# Bongos vs Doumbek!

The clearest difference is rating: Doumbek! at 4.0 against Bongos's 3.3. Doumbek! also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). Bongos's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 29%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bongos sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Doumbek! sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Doumbek! holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 28 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Bongos's written reviews are positive against 29% of Doumbek!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Bongos ships an update every 2 months, Doumbek! every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bongos | Doumbek! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bongos-dynamic-bongo-drums/id411722855/reviews) | **[4.0 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doumbek/id597240011/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 24 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | **64.1% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 39 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Skunk Brothers GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/405250614) | [Drum Starz](https://appshunter.io/developer/299477766) |

## What reviewers say

### Bongos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bongos-dynamic-bongo-drums/id411722855)

Experience realistic bongo drumming with professionally recorded sounds that change based on where you strike the drums. This app offers high-quality samples, additional percussion, and low latency for an immersive musical experience on your iPhone or iPad.

**Highlights:** 18 high-quality bongo samples, Cowbell and sticks percussion, Professionally recorded & mastered sounds, No latency for precise playing, Multitasking support for playing along with music, Universal app for iPhone and iPad

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bongos Ad-Free | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Realistic bongo sounds
- 🎶 Encourages musical creativity
- 🤗 Fun for all ages
- 💻 Works well on mobile devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🙄 Repetitive after a while
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🔊 Could use louder/better sound

**Reported bugs**

- Sound not working on some devices
- Rotation issues on certain phones
- Ads covering up playing area

**Requested features**

- Record and playback feature
- More instrument options
- Ability to tune/adjust bongos
- Integration with music apps


### Doumbek!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/doumbek/id597240011)

Experience the authentic sound of the doumbek with this comprehensive drumming app. It offers multiple drum variations, realistic touch response, and advanced sound customization. Record, loop, and share your performances, or play along with built-in beats and your own music.

**Highlights:** 6 high-fidelity doumbek sounds, Realistic touch-sensitive volume and pitch, Multi-track recording and looping, Adjustable reverb, pitch, and delay, Play along to built-in beats or iPod music, Share and export recordings

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bongos free?

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

### Is Doumbek! free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bongos or Doumbek!?

Doumbek! is rated higher. Bongos averages 3.3 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Doumbek! averages 4.0 from 28 ratings.

### Do Bongos or Doumbek! have ads?

Both Bongos and Doumbek! show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bongos or Doumbek!?

Bongos ships an update every 2 months, and Doumbek! every 3 days. Most recently, Bongos was updated on September 23, 2026 and Doumbek! on September 25, 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.*