# Jug Band vs Hand Drums

The clearest difference is rating: Hand Drums at 4.0 against Jug Band's 2.7. Jug Band's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hand Drums sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Jug Band asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hand Drums holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 11 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of Jug Band's written reviews are positive against 17% of Hand Drums's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Jug Band ships an update every 6 weeks, Hand Drums every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Jug Band | Hand Drums |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jug-band/id353281973/reviews) | **[4.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-drums/id476913839/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **47.1% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 62 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Arlo Leach](https://appshunter.io/developer/353281976) | [Drum Starz](https://appshunter.io/developer/299477766) |

## What reviewers say

### Jug Band

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jug-band/id353281973)

This app lets you play virtual versions of traditional jug band instruments like the washboard, spoons, kazoo, and jug. It includes instructions for each instrument and allows you to play along with your music or with friends.

**Highlights:** Virtual washboard, Virtual spoons, Virtual kazoo, Virtual jug, Play-along with music, Multiplayer jamming

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hand Drums

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-drums/id476913839)

Explore a collection of 25 professionally recorded hand drums, including bongos, congas, and djembes. Play along to a metronome, custom beats, or your own music library. Record and share your drumming creations.

**Highlights:** 25 professionally recorded hand drums, Play along to metronome, beats, and loops, Record and share drumming sessions, Pitch and roll controls, Play along with iPod music, Visual 3D effects

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hand Drums Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Exporting | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Jug Band free?

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

### Is Hand Drums free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Jug Band or Hand Drums?

Hand Drums is rated higher. Jug Band averages 2.7 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Hand Drums averages 4.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do Jug Band or Hand Drums have ads?

Hand Drums shows ads; Jug Band does not.

### Which is updated more often, Jug Band or Hand Drums?

Jug Band ships an update every 6 weeks, and Hand Drums every 3 months. Most recently, Jug Band was updated on October 23, 2026 and Hand Drums on October 27, 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.*