# Samaei vs Darbuka

The clearest difference is rating: Samaei at 4.3 against Darbuka's 4.0. Samaei also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 1). Darbuka's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Samaei sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Darbuka sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Samaei holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Samaei has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Samaei ships an update every 5 weeks, Darbuka fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Samaei | Darbuka |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samaei/id1538510053/reviews)** | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-arabic-rhythms-beats/id6761714001/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 25.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 489 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Essam Salah](https://appshunter.io/developer/1139222533) | [Soufiane Bouziane](https://appshunter.io/developer/1796428527) |

## What reviewers say

### Samaei

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samaei/id1538510053)

Learn and practice music by ear with this app. It offers tools to isolate instruments, adjust tempo and pitch, and tune your instrument. Access a music library, YouTube content, and AI-powered features for focused practice.

**Highlights:** AI music separation, Adjustable tempo and pitch, Instrument tuner, YouTube music integration, Contributory music library, Practice loop functionality

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| شهر واحد | $9.99 | per month |
| ٦ أشهر | $38.99 | per 6 months |
| سنة | $47.99 | per year |


### Darbuka

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-arabic-rhythms-beats/id6761714001)

This app provides an offline percussion orchestra with authentic Arabic rhythms and darbuka patterns. It's designed for learning, playing, and training your timing with oud-friendly loops, suitable for practice and performance preparation.

**Highlights:** Offline percussion orchestra, Authentic Arabic rhythms, Darbuka patterns, Oud-friendly loops, Ear training tool, Practice and performance prep

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Iqa3 Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Samaei free?

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

### Is Darbuka free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Samaei or Darbuka?

Samaei is rated higher. Samaei averages 4.3 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Darbuka averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Samaei or Darbuka have ads?

Neither Samaei nor Darbuka shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Samaei or Darbuka?

Samaei ships an update every 5 weeks, and Darbuka fortnightly. Most recently, Samaei was updated on October 24, 2026 and Darbuka 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.*