# Pulsar vs Drum

The clearest difference is price: Pulsar at $4.99 against Drum's $14.99. Pulsar also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and chart position (#188 vs unranked). Drum's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (80% vs 67%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Pulsar costs $4.99 and Drum $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Drum holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Pulsar's written reviews are positive against 80% of Drum's.

Pulsar ships an update every 3 weeks, Drum every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pulsar | Drum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $14.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-es-drum-machine/id1661825756/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-80/id6444686683/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#188** | — |
| Size | 61 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dmytro Kiro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621893756) | [Genuine Soundware](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560880481) |

## What reviewers say

### Pulsar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pulsar-es-drum-machine/id1661825756)

**Currently charting:** #188 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This music app provides a virtual drum machine with 8 pads for improvising and playing along to built-in rhythm presets. It features real-time rhythm switching, tempo control, and various effects. It also supports Ableton Link and MIDI for seamless integration with other music software and hardware.

**Highlights:** 8-pad drum machine, Built-in rhythm presets, Real-time rhythm switching, Tempo and accent control, Drive, reverb, and filter effects, Ableton Link synchronization, MIDI In/Out support, AUv3 compatibility

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Drum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-80/id6444686683)

This app recreates the distinctive sound of early 1980s electronic drum modules combined with sampled real cymbal sounds. It offers a virtual analog engine for drum synthesis and a separate engine for realistic cymbal playback, providing a unique sonic palette for music production.

**Highlights:** Virtual analog engine for 80s drum sounds, Sampled real cymbal sounds, Dual sound engines for drums and cymbals, Multiple output options, Built-in effects (limiter, delay, reverb), Unlimited program storage

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pulsar free?

Pulsar costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Drum free?

Drum costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pulsar or Drum?

Drum is rated higher. Pulsar averages 4.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Drum averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do Pulsar or Drum have ads?

Neither Pulsar nor Drum shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pulsar or Drum?

Pulsar ships an update every 3 weeks, and Drum every 7 months. Most recently, Pulsar was updated on September 18, 2026 and Drum on September 26, 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.*