Comparison

Real Kalimba vs Kalimo

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

Head to head
About

Real Kalimba

Experience the soothing sounds of a thumb piano with this realistic simulator. Slide your fingers to play notes, tune the instrument, and explore various reverb effects. Record your melodies, learn new songs with interactive tutorials, and customize the visual appearance.

Highlights
  • Realistic kalimba sound and visuals
  • Adjustable tine range and tuning
  • Multiple reverb environments
  • Audio recorder with editing and sharing
  • Over 100 songs and 20+ tabs for learning
  • Customizable backgrounds, colors, and key markings
Features
Read full description

A simple and easy to play kalimba simulator also known as a thumb piano. Slide your fingers over the tines and play multiple notes at the same time. Enjoy the visual vibration of the tines! The kalimba is an African musical instrument with a wooden soundboard and metal keys(tines). It is played by holding the instrument in the hands and plucking the tines with the thumbs, the right forefinger, and sometimes the left forefinger. It has a clear, percussive, chimelike timbre. Tuning the Kalimba is now available, easily change the root note or key of the kalimba at the push of a button. The kalimba also contains 16 different reverb spaces. The environment reverb zones change how the kalimba sounds in the various reverb locations. With the new audio recorder, you can now record the kalimba sound, edit it, save the recorded sound or share it with friends that love playing real kalimba as much as you. Learn how to play like a Pro with over 100 Kalimba songs and 20 plus kalimba tabs with the help of the falling music note tiles. Features • 100+ Falling Note Songs • 20+ Kalimba Tabs • Tine Adjustment 8-17 key range • 81 Customizable Background Colors • 6 Wood Backgrounds • 2 Tine Colors • Note Captions • Settings Menu With Volume Adjustment • Haptics • Customize Key Markings, Centre Wood and Wood Carving • Kalimba Key Tuning • Environment Reverb Zones(Changes Kalimba Sounds in Locations) • Record the Kalimba sound, Edit, Save or share with friends • Play songs in different scales 
• Fast and Responsive • Beautiful Realistic Graphics • Portrait and Landscape Mode • Customisable key markings • Real sound recorded in professional studios More features and skins coming soon!

About

Kalimo

Read full description

Kalimo brings score import, kalimba practice, on-screen performance, and music creation together on iPhone and iPad. Arrange your scores for a standard 17-key C kalimba and practice with falling notes. With Kalimo Studio, layer parts, record performances, edit notes, and mix them into a song. ■ From score to kalimba • Import MusicXML, MXL, XML, and supported MIDI files • Arrange for a standard 17-key C kalimba • Choose a solo arrangement or Studio Ensemble • Listen to automatic playback to explore melodies and harmonies • Try the built-in demo without preparing a score ■ Practice at your own pace • Follow falling notes to see where and when to play • Adjust playback speed and look-ahead • Repeat passages with A/B or current-measure loops • Match notes with the on-screen keys or MIDI input • Choose a metronome, number or pitch-name labels, and note colors ■ Play and edit on screen • Perform freely on a multi-touch kalimba • Tap to add notes and drag them in the kalimba roll • Adjust note length, velocity, and thumb assignments • Use glissandos, selection, copy, and undo • Edit tempo, meter, and key signatures • Play with four included sounds: piano, synth, GM kalimba, and Hanamoto kalimba ■ Build songs with Kalimo Studio • Create and edit up to eight kalimba parts • Record with the touch keys or a MIDI keyboard while listening to other parts • Adjust each part’s level, pan, tone, and reverb • Use mute and solo to hear how the parts work together • Explore 30 additional instruments, including strings, winds, percussion, and kalimbas • Export MusicXML, MXL, WAV, M4A, and individual audio stems ■ Organize and export • Search, sort, and organize songs in collections • Edit song titles and composers • Export the source-file copy retained at import • Save edited notes as MIDI files ■ Free features and subscriptions Free includes four instruments, single-part playback, performance and editing, three saved workspaces, original-score export, and MIDI export. Kalimo Studio is an auto-renewing monthly or annual subscription. It adds multipart creation, editing, recording and mixing, additional instruments, advanced score and audio exports, and removes the three-workspace limit. Device storage and supported song-size limits still apply. The annual plan offers a seven-day free trial for eligible users. Check pricing, eligibility, and renewal terms before purchase. Saved songs are not automatically deleted when a subscription ends. Existing Studio songs remain available for viewing, playback, and MIDI export. Playback requires that the instruments used by the song remain intact on your device. ■ Data and privacy Your source scores, arrangements, recordings, library, and preferences stay on your device and are not sent to a developer server. There is no app account, advertising, or tracking. Purchase verification and additional-instrument downloads communicate with Apple and the delivery service. See the Privacy Policy for connection information and delivery diagnostics. Kalimo does not provide its own cloud synchronization between devices. ■ Before you begin Requires iOS or iPadOS 18 or later. iPhone uses landscape orientation. iPad is optimized for landscape and also supports portrait and window resizing. MIDI import supports SMF Type 0/1 with PPQ timing. Transposition, octave changes, or reduced chords and accompaniment may be needed to fit the kalimba. Difficulty varies with the score, tempo, and performer. Recording captures the touch keys or MIDI input. It does not record ambient sound or judge a physical kalimba through the microphone. Use scores and exported works only with the necessary rights or permission. Terms of Use: https://apps.qursor-dev.com/app/6801140737/terms Privacy Policy: https://apps.qursor-dev.com/app/6801140737/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Real Kalimba4 screens
Kalimo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Kalimo at none against Real Kalimba's shown. Real Kalimba's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Real Kalimba sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Kalimo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Real Kalimba versus Kalimo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReal KalimbaKalimo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (20 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews46.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings20 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 months—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size93 MB56 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBudali KingsleyRenzo Ohhama

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Real Kalimba

One-time1
  • Go Pro-Unlock All with No Ads$2.99
2 purchases

Kalimo

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan$5.991 Month
  • Annual Plan7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Real Kalimba free?
Real Kalimba is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Kalimo free?
Kalimo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Real Kalimba or Kalimo have ads?
Real Kalimba shows ads; Kalimo does not.

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