# DrumToolz vs Tempo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DrumToolz at none against Tempo's 1. Tempo's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tempo sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year. DrumToolz asks for nothing beyond the download.

DrumToolz ships an update monthly, Tempo every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DrumToolz | Tempo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (270 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumtoolz/id1461677465/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **270** | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 93 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jared Simon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1385840653) | [Dean Hetherington](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509933480) |

## What reviewers say

### DrumToolz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumtoolz/id1461677465)

Compose and practice drum cadences and beats on your mobile device. This app allows manual input of exercises, generation of new ideas, and practice of rudiments. Share your creations and learn from a community of drummers.

**Highlights:** Compose drum cadences and beats, Manual exercise input, Generate new rhythmic ideas, Editable music score, Practice snare rudiments, Library of dynamic exercises, Social profile and sharing

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for writing music
- 👍 Helpful for drumline
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Good sounds
- 👍 Good for practice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tutorial not helpful
- 🐛 Hard to find features
- 🐛 UI issues
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Saves progress poorly

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and deletes progress
- App won't open
- Repeat function doesn't stop
- Repeat save fails
- Accents, diddles, flams added automatically

**Requested features**

- Turn off metronome
- Add rum shot for snare
- Add rim shots for other drums
- Add triplets, fivelets, sixlets
- Add dynamics (forte, piano)


### Tempo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tempo-simple-drum-notation/id6761008432)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $14.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DrumToolz free?

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

### Is Tempo free?

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

### Do DrumToolz or Tempo have ads?

Neither DrumToolz nor Tempo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DrumToolz or Tempo?

DrumToolz ships an update monthly, and Tempo every 5 days. Most recently, DrumToolz was updated on September 21, 2026 and Tempo on September 12, 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.*