Comparison

Jug Band vs Tabla!

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

Head to head
About

Jug Band

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
Read full description

This app accurately replicates four musical instruments commonly found in traditional jug bands: washboard, spoons, kazoo and jug. Each instrument is played the same way as its physical counterpart: you scrub the washboard, tap the spoons on your knee, hum into the kazoo and buzz your lips into the jug. But don't worry if you've never played in a jug band ... a quick instruction sheet is included for each instrument. With the Jug Band app, you can plug in headphones and play along with your iPod music; plug into a speaker and jam with a band; or get three friends and form an all-digital jug band! Notes: - If you experience feedback (a shrieking sound) when you switch to the jug or kazoo instruments, turn down your volume until the feedback stops. You can avoid this problem by using headphones or external speakers. Due to the small speakers on portable devices and their placement next to the microphone, the app should be considered for personal use only unless you can connect it to external speakers. - Most of these instruments work best in the handheld size of the iPhone and iPod touch. If you have an iPad, you might like my Washboard or Autoharp apps better. - Before your purchase, I recommend watching the demo videos at jugbandapp.com to see how it works. - If you need help after your purchase, please contact me before writing a bad review. I have no way to respond or help you if you publish your complaints in a review, but I respond promptly to all emails.

About

Tabla!

This app offers a realistic drumming experience for Tabla and Pakhawaj on mobile devices. It features responsive drums, adjustable effects, and a variety of beats and metronome sounds for practice and performance. Users can record, share, and export their musical creations.

Highlights
  • Realistic drum response to touch intensity
  • Adjustable pitch, sensitivity, reverb, and delay
  • Multi-track recording and playback
  • Professionally recorded high-fidelity drum kits
  • Variety of percussion and music beats
  • Metronome with adjustable sounds and time signatures
  • Share and export recordings
Features
Read full description

Tabla! is the fun and easy way to play the Tabla and Pakhawaj. Perfect for both beginners and pros alike, Tabla! Free utilizes the latest technology and decades of real drum experience to create the ideal tabla app for the iPhone or iPad. All of the features of the app combine to make you feel as if you are sitting down and playing real Tabla or Pakhawaj. The drums respond to your touch, as the sound varies according to how hard you hit them. Playing realistic rolls is as easy as swirling your finger around, simply adjusting the roll speed by how fast or slow you swirl your finger. Other features include pitch, sensitivity, reverb, delay adjustments, multi-track recording, ability to share and export your recordings (optional in-app purchase), and so much more. There is also 7 different professionally recorded high fidelity drum layouts, including Tabla, Tabla Jam, Pakhawaj, and Tambourine, with more to come. Tabla! also features 25 unique Percussion Beats and 10 Music Beats to play to, as well as 24 different metronome sounds. Tabla! is by far the most fun, easy to use, and realistic tabla app available today! FEATURES: • 7 professionally recorded 44.1 khz high fidelity kits • The harder you hit the drums, the louder they sound! • Reverb and Delay Controls - slider adjustments allows limitless drum sounds • Pitch Control - lower or raise the pitch of the drums • Realistic visual effects - drums visually correspond to your every touch • Retina Display for both iPad and iPhone for incredibly crisp graphics • 25 Percussion Beats and 10 Music Beats to play along to, with more to come! • PlayAlong Beats: 16 new loops with basic bass drum, hi-hat or snare beats, to play along for added rhythmic expression! • Realistic Rolls - simply swirl your finger around to create slower or faster rolls • Double beat feature with slider adjustment • 24 Metronome Sounds and 4 Time Signatures to choose from, with BPM adjustment • Multi-track recording - easily add or delete tracks, save and loop recordings • Share your recordings through email, Facebook, and Twitter • Export your recordings to your computer (optional in-app purchase) • Lefty Mode - reverse the entire drum layout • Play along to the music on your iPod PRIVACY POLICY: http://codyrotwein.com/privacy.html

Screenshots

Jug Band4 screens
Tabla!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tabla! at 4.1 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.

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. Tabla! sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Jug Band asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tabla! holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 38 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 47% of Jug Band's written reviews are positive against 25% of Tabla!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Jug Band ships an update every 6 weeks, Tabla! monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Jug Band versus Tabla!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJug BandTabla!
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (22 ratings)4.1 (38 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.1% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2238 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB69 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperArlo LeachDrum Starz

Customer experience

Jug Band

All ratings21 ratings
Positive38.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative61.9%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive47.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative52.9%

Tabla!

All ratings38 ratings
Positive78.9%
Neutral5.3%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral6.3%
Negative68.8%

In-app purchases

None

Jug Band

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Tabla!

One-time2
  • Remove Ads$0.99
  • Exporting$0.99

Questions

Is Jug Band free?
Jug Band is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tabla! free?
Tabla! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Jug Band or Tabla!?
Tabla! is rated higher. Jug Band averages 2.7 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Tabla! averages 4.1 from 38 ratings.
Do Jug Band or Tabla! have ads?
Tabla! shows ads; Jug Band does not.
Which is updated more often, Jug Band or Tabla!?
Jug Band ships an update every 6 weeks, and Tabla! monthly. Most recently, Jug Band was updated on October 23, 2026 and Tabla! on October 27, 2026.

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