# Handpan vs Calliope Sim

The clearest difference is price: Calliope Sim at Free against Handpan's $2.99. Calliope Sim also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). Handpan's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Calliope Sim is free to download; Handpan costs $2.99 up front. Calliope Sim sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Handpan asks for nothing beyond the download.

Calliope Sim holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handpan has 21 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Handpan ships an update every 8 months, Calliope Sim every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Handpan | Calliope Sim |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.8 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handpan/id1181177442/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calliope-sim/id6740209595/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **21** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 36.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 30 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aliaksei Vatutsin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1181177441) | [Alper Kahriman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1054578352) |

## What reviewers say

### Handpan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handpan/id1181177442)

This music application transforms your smartphone into a realistic Hang instrument simulator. It offers high-quality sounds, intuitive design, and is suitable for musicians of all levels. Record, save, and play your own tunes with ease.

**Highlights:** Hang instrument simulation, High-quality audio, Low latency playback, Sound customization, Record and save tunes, Intuitive interface

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Calliope Sim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calliope-sim/id6740209595)

Experience the nostalgic charm of traditional fairgrounds and circuses with this realistic calliope simulator. It offers authentic sounds and advanced features like microtonal tuning and reverb for expressive musical performances. Record and share your creations easily.

**Highlights:** Authentic calliope sound sample, Microtonal tuning, Transpose adjustment, Reverb effects, Chorus mode, Dynamic key sensitivity, Built-in recorder, Shareable performances

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Get Premium | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Handpan free?

Handpan costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Calliope Sim free?

Calliope Sim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Handpan or Calliope Sim?

Calliope Sim is rated higher. Handpan averages 3.8 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Calliope Sim averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Handpan or Calliope Sim have ads?

Calliope Sim shows ads; Handpan does not.

### Which is updated more often, Handpan or Calliope Sim?

Handpan ships an update every 8 months, and Calliope Sim every 3 months. Most recently, Handpan was updated on August 24, 2026 and Calliope Sim on September 13, 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.*