Comparison

TouchBells vs Giying

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

Head to head
About

TouchBells

This app is a virtual carillon instrument for iPad, offering xylophone, vibraphone, and tubular bell sounds. Users can play freely, record and share songs, and learn to play through a teach mode. It's designed for musical exploration and early childhood education.

Highlights
  • Virtual carillon instrument
  • Xylophone, Vibraphone, Tubular Bells sounds
  • Song recording and playback
  • Song sharing with other users
  • Teach mode for learning songs
  • Adjustable stereo effect
  • Tunable instrument pitch
Read full description

TouchBells is an easy and fun to use carillon music instrument (Glockenspiel) for the Apple iPad. The instrument covers a range of 1 1/2 octaves (from C3 to F#4). Classic Xylophone sounds, Vibraphone sounds and Tubular Bells sounds are available. With TouchBells, you can just freely play along or record and play back your songs. You can also share the songs you recorded with other TouchBells users. By using the TouchBells teach mode,  you can learn how to play the songs other TouchBells users share with you. TouchBells is also great for kids early musical education. TouchBells has several unique features: - Xylophone or Vibraphone sounds. - Adjustable Stereo effect. - Its tunable, you can alter the instrument pitch. - Song recording and song management. - Share you songs with other TouchBells users by eMail. - Export your songs for iTunes. - Learn how to play using the Teach Mode. - Play dynamically using TouchBells touch-sensitivity feature. - Choose from four different bar captions (None, German-, American- and Solmisation-Style). Furthermore, TouchBells includes 25 demo songs: - Cradlesong (Wiegenlied) - Frere Jacques - Muss i denn, muss i denn zum Staedtele naus - Silent Night - My Bonny Is Over The Ocean - Ode to Joy - The moon as risen - Rondo all Turka (Turkish March) - When the Saints Go Marching In - Matilda - What shall we do with the trunken sailor? - Kojo no Tsuki - The Song of the Volga Boatmen - La Cucaracha - O Christmas Tree - Jingle Bells - Happy Birthday To You - Schneewalzer - Auld Lang Syne - Row, Row, Row Your Boat - Für Elise - Michael Row the Boat Ashore - She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain - Hänschen Klein - Old Mac Donald With the demo songs and the TouchBells Teach Mode, you can start directly with the learning how to play!

About

Giying

Experience the authentic sounds of a Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar on your iPhone or iPad. This app replicates the Ugal instrument, offering a realistic playing experience with high-quality audio and detailed visuals. Explore cipher notations and enjoy uninterrupted music creation.

Highlights
  • Authentic sound bank
  • Realistic playing experience
  • Low-latency audio playback
  • Zoomable instrument views
  • Customizable cipher notations
  • Ad-free experience
Features
Read full description

World's first iPhone/iPad implementation of the main instruments of a Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar! The Giying, also called Ugal, is a 10-key instrument of the gangsa metallophones in the Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar. It is usually used for playing an elaborated version of the main melody. ** Note that the instrument produces very low-pitched sounds and require a high-quality sound system for best sound reproduction. The use of a high-quality headphone or external amplifier with good bass response is recommended. ** * Authentic sound bank sampled directly from real instruments * User interaction designed to replicate true playing experience * Playing sound can be stopped --- essential for Gamelan! * High-quality photos showcasing real instruments * Optimized for ultra-low latency audio playback * Zoomable views for detailed instrument exploration * Customizable display of cipher notations to suit your preferences * Completely ad-free for uninterrupted enjoyment

Screenshots

Giying4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TouchBells at 2.5 against Giying's 1.0. TouchBells also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 26 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

TouchBells costs $1.99 and Giying $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TouchBells holds the better App Store score, 2.5 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of TouchBells's written reviews are positive against 50% of Giying's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TouchBells ships an update every 5 months, Giying every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TouchBells versus Giying: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTouchBellsGiying
Price$1.99 — better$5.99
Rating2.5 (2 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews77.8% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 months — betterEvery 26 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThomas Braunemacsian Company Limited

Customer experience

TouchBells

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%

Giying

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

TouchBells

No in-app purchases

None

Giying

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TouchBells free?
TouchBells costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Giying free?
Giying costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TouchBells or Giying?
TouchBells is rated higher. TouchBells averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Giying averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do TouchBells or Giying have ads?
Neither TouchBells nor Giying shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TouchBells or Giying?
TouchBells ships an update every 5 months, and Giying every 26 months. Most recently, TouchBells was updated on October 8, 2026 and Giying on October 23, 2026.

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