Comparison

ChimesSS vs DronePlayer

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

Head to head
About

ChimesSS

This app provides a 1.5 octave tubular bell interface for playing music. It includes recording capabilities for vocals or voice memos, with options to adjust audio file format for email sharing. Users can also play along with other music apps.

Highlights
  • 1.5 octave tubular bell interface
  • Recording function for vocals and voice memos
  • Adjustable audio file format for recording
  • Send recorded data via email
  • Play along with other music apps
  • iTunes file sharing support
Features
Read full description

ChimesSS is a Tubular bell application. This application displays 1.5 octaves on the screen, and you don't need to change octaves to play them. Added the recording function! It picks the surrounding sounds as well, and you can use it in many different ways such as recording your vocals or creating a voice memo. You can also send the recorded data via email. Note that the maximum attachment size of an email depends on the iOS device you are using. Please contact your cell phone service provider for further information. - A 10 seconds recording is around 450 kB. - Support iTunes file sharing(http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4094?viewlocale=en_US) Added the play with other music app button on the right side of the record button (however, this disables the recording). For example, you can play along with your favorite songs on Music app. Now you can select the audio file format when recording. If you want to send a file via email, record at "22kHz / 8 bit" to reduce the file size. - Users who have a problem with the musical instrument app that doesn't make any sound. (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5137?viewlocale=en_US) Range: C52-G71 1.5 octaves (20 keys) - Display scale on keyboard - Support orientation (Up/Down) - Record button/ Play button / Stop button / Send the sound data via Email button - Support iTunes file sharing - Play with other music app button

About

DronePlayer

This app provides a practice tool for musicians to improvise over sustained tones, known as drones. It helps develop ear training and musical ideas by allowing users to mute drone voices for focused practice or add multiple drones for a richer experience.

Highlights
  • Improvisation practice tool
  • Extended tonality practice
  • Ear training development
  • Muteable drone voices
  • Multiple drone options
Features
Read full description

DronePlayer is a fun, interactive practice assistant for improvising musicians. Playing over extended tonalities is a great way to develop your ears as well as your musical ideas. Long, sustained tones are generally known as drones. Drones have proven themselves quite useful for practicing. Many people use them to assist with intonation. Some enjoy playing scales over them. I personally have found them useful for practicing improvisation and improving my ears. Muting one of the drone voices is a great way to play with just a fundamental pitch. You can then improvise over this and focus on hearing how what you are playing relates. Adding a second drone voice just adds to the fun.

Screenshots

ChimesSS1 screens
DronePlayer1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ChimesSS at 4.0 against DronePlayer's 1.8. ChimesSS also leads on price ($2.99 vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). DronePlayer's advantage is review sentiment (38% vs 29%) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

ChimesSS costs $2.99 and DronePlayer $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ChimesSS holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DronePlayer has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of ChimesSS's written reviews are positive against 38% of DronePlayer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
ChimesSS versus DronePlayer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChimesSSDronePlayer
Price$2.99 — better$4.99
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better1.8 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews37.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB57 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYUJI HASEBEtingjing.com

Customer experience

ChimesSS

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative57.1%

DronePlayer

All ratings5 ratings
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive37.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative62.5%

In-app purchases

None

ChimesSS

No in-app purchases

None

DronePlayer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ChimesSS free?
ChimesSS costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is DronePlayer free?
DronePlayer costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ChimesSS or DronePlayer?
ChimesSS is rated higher. ChimesSS averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while DronePlayer averages 1.8 from 5 ratings.
Do ChimesSS or DronePlayer have ads?
Neither ChimesSS nor DronePlayer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChimesSS or DronePlayer?
ChimesSS ships an update every 4 months, and DronePlayer every 4 months. Most recently, ChimesSS was updated on October 13, 2026 and DronePlayer on September 21, 2026.

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