Comparison

Kalimba! vs Kalimba Lessons

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

Head to head
About

Kalimba!

Experience the soothing sounds of an African thumb piano on your device. This app simulates a 7-prong kalimba, allowing for single notes or strumming. Customize your sound with different tunings.

Highlights
  • African thumb piano simulation
  • 7-prong instrument
  • Single note and strumming
  • C Major tuning
  • G Major tuning
  • Landscape mode
Features
Read full description

Kalimba is an old African instrument, also known as the African Thumb Piano in the west. Other names for Kalimba are mbira, ikembe, likembe, sanza, sansa, marimba, marimbula, while in the west it is also known as a finger harp or gourd piano. The app runs in landscape mode (either side) and the instrument has 7 prongs, allows for multiple prongs to be pressed at the same time and also allows you to strum. You can also change the tuning between C Major and G Major from the main screen.

About

Kalimba Lessons

Learn to play the kalimba with a vast, weekly updated library of song notes. Practice directly in the app with interactive exercises and level-based songs. Save your favorites for offline access and improve your skills anytime, anywhere.

Highlights
  • Vast library of kalimba song notes
  • Weekly new song additions
  • In-app kalimba playing and practice
  • Level-based song difficulty
  • Search and favorite songs
  • Practice exercises
Features
Read full description

Kalimba Notes – Your Ultimate Kalimba Learning and Playing App! Unlock the world of the kalimba with Kalimba Notes, the go-to app for kalimba lovers! Designed to help you learn, play, and explore the beauty of this unique instrument, Kalimba Notes provides an ever-growing library of kalimba notes updated weekly, with options for all skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, this app has everything you need to master the kalimba. Key Features: • Vast Library of Kalimba Notes: Access a large collection of kalimba song notes for different levels, from beginner to expert. We add new notes weekly, so you’ll always have fresh content to play! • Play Kalimba in the App: Follow the notes directly in the app to play songs with your kalimba or practice directly within the app. It’s a fun and interactive way to learn your favorite tunes. • Level-Based Songs: Explore songs organized by difficulty levels to find the perfect match for your skill level. Start with easy tunes, then work your way up to more challenging pieces. • Search Between Songs: Quickly find specific songs or tunes with the built-in search feature, making it easy to locate and play your favorite notes. • Add to Favorites: Save the notes you love to your favorites and access them offline, so you can practice anytime, even without an internet connection. • Practice Exercises for Playing Kalimba: Improve your skills with practice exercises tailored for kalimba players. Build your technique, speed, and accuracy with interactive exercises. Got a song request? Send us an email or leave a comment, and we’ll work on adding it to our library! About the Kalimba: The kalimba is an African musical instrument known for its wooden soundboard and metal keys. With its gentle, bell-like sound, the kalimba is perfect for relaxation, sleep aid, or simply enjoying the beauty of music. Our app makes it easy to learn and play this instrument wherever you are! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.protonmob.com/terms-and-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.protonmob.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Kalimba!3 screens
Kalimba Lessons4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Kalimba! at 4.4 against Kalimba Lessons's 2.3. Kalimba! also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 8%) and ratings volume (135 vs 42). Kalimba Lessons's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Kalimba! sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Kalimba Lessons sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Kalimba! holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 135 and 42 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Kalimba!'s written reviews are positive against 8% of Kalimba Lessons's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kalimba! ships an update every 4 months, Kalimba Lessons every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Kalimba! versus Kalimba Lessons: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKalimba!Kalimba Lessons
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (135 ratings) — better2.3 (42 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better8.3% of reviews
Number of ratings135 — better42
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDiscovolosAbdulkadir Akkas

Customer experience

Kalimba!

All ratings135 ratings
Positive86.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews100 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral9.0%
Negative41.0%

Kalimba Lessons

All ratings42 ratings
Positive28.6%
Neutral4.8%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive8.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative91.7%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Kalimba!

One-time3
  • Remove Ads$0.99
  • Remove Ads$1.99
  • Remove Ads$2.99
7 purchases

Kalimba Lessons

Subscriptions6
  • Weekly2 variants$0.997 Days
  • Weekly$1.997 Days
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Yearly$9.991 Year
  • Annual$17.991 Year
  • Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Kalimba! free?
Kalimba! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Kalimba Lessons free?
Kalimba Lessons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kalimba! or Kalimba Lessons?
Kalimba! is rated higher. Kalimba! averages 4.4 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while Kalimba Lessons averages 2.3 from 42 ratings.
Do Kalimba! or Kalimba Lessons have ads?
Both Kalimba! and Kalimba Lessons show ads.
Which is updated more often, Kalimba! or Kalimba Lessons?
Kalimba! ships an update every 4 months, and Kalimba Lessons every 2 weeks. Most recently, Kalimba! was updated on October 23, 2026 and Kalimba Lessons on October 24, 2026.

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