# Drumline vs Djembe!

The clearest difference is price: Djembe! at Free against Drumline's $4.99. Djembe! also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (52% vs 39%). Drumline's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 46). On update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Djembe! is free to download; Drumline costs $4.99 up front. Drumline sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Djembe! sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Djembe! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drumline has 1.2K ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Drumline's written reviews are positive against 52% of Djembe!'s.

Drumline ships an update every 4 months, Djembe! every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drumline | Djembe! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumline/id357815924/reviews) | **[4.7 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/djembe/id480770201/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 46 |
| Positive reviews | 39.2% of reviews | **52.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#29** | — |
| Size | 171 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [John Ostler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1279335874) | [Drum Starz](https://appshunter.io/developer/299477766) |

## What reviewers say

### Drumline

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumline/id357815924)

**Currently charting:** #29 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app offers a comprehensive virtual drumline experience with realistic sounds and instruments. It includes practice tools, tuning features, and engaging games to hone drumming skills. Designed for serious percussionists, it provides a professional marching experience on your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Realistic snare, tenor, bass, and cymbal sounds, Xylophone, marimba, and vibraphone instruments, Adjustable metronome with various modes, Drumhead tuning functionality, Memory and speed challenge games, Practice pad tools

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Memory Game | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pro Version | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for practicing percussion
- 👍 Realistic drum and cymbal sounds
- 🥁 Variety of percussion instruments (snare, tenors, bass)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unresponsive or inaccurate hit detection on drums
- 🔧 Bugs with certain drum sounds (e.g. buzzing tenors, incorrect bass pitches)
- 📱 Compatibility issues on newer phones
- 🤔 Confusing in-app purchase model

**Reported bugs**

- Drums not registering hits correctly
- Tenors and bass drums not playing proper pitches
- Cymbals not functioning as expected
- App crashing or not producing any sound

**Requested features**

- Add landscape mode for better playability
- Allow customization of drum tuning and sound
- Implement a metronome and ability to play along with music
- Add more advanced drumming techniques (rolls, diddles, etc.)


### Djembe!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/djembe/id480770201)

Experience the authentic sound of African drums on your mobile device. Explore various drum types, play along to beats, or jam with your own music. Features include realistic graphics, high-quality audio, and recording capabilities.

**Highlights:** Multiple African drum types, Professionally recorded sounds, Play along to beats and loops, Integrates with iPod music, Recording and sharing options, Realistic 3D visual effects, Metronome with adjustable tempo

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Djembe! Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Exporting | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drumline free?

Drumline costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Djembe! free?

Djembe! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Drumline or Djembe!?

Djembe! is rated higher. Drumline averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Djembe! averages 4.7 from 46 ratings.

### Do Drumline or Djembe! have ads?

Djembe! shows ads; Drumline does not.

### Which is updated more often, Drumline or Djembe!?

Drumline ships an update every 4 months, and Djembe! every 3 months. Most recently, Drumline was updated on September 24, 2026 and Djembe! on September 22, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*