# Giying vs Balalaika

The clearest difference is price: Balalaika at Free against Giying's $5.99. Balalaika also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 26 months). Giying's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Balalaika is free to download; Giying costs $5.99 up front. Balalaika sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Giying asks for nothing beyond the download.

Balalaika holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Giying ships an update every 26 months, Balalaika every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Giying | Balalaika |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/giying/id388827902/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balalaika/id6739587054/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 26 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 60 MB | 134 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [emacsian Company Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/388819355) | [Alper Kahriman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1054578352) |

## What reviewers say

### Giying

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/giying/id388827902)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Balalaika

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balalaika/id6739587054)

Experience the authentic sound and feel of a balalaika with this simulator. It offers realistic sounds, microtonal tuning, and customizable keys for both beginners and experienced musicians. Record and share your musical creations effortlessly.

**Highlights:** Authentic balalaika sounds, Microtonal tuning, Adjustable transpose, Reverb and chorus effects, Precision touch sensitivity, Customizable key sizes, Recording and screen recording

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Get Premium | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Giying free?

Giying costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Balalaika free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Giying or Balalaika?

Balalaika is rated higher. Giying averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Balalaika averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Giying or Balalaika have ads?

Balalaika shows ads; Giying does not.

### Which is updated more often, Giying or Balalaika?

Giying ships an update every 26 months, and Balalaika every 3 months. Most recently, Giying was updated on November 1, 2026 and Balalaika on October 30, 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.*