Comparison

the Clave vs Complete Rhythm Trainer

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

Head to head
About

the Clave

This app provides a metronome with five selectable clave patterns for practicing Latin American music and other styles. It displays patterns in traditional notation, allows tempo adjustment, and offers background playback. Users can customize sound options for a personalized practice experience.

Highlights
  • Five selectable clave patterns
  • Traditional notation display
  • 3:2 and 2:3 clave switching
  • Variable tempo (40-200 BPM)
  • Background playback
  • Customizable sound options
Features
Read full description

the Clave is a clave pattern metronome/click track app with five selectable clave patterns: Son, Rumba, two different Afro (6/8) styles and Bossa Nova. The current pattern is shown on-screen in traditional notation, with each beat highlighted as it is played. Patterns can be switched between 3:2 (forward) and 2:3 (reverse) clave. Tempo is variable from 40 to 200 beats per minute (in cut time), and the timing is rock-solid: accurate to the nearest sample (22 microseconds). Drag the tempo button up or down to choose a tempo in BPM. Tap the tempo button in time with the beat to set a tempo rhythmically. Playback continues in the background, so you can lock your screen and keep on playing. You can alter the sound, there are high and low pitches and a volume boost option. It's a useful practice aid, whether you are beginning to play Latin American music, or an experienced sonero. It can also be used to help inject new vibrance into other styles of music - for example, try playing a jig with the Afro (6/8) clave playing!

About

Complete Rhythm Trainer

Master musical rhythm with this comprehensive training app. It offers progressive drills, diverse rhythm exercises, and interactive modes designed to make learning enjoyable. Track your progress and compete with others.

Highlights
  • 252 progressive drills
  • Multiple time signatures and note values
  • 5 drill types (imitation, reading, dictation)
  • Arcade and polyrhythm modes
  • Custom drill creation
  • Teacher-student program features
  • Cloud sync
Features
Read full description

The ultimate rhythm training app for musicians. Learn to read, recognize, tap and write rhythms from simplest to most advanced. Rhythm is one of the most important aspects of music and one that every musician should become proficient with. Designed like a video game and with strong pedagogical concepts in mind, this app will make you master rhythm while rendering the learning process enjoyable. Features • 252 progressive drills arranged over 4 levels / 30 chapters • Extensive content: from simple time signatures to compound and asymmetric time signatures, from half notes and quarter notes to thirty-second notes, triplets, swing eighths, double dotted notes, quintuplets, ... • 5 drill types: rhythm imitation drills, rhythm reading drills, rhythm dictations, two-voice reading drills and two-voice dictations • Play a selection of 11 drills in arcade mode • Play and practice polyrhythms in a dedicated polyrhythm section • Most of the drills are randomly generated, enabling you to practice the studied rhythms as many times as needed • 23 instrument sound banks with actual recorded sounds: piano, guitar, pizzicato violin, conga, bongo, djembe, darabuka, woodblock, ... • Designed like a video game: earn 3 stars in each drill of a chapter to complete it. Or will you be able to obtain perfect 5-star scores? • Don't want to follow the preestablished path of progression? Create and save your own custom drills and rehearse them at your own convenience • Create full custom training programs and invite friends or students to join them. If for example you're a teacher you can create custom programs for your students, add drills every week and view their scores on private leaderboards • Never lose any progress: cloud sync across your various devices • 25 achievements to unlock • Leaderboards to compare arcade mode scores with other players worldwide • Nice and clean user interface with 2 display themes: light and dark • 4 sheet music display styles: modern, classic, handwritten and jazz • Designed by a musician and music teacher with a Royal Conservatory master's degree Full Version • Download the app and try out the first two chapters for free • One-time in-app purchase to unlock the full version on all your devices Having a problem? Got a suggestion? You can reach us at hello@completerhythmtrainer.com Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

the Clave4 screens
Complete Rhythm Trainer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: the Clave at none against Complete Rhythm Trainer's 3. the Clave also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.5). Complete Rhythm Trainer's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Complete Rhythm Trainer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. the Clave asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for the Clave against 4.7 for Complete Rhythm Trainer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 219 and 105 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 88% and 88% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

the Clave ships an update every 6 months, Complete Rhythm Trainer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
the Clave versus Complete Rhythm Trainer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterthe ClaveComplete Rhythm Trainer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (219 ratings) — better4.7 (105 ratings)
Positive reviews87.9% of reviews88.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings219 — better105
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better17.5
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDrew MilloyBinary Guilt

Customer experience

the Clave

All ratings219 ratings
Positive93.6%
Neutral4.6%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews66 reviews
Positive87.9%
Neutral6.1%
Negative6.1%

Complete Rhythm Trainer

All ratings105 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral3.8%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive88.5%
Neutral6.4%
Negative5.1%

Bugs and requests

the Clave

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • App disappears after a few months
  • App crashes when opened
  • App bombs out after clearing tempo adjustment screen
  • Battery draining quickly
  • App using high percentage of battery
Show 2 more
  • Developer website disappeared
  • Adjusting volume causes app to shut down

Requested features

25 requests
  • Customize claves with manual rhythms
  • Option to change metronome by one bpm
  • Type in tempo instead of slider
  • Add 2:3 Son Clave
  • Add 6/8 bell pattern
Show 20 more
  • Add Afrobeat clave
  • Add 6/8 variations
  • Add cascara
  • Add downbeat tone
  • Add shaker
  • Add agogo bell
  • Add Abakua
  • Add cinquillo
  • Add more 6/8 patterns
  • Add tap tempo
  • Allow finer gradations of tempo (half-BPMs)
  • Set number of measures to play
  • Other instrument samples (woodblock, cowbell)
  • Sequence certain bars (e.g., 3:2/3:2/2:3/2:3)
  • Accent the first beat
  • Turn on a click track in the background
  • More Clave patterns
  • Rumba option for 6/8 clave
  • Adjust volume without app closing
  • Metronome that keeps quarters or 2 and 4

Complete Rhythm Trainer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

the Clave

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Complete Rhythm Trainer

Subscriptions2
  • Cloud Sync and Web access$0.991 Month
  • Cloud Sync and Web access$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Full Version$6.99

Questions

Is the Clave free?
the Clave is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Complete Rhythm Trainer free?
Complete Rhythm Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, the Clave or Complete Rhythm Trainer?
the Clave is rated higher. the Clave averages 4.8 out of 5 from 219 ratings, while Complete Rhythm Trainer averages 4.7 from 105 ratings.
Do the Clave or Complete Rhythm Trainer have ads?
Neither the Clave nor Complete Rhythm Trainer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, the Clave or Complete Rhythm Trainer?
the Clave ships an update every 6 months, and Complete Rhythm Trainer every 2 weeks. Most recently, the Clave was updated on October 13, 2026 and Complete Rhythm Trainer on October 17, 2026.

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