# Beat Station vs DrumComputer

The clearest difference is monetization model: DrumComputer at free against Beat Station's subscription. DrumComputer also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (81% vs 64%). Beat Station's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Beat Station sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and DrumComputer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DrumComputer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 498 and 621 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Beat Station's written reviews are positive against 81% of DrumComputer's.

Beat Station ships an update every 5 weeks, DrumComputer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Beat Station | DrumComputer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (498 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beat-station-drum-machine/id1207156644/reviews) | **[4.8 (621 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumcomputer-synthetic-beats/id1502238351/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 498 | **621** |
| Positive reviews | 63.9% of reviews | **81.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 209 MB | 1.6 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sonar Multimedia](https://appshunter.io/developer/992774946) | [Sugar Bytes GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/614418826) |

## What reviewers say

### Beat Station

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beat-station-drum-machine/id1207156644)

This app provides a versatile drum machine for musicians, offering realistic drum sets and extensive loop libraries. It allows for real-time control of song sections and hands-free operation via a Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard, enhancing practice, production, and live performance.

**Highlights:** Realistic drum sets, Extensive drum loop library, Multiple control modes (Loop, Pedal, Song), Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard support, Inter-App Audio and background audio, Export songs as audio files, MIDI implementation and DAW integration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beat Station Pro (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Beat Station Pro (Yearly) | $22.99 | per year |
| Beat Station Pro (Lifetime) | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Versatile beat options
- 🎸 Great for guitarists and musicians
- 🎧 Realistic drum sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription-only model
- 🔒 Lack of one-time purchase option
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 💸 Perceived as overpriced

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues (unable to restore purchases)
- App freezing or closing unexpectedly
- Blank tutorial screens
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between beats

**Requested features**

- More beat variety (Latin, jazz, waltz, etc.)
- Ability to import custom drum samples
- Tempo and style changes within a song
- Midi export option
- Better tutorial and customer support


### DrumComputer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumcomputer-synthetic-beats/id1502238351)

This app is a powerful tool for creating synthetic drum sounds using a variety of synthesis methods and sequencers. It offers intelligent randomization, flexible modulation, and pattern editing to generate unique beats and explore new sonic possibilities.

**Highlights:** 8 multi-layer sound engines, Flexible modulation matrix, Intelligent randomizers for sound generation, 16-step sequencer with pattern generation, AUv3 plugin and standalone support, MIDI file export and multiple outputs, Preset iCloud sync and sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DrumComputer Full Version | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best iOS drum machine
- 👍 Wicked easy to use interface
- 👍 Great sound and workflow
- 👍 Powerful and flexible sequencer
- 👍 Tons of customization options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔋 High CPU usage and battery drain
- 👎 Confusing and complex interface
- 👎 Lack of MIDI mapping for live use
- 👎 Inability to record beats from pads

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup with iOS 14.2
- Inability to import samples in some cases
- MIDI out only supports single channel

**Requested features**

- Add real-time beat recording
- Improve MIDI mapping capabilities
- Add randomization options for tempo, sequence length, and mixing
- Improve preset management (ability to delete presets)
- Optimize for better performance and battery life


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Beat Station free?

Beat Station is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is DrumComputer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Beat Station or DrumComputer?

DrumComputer is rated higher. Beat Station averages 4.5 out of 5 from 498 ratings, while DrumComputer averages 4.8 from 621 ratings.

### Do Beat Station or DrumComputer have ads?

Neither Beat Station nor DrumComputer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Beat Station or DrumComputer?

Beat Station ships an update every 5 weeks, and DrumComputer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Beat Station was updated on November 1, 2026 and DrumComputer on October 29, 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.*