Kalimbar vs Kalimbay
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kalimbar
This app offers a realistic kalimba simulation with customizable tones, effects, and a metronome. Record and overdub performances, share them with a companion app, and enjoy a simple staff notation display. Many features are available for free, with no ads during screen recording.
- Realistic kalimba sounds
- Customizable tone and transposition
- Metronome and tuner
- Recording and overdubbing
- Staff notation display
- Portrait and landscape modes
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Kalimbar supports layouts with 17, 34, or 41 keys. It is a full-featured kalimba performance app used by professional kalimba players. • Portrait and landscape support with realistic kalimba sounds • A wide range of tones, with quick tone switching from the performance screen • Rich customization for transposition, note-name display, pin appearance, original wallpapers, and more • Pin outline display and shadow movement that responds to device tilt • Effects • Metronome • Tuner / tuning fork • Recording and playback • Layer your performances with additional recording. • Change the key and tempo during playback. • Performance data can be shared with the sister app Melodician. • Simple staff display • Many other features are available for free. No ads are shown during screen recording. FAQ Q. I notice latency between tapping and hearing sound. A. We recommend using the device speaker or a wired connection, such as earphones, headphones, USB-C, or Lightning audio. Bluetooth audio is more likely to have noticeable latency due to how wireless audio works. Q. Sounds or animations become unstable with three-finger or larger multi-touch gestures. A. If Settings > Accessibility > Zoom is turned on, iOS/iPadOS gives priority to three-finger system gestures, which can interfere with this app. If needed, temporarily turn off Zoom while using the app.
Kalimbay
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Kalimbay — Play, Learn, Record & Share the Kalimba Turn your device into a beautiful 34-tine chromatic kalimba. Kalimbay 3.2.1 is more than a thumb piano — it's a complete musical journey in your pocket. PLAY — 15 REAL INSTRUMENTS Experience seamless, low-latency playability across 15 beautifully tuned instruments: kalimba, marimba, piano, handpan, harp, guitar, ukulele, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, hurdy-gurdy, music box, guzheng, gambang & electric guitar — all volume-balanced, so switching between them always sounds just right. • Expressive controls: vibrato, reverb, sustain & glissando • Built-in metronome & haptic feedback • Adjustable tuning and key signature • Tine markers to highlight reference notes while you play • Hide the sharp-note row with one toggle LEARN — 48 GUIDED LESSONS From your very first notes to full songs. Lessons listen as you play and guide you note by note — no music background needed. • 8 categories: Scales, Technique, Chords, Rhythm, Improvisation, Theory, Progressions & Harmonization • Beginner friendly, step by step EAR TRAINING Train your ear with Kalimbay's quiz mode. Kalimbay plays a note, you find it on the tines — no sheet music, no theory needed. Your score is tracked, and you can restart the session anytime. RECORD & SHARE YOUR MUSIC Your music shouldn't stay locked inside the app. • Record your own tabs and export them as .klby files • Import tabs from friends or the community and follow along note by note • Record your performance as audio and share it anywhere • Automatic chord detection as you play • Numbered notation — turn your playing into a 1–7 score, add lyrics to every note, then export a shareable PNG or text MAKE IT YOURS • 11 animated themes — Winter, Rain, Ocean, Galaxy, Christmas, Misty Forest and more • Customizable tine width, key colors & backgrounds • Set a personal background image from your gallery • Available in 15 languages Download Kalimbay for free and let your thumbs make music!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Kalimbay at every 2 days against Kalimbar's fortnightly. Kalimbay also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Kalimbar sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Kalimbay sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Kalimbar ships an update fortnightly, Kalimbay every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kalimbar | Kalimbay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 137 MB | 144 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yuichi Sato | Bayu Bayu |
In-app purchases
Kalimbar
- All features + Ad-Free Monthly$1.991 Month
- All features & Ad-Free Yearly$19.991 Year
Kalimbay
- Kalimbay Premium Unlock$7.99







