# HOWLUS vs Sonbei

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HOWLUS at none against Sonbei's 5. HOWLUS also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.0). Sonbei's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sonbei sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. HOWLUS asks for nothing beyond the download.

HOWLUS ships an update monthly, Sonbei every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HOWLUS | Sonbei |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 67 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Takeshi Marushima](https://appshunter.io/developer/1539265145) | [Julian Springaux](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561584750) |

## What reviewers say

### HOWLUS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/howlus/id1539265143)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sonbei

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonbei/id1561584748)

This platform connects artists, creatives, and music businesses to share events and receive community support. Discover local music scenes, find new artists and events, and manage your own creative pages. Monetize your passion through tips and event promotion.

**Highlights:** Discover local music artists and events, Create and manage artist/business pages, Receive community tips via Stripe, Plan and promote music events, Connect with your community, Share news and streaming platforms

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium (annually) | $34.99 | per year |
| Event Booster (10km) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Event Booster (25km) | $5.99 | one-time |
| Event Booster (50km) | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HOWLUS free?

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

### Is Sonbei free?

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

### Do HOWLUS or Sonbei have ads?

Sonbei shows ads; HOWLUS does not.

### Which is updated more often, HOWLUS or Sonbei?

HOWLUS ships an update monthly, and Sonbei every 10 days. Most recently, HOWLUS was updated on October 27, 2026 and Sonbei on October 10, 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.*