Comparison

Bongos vs Jingle+

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

Head to head
About

Bongos

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
Read full description

The ultimate Bongos for your iPhone and iPad 18 with professionally recorded and mastered sounds: Depending where you hit the bongos sounds varies! It doesn’t matter if you are a professional musician, want to become a bongocero or just want to drum for fun - you should get this app! Features: ⇒ 18 high quality bongo samples ⇒ More percussion: Cowbell and sticks ⇒ Professionally recorded & mastered sounds ⇒ No latency for fast and exact playing! ⇒ Optimized for iPhone / iPad speakers, headphones and external speakers ⇒ Supports multitasking: Play along with your own music ⇒ HD Retina Graphics for iPhone, iPod touch and the new iPad ⇒ 2 Apps in 1: Universal App for iPhone AND iPad To play along with your own music, start the music on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad and start the app. Important: If you can't hear anything on your device, please make sure, you turned up the ringtone volume and enabled application sounds in the iPhone settings menu. --------- Make sure to leave a comment with ideas and wishes for future versions in your review!

About

Jingle+

This app simulates various shaker instruments using your phone's motion. Experience realistic sound and feel, perfect for live performances or studio work.

Highlights
  • Real motion shaker simulation
  • Realistic sound and feel
  • High-precision accelerometer data
  • Expressive real-time control
  • Tambourine, maraca, egg shaker, sleigh bells
Currently charting
Read full description

Jingle+ is the only shaker-instrument app that feels and sounds like a real instrument. Move and shake your phone and it feels just like holding a tambourine, maraca, egg shaker, or jingle/sleigh bells— expressively and in real time. Jingle uses high-precision motion data from the accelerometer to produce the same behaviour and range of sounds found in a real instrument – making it ideal for use live on stage or in the studio.

Screenshots

Bongos2 screens
Jingle+4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Bongos at Free against Jingle+'s $0.99. Bongos also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Jingle+'s advantage is rating (4.5 vs 3.3) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support 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

Bongos is free to download; Jingle+ costs $0.99 up front. Bongos sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Jingle+ sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Jingle+ holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Jingle+ has 319 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Bongos's written reviews are positive against 72% of Jingle+'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bongos ships an update every 2 months, Jingle+ every 6 months. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Bongos versus Jingle+: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBongosJingle+
PriceFree — better$0.99
Rating3.3 (24 ratings)4.5 (319 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.1% of reviews71.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings24319 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank—#187 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSkunk Brothers GmbHCharlie Williams

Customer experience

Bongos

All ratings24 ratings
Positive54.2%
Neutral8.3%
Negative37.5%
Written reviews276 reviews
Positive64.1%
Neutral13.8%
Negative22.1%

Jingle+

All ratings319 ratings
Positive86.2%
Neutral4.7%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive71.7%
Neutral10.9%
Negative17.4%

User reviews

Bongos

From 24 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Jingle+

From 319 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 😊 Great fun and enjoyment
  • 🎄 Brings holiday cheer
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🎶 Responsive to shaking/tapping
  • 🌟 Realistic sounds

Room to improve

  • 🎛️ Limited instrumental options
  • 🔊 Low volume egg shaker sound
  • 🎛️ Some sounds not very good (tambourine)
  • 🐛 Background playback issues
  • 🐛 App doesn't always shut off easily

Bugs and requests

Bongos

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Jingle+

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Background playback feature not working reliably
  • App continues playing when not on the app
  • App doesn't work on some devices (iPhone 12 Pro)
  • App doesn't open/work after installation
  • Stuck on jingle bells sound
Show 4 more
  • Some instruments not working
  • Background play feature not working
  • Cannot stop phone from jingling without reboot
  • In-app purchase for interapp audio not found

Requested features

6 requests
  • More instrumental options (snare drum, cymbals)
  • Lego sound effect
  • Slapstick sound effect
  • Add iWatch support
  • Tutorial section
Show 1 more
  • More sounds to make it interesting

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Bongos

One-time1
  • Bongos Ad-Free$1.99
2 purchases

Jingle+

One-time2
  • All Instruments$1.99
  • Inter-App Audio$1.99

Questions

Is Bongos free?
Bongos is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Jingle+ free?
Jingle+ costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bongos or Jingle+?
Jingle+ is rated higher. Bongos averages 3.3 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Jingle+ averages 4.5 from 319 ratings.
Do Bongos or Jingle+ have ads?
Bongos shows ads; Jingle+ does not.
Which is updated more often, Bongos or Jingle+?
Bongos ships an update every 2 months, and Jingle+ every 6 months. Most recently, Bongos was updated on September 23, 2026 and Jingle+ on September 23, 2026.

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