing. Drambo works equally well as a self-contained standalone app or audio unit plugin with audio and MIDI connectivity as an AUV3 instrument, audio effect and MIDI effect. You can use Drambo as • A Complete Studio: Produce entire tracks and perform live in a self-contained, multitrack environment. • An Endless modular playground, that allows you to build, modify and store custom instruments and effects. For instance: build a custom synth, sample and resample, build a Theremin using a gyroscope module, or turn your table into a playable surface, by processing microphone input with physical modelling modules. • An Advanced MIDI Sequencer: Control hardware or AUv3 instruments. Generate custom MIDI CC messages or send modulation signals to physical modular synths via DC-coupled interfaces. • The Ultimate AUv3 Plugin: Load Drambo inside other DAWs as an instrument, audio effect, or MIDI processor. Replace dozens of standard plugins by building your own complex modular delays, reverbs, decimators, or modulators in seconds. • A Unified Audio-Visual Studio (Drambo Visual IAP): Arts united. Step into another realm of modular visual synthesis to build complex generative video art, or seamlessly patch your audio and visual engines together for deeply integrated performances. Features: • Polyphonic, stereo processing and audio-rate modulation. All signals are equal. Up to 16 voices per modular instrument rack. • Unique modular concept: cable-less, drag'n'drop, color coding dynamic interface, automatic connections, and customizable compact, rack views. • Directional flow makes Drambo routing and patching straightforward. Signal flows only left to right, so there are no instant feedback routings in Drambo. Delayed feedback is possible using certain modules. • Simple and clean interface, that scales to every size and device orientation • Over 140 modules available, such as: oscillators, samplers, physical modelling modules, LFOs, envelope generators, filters, audio effects, mixers, MIDI processors, sequencers and math functions. (Includes a macro oscillator based on the famous Eurorack Plaits module, with 24 synth engines) • Custom modular racks that can be nested, with presets at the track, rack, and module level. • Clip launcher / song arrager. • 16-tracks, polyphonic sequencer with parameter locks, automation and step components. 8 dedicated step sequence editor types, piano-roll, powerful automation designer with drawing modes and cubic Bezier curves. • Audio Units hosting ( standalone app only ) • Morph groups: you can morph many parameters using a single slider. • Available as a standalone app, AUv3 instrument, effect and MIDI effect. • MIDI and Ableton Link support Drambo is all about control. Control things that other apps don’t even give you access to. Visit the BeepStreet page for help and tutorials, and Patchstorage for community content.

Screenshots

Drambo4 screens

Verdict

The call

BeatMaker 3 and Drambo both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 87% of Drambo's written reviews are positive against 62% of BeatMaker 3's. Drambo also leads on chart position (#101 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). BeatMaker 3's advantage is ratings volume (4.5K vs 325) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

BeatMaker 3 costs $24.99 and Drambo $24.99 up front. BeatMaker 3 sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Drambo sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for BeatMaker 3 against 4.8 for Drambo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BeatMaker 3 has 4.5K ratings behind it against 325, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of BeatMaker 3's written reviews are positive against 87% of Drambo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
BeatMaker 3 versus Drambo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeatMaker 3Drambo
Price$24.99$24.99
Rating4.7 (4.5K ratings)4.8 (325 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.3% of reviews86.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4.5K — better325
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#101 — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size216 MB144 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperINTUABeepStreet

Customer experience

BeatMaker 3

All ratings4,459 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews467 reviews
Positive62.3%
Neutral10.7%
Negative27.0%

Drambo

All ratings325 ratings
Positive94.8%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews225 reviews
Positive86.7%
Neutral3.1%
Negative10.2%

User reviews

BeatMaker 3

From 4.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful sampler
  • 🚀 Versatile DAW capabilities
  • 👍 Great for live performance
  • 👍 Excellent value for money
  • 👍 Seamless AUv3 integration

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes
  • 🐛 Stability issues with plugins
  • 🐛 Buggy MIDI functionality
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 👎 Confusing file management

Drambo

From 325 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Incredibly powerful and flexible
  • 🎨 Endless creative possibilities
  • 👍 Intuitive and well-designed interface
  • 🔧 Modular synth capabilities
  • 🎛️ Excellent sequencing and groove box features

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 🔒 Limited undo/redo functionality
  • 🔊 Audio export issues (pitch/tempo problems)
  • 🔀 Lack of dedicated audio track support

Bugs and requests

BeatMaker 3

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes when switching sound banks
  • MIDI keyboard disconnects on stop
  • Samples losing sync after export
  • Glitches with AUv3 plugin loading
  • Inconsistent behavior with touch controls

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to rearrange pads
  • Improved MIDI sync and control
  • More sound packs and updates
  • Custom color themes
  • Streamlined project management
Show 1 more
  • Expanded piano roll functionality

Drambo

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Audio cutting out after 5 minutes of use
  • Presets and patches not loading properly
  • Incompatibility with certain iOS devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Stem/track export functionality
  • MIDI CC learn and external control
  • Ableton Link support
  • More parameter control and modulation options
  • Improved piano roll and sequencing tools

In-app purchases

11 purchases

BeatMaker 3

One-time11
  • Starter Pack #1: July 2017Free
  • Starter Pack #2: August 2017Free
  • ThudRumble Gigantic Balls BassFree
Show 8 more
  • Modularism$0.99
  • Aquatronika$0.99
  • Beatlab$0.99
  • Ashes II$0.99
  • Arpism$0.99
  • INTUA 808 Science$1.99
  • MSXII The Constituent$1.99
  • MSXII The Fly Life$1.99
5 purchases

Drambo

One-time5
  • Granular extension$4.99
  • Waves extension$4.99
  • Formants extension$4.99
Show 2 more
  • DSP extensions 1$4.99
  • Visual extension$14.99

Questions

Is BeatMaker 3 free?
BeatMaker 3 costs $24.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Drambo free?
Drambo costs $24.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BeatMaker 3 or Drambo?
Drambo is rated higher. BeatMaker 3 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.5K ratings, while Drambo averages 4.8 from 325 ratings.
Do BeatMaker 3 or Drambo have ads?
Neither BeatMaker 3 nor Drambo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BeatMaker 3 or Drambo?
BeatMaker 3 ships an update monthly, and Drambo monthly. Most recently, BeatMaker 3 was updated on September 25, 2026 and Drambo on September 24, 2026.

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