# Washboard vs SampleKing

Washboard and SampleKing both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of SampleKing's written reviews are positive against 43% of Washboard's. SampleKing also leads on price (Free vs $1.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Washboard's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

SampleKing is free to download; Washboard costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Washboard against 5.0 for SampleKing. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SampleKing has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Washboard's written reviews are positive against 100% of SampleKing's.

Washboard ships an update every 3 months, SampleKing every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Washboard | SampleKing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/washboard/id363227793/reviews) | [5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sampleking-music-discovery/id6753628833/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **11** |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 8 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Arlo Leach](https://appshunter.io/developer/353281976) | [Culturally Phenomenal Technology LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844096209) |

## What reviewers say

### Washboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/washboard/id363227793)

Transform your device into a virtual washboard with customizable sounds and decorations. Play along with your music or connect to an amp for live performances. It also functions as a MIDI controller for music production.

**Highlights:** Virtual metal washboard instrument, Add-on instruments like horns and woodblocks, Customizable decorations, Play along with music, Connect to external amplifiers, MIDI controller functionality

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### SampleKing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sampleking-music-discovery/id6753628833)

Identify music playing around you and discover the original samples and source records. Explore connections across genres and eras, diving deep into the foundation of your favorite tracks through an intuitive interface.

**Highlights:** Instant song recognition, Sample lineage and source discovery, Rich music detail in expandable song 'pills', Direct links to continue listening, Up to 20-song recognition history, Deep music exploration across genres

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Washboard free?

Washboard costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SampleKing free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Washboard or SampleKing?

Washboard and SampleKing are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 11 ratings respectively.

### Do Washboard or SampleKing have ads?

Neither Washboard nor SampleKing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Washboard or SampleKing?

Washboard ships an update every 3 months, and SampleKing every 2 weeks. Most recently, Washboard was updated on October 10, 2026 and SampleKing on October 24, 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.*