Simmons Drums Advanced vs MIDI Drum
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Simmons Drums Advanced
Record, edit, and add custom sounds to your electronic drum kits. This app allows you to create a personalized sound library and improve your playing with playback manipulation tools.
- Record real-world sounds
- Edit custom samples
- Add sounds to drum kits
- Create a personal sound library
- Remote kit and sound editing
- Play Along function with speed manipulation
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Simmons Drums Advanced is designed to extend the capabilities of the SD1200, SD1250, and SD2000 electronic drum kits. Use this app to record real-world sounds with your iPhone or iPad — anytime, anywhere. Later, edit your unique samples and add them to your kit. The result is a nearly a limitless personal library of samples and soundscapes for your Simmons Module. You can now remotely edit and save your drum kits and sounds with your iOS device using a user-friendly interface. There are also some great tools for improving your playing such as the “Play Along"" function that allows you to choose songs from your iOS's music library and manipulate the playback speed so you can slow down a song to learn the groove. SD2000 Users will need an Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter and USB cable to connect the kit drum module to their iOS device.
MIDI Drum
Create and perform drum patterns with an 8-track sequencer. Connect to external instruments and apps via Bluetooth or USB MIDI. Share your creations and explore a library of user-made songs.
- 8-track drum sequencer
- User-friendly interface
- Live performance mode
- General MIDI sound source
- Bluetooth LE and USB MIDI support
- Song library for sharing
- Export Standard MIDI Files (paid add-on)
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Key Features: - 8-track drum sequencer - Simple, user-friendly interface - Display and edit 4 to 48 steps across 4 cycles on a single screen - Live performance with up to 6 toggleable blocks - Built-in sound source compliant with General MIDI - Compatible with electronic instruments via MIDI connection (e.g., Casiotone, PortaTone, InstaChord) - Connection options: Bluetooth LE MIDI or USB MIDI - Extend sound sources by connecting with other apps such as bs-16i - Can be operated via external MIDI devices, keyboards, and page-turning switches - Song library for sharing self-created data and downloading from other users - Export Standard MIDI Files (SMF) – available as a paid add-on *Loading data created by other users is free. *In-app purchases apply across all devices. Official Website (Japanese): https://instachord.com/product/midi-drum/ User Manual (English): https://kantan-music.notion.site/MIDI-Drum-Manual-5976bdeba4f04900851f0e3c9ae247d6 Song Library: https://instachord.com/community/drum-data/ Developer: bismark [https://www.bismark.jp/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MIDI Drum at 3.7 against Simmons Drums Advanced's 2.4. Simmons Drums Advanced's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (9 vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. MIDI Drum sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Simmons Drums Advanced asks for nothing beyond the download.
MIDI Drum holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 3 respectively.
Simmons Drums Advanced ships an update monthly, MIDI Drum every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simmons Drums Advanced | MIDI Drum |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.4 (9 ratings) | 3.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 9 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.3 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 93 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Simmons Innovations Ltd | InstaChord Corp. |
Customer experience
Simmons Drums Advanced
MIDI Drum
In-app purchases
Simmons Drums Advanced
No in-app purchases
MIDI Drum
- Save in proprietary format$4.99
- Export as SMF$4.99
Questions
Is Simmons Drums Advanced free?
Is MIDI Drum free?
Which has better reviews, Simmons Drums Advanced or MIDI Drum?
Do Simmons Drums Advanced or MIDI Drum have ads?
Which is updated more often, Simmons Drums Advanced or MIDI Drum?
Other comparisons
