# Bongos vs Real Percussion

The clearest difference is rating: Real Percussion at 4.4 against Bongos's 3.3. Real Percussion also leads on ratings volume (1.7K vs 24) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Bongos's advantage is review sentiment (66% vs 53%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bongos sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Real Percussion sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Real Percussion holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Real Percussion has 1.7K ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of Bongos's written reviews are positive against 53% of Real Percussion'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, Real Percussion every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bongos | Real Percussion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bongos-dynamic-bongo-drums/id411722855/reviews) | **[4.4 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-percussion-kit-drum-pads/id791157337/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 24 | **1.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.7% of reviews** | 53.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 39 MB | 85 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) | [KOLB SISTEMAS - EIRELI](https://appshunter.io/developer/550920932) |

## 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


### Real Percussion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-percussion-kit-drum-pads/id791157337)

Learn to play a wide variety of percussion instruments on your smartphone or tablet. This app offers video lessons, loops, and realistic sounds to help you master drumming and develop musical skills. Practice quietly anywhere, anytime, and share your performances with others.

**Highlights:** Over 100 drum lessons, Realistic 3D percussion kits, Wide variety of instruments, Studio-quality audio, Export recordings to MP3, Share performances on social media, MIDI support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Version - 3 Days Free | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Version | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Version | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Version | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Version | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Version (6 months) | $9.99 | per 6 months |
| Premium Version (1 year) | $12.99 | per year |
| Premium Version | $17.99 | per year |
| Remove Ads | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎉 Fun and enjoyable to use
- 🎨 Wide variety of instruments
- 👍 Easy to play
- 🎶 Helps with music creation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tuning issues with certain instruments (e.g. tenors, timbales)
- 🔊 Some sounds not realistic or off-beat
- 💰 Too many ads, subscription required to remove them
- 🔌 Compatibility issues with other apps (e.g. GarageBand)

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect positioning of tenor drums
- Latency issues when playing
- Glitches causing incorrect drum sounds to play

**Requested features**

- Add more instrument options (e.g. timpani, buffalo drum)
- Implement MIDI support for integration with other apps
- Add loop/pattern recording functionality
- Improve tuning and realism of drum sounds


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bongos free?

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

### Is Real Percussion free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Bongos or Real Percussion?

Real Percussion is rated higher. Bongos averages 3.3 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Real Percussion averages 4.4 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Bongos or Real Percussion have ads?

Both Bongos and Real Percussion show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bongos or Real Percussion?

Bongos ships an update every 2 months, and Real Percussion every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bongos was updated on November 1, 2026 and Real Percussion on November 6, 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.*