# Bongos vs Darbuka Beat

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Darbuka Beat at none against Bongos's 1. Darbuka Beat also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). Bongos's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bongos sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Darbuka Beat asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bongos ships an update every 2 months, Darbuka Beat every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bongos | Darbuka Beat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bongos-dynamic-bongo-drums/id411722855/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **24** | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 39 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Skunk Brothers GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/405250614) | [asywalul fikri](https://appshunter.io/developer/6810924195) |

## 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, Vision Pro support

**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


### Darbuka Beat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-beat/id6812612581)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bongos free?

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

### Is Darbuka Beat free?

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

### Do Bongos or Darbuka Beat have ads?

Both Bongos and Darbuka Beat show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bongos or Darbuka Beat?

Bongos ships an update every 2 months, and Darbuka Beat every 5 days. Most recently, Bongos was updated on October 29, 2026 and Darbuka Beat on October 31, 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.*