Comparison

Timbales vs Afro Latin Percussion Machine

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

Head to head
About

Timbales

Experience a realistic timbale set with authentic sounds. Play your favorite rhythms in real-time with this virtual instrument.

Highlights
  • Realistic timbale set
  • Authentic sounds
  • Real-time playing
  • Virtual instrument
Features
Read full description

A Timbal set with REAL sounds that users can enjoy playing in real time.

About

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

Create and perform authentic Afro-Latin rhythms with a vast library of high-quality percussion sounds. Edit existing beats or compose your own, and integrate with other music apps for live sessions.

Highlights
  • Authentic Afro-Latin rhythms
  • High-quality percussion sounds
  • Rhythm editing and creation
  • Live performance pads
  • Song structure creation
  • MIDI controls
  • Audiobus and Inter-App compatibility
Features
Read full description

Afro Latin Percussion Machine is your virtual Latin percussionist. Practice, create, and perform authentic Afro-Latin rhythms like never before. Free to download and keep, with every feature unlocked for the first 7 days. Designed for musicians, producers, and anyone who loves the rhythms of Latin America and the Caribbean, now with AUv3 support. Play hot Latin rhythms with the highest sound quality: son, son montuno, guaguancó, columbia, yambú, bembé, cha-cha-chá, mambo, merengue, bachata, salsa, bolero, songo and bomba, with over 100 rhythms in total. So easy to use, you can edit and create your own in seconds. Key Features: Song Mode: turn your Afro-Latin rhythms into complete arrangements in seconds. Set groove, jam and intensity per part, double-tap to edit, long-press to reorder. Fast and simple. Jamming Tool & Randomizers: add human feel and spontaneity to every groove. No more flat, repetitive loops. Live Pads: trigger fills, switch rhythms and jam in real time with 8 assignable pads, intro and end buttons, and full MIDI control. Share by AirDrop, Mail or Files: send any groove, live pad set or song to another device or to a friend, with no account or cloud service needed. Standalone & AUv3 Compatible: use Afro Latin Percussion Machine inside your favorite DAW or as a standalone app. Latin Percussion Sounds: congas, bongos, timbales, güiros, claves, cowbells, maracas, shakers, shekeres, cajón, pandeiro, agogô, wood blocks and hand claps, all recorded for a true Latin feel. 100+ Authentic Rhythms: from the styles above to traditional Afro-Cuban toques like bembé, abakuá, makuta and yuka, not found anywhere else, all easy to edit or create your own. Groove sharing across Lumbeat apps: exchange grooves, live pads and songs with Pop Drummer, Soft Drummer and iBassist, standalone or in AUv3. Sound Module: use the full kit as a MIDI sampler, standalone or as an AUv3 plugin, triggered from your own MIDI tracks or pads. Percussion Setup View: see your full kit laid out on screen, instrument by instrument. Custom Rhythm Banks: save and organize your own patterns in your own banks. Advanced MIDI Setup: fully customizable MIDI control mapping, shareable MIDI maps, custom note octave naming, MIDI-controllable tempo, and MIDI Clock In/Out. Per-Track Reverb Send: dial in how much reverb each percussion instrument gets, for precise space and depth. Export Effects: export your grooves exactly as they sound, effects included. Ableton Link: sync tempo and transport with other apps and devices over Wi-Fi, and stay in time with the rest of your setup. External Keyboard Support: play, trigger fills, and control tempo from a connected keyboard. Native on iPhone, iPad and Mac: fully optimized for every screen size, with a dedicated vertical layout on iPhone. Try for Free Afro Latin Percussion Machine is free to download and keep, with every feature unlocked for the first 7 days. During the trial there are limits on exports, random grooves, sound changes and how long each session plays. After the trial you keep a reduced version, and a single one-time purchase unlocks everything for good. No subscription.

Screenshots

Timbales1 screens
Afro Latin Percussion Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Afro Latin Percussion Machine at 71% against Timbales's 0%. Afro Latin Percussion Machine also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.7 vs 1.6). Timbales's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.1 vs 16). On ads, monetization model 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

Afro Latin Percussion Machine is free to download; Timbales costs $0.99 up front. Afro Latin Percussion Machine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Timbales asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Afro Latin Percussion Machine holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Afro Latin Percussion Machine has 137 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of Timbales's written reviews are positive against 71% of Afro Latin Percussion Machine's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Timbales ships an update every 38 months, Afro Latin Percussion Machine every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Timbales versus Afro Latin Percussion Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTimbalesAfro Latin Percussion Machine
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating1.6 (10 ratings)4.7 (137 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews71.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings10137 — better
Update frequencyEvery 38 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS11.1 — better16
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGuido DiazLumbeat

Customer experience

Timbales

All ratings10 ratings
Positive10.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative80.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

All ratings134 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral7.8%
Negative20.8%

Bugs and requests

Timbales

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • Problems with sync
  • MIDI Sync unstable
  • Glitches where song doesn't save
  • App crashes when saving
  • No sound after phone call
Show 13 more
  • App doesn't respond in Audioshare
  • Audiobus not working
  • App gets locked up with Audiobus
  • Rhythms not staying with drum kit
  • Steps not highlighted in groove sequencer
  • iPhone sounds have lower pitch than iPad
  • No sound output (crackling)
  • App keeps crashing
  • Tempo slider unresponsive
  • Plus/minus tempo keys spotty
  • Doesn't connect properly with Audiobus
  • Not controllable from Audiobus 2 and 3
  • Sounds drowned out in reverb

Requested features

22 requests
  • Add swing options from Hip Hop drummer
  • Add export function to Logic Pro X
  • Add tutorial or manual
  • Add piano and horns for true Latin effect
  • Add MIDI control for live pad control
Show 17 more
  • Add export MIDI file option
  • Add export audio option
  • Add a way to activate/deactivate with a pedal
  • Add more instrument sounds and banks
  • Add groove or shuffle effect option
  • Add ability to input own sounds
  • Add salsa templates
  • Add martillos in bongo patterns
  • Add more mixer slots for instruments
  • Add a constant metronome option
  • Add a help file
  • Add more variation to rhythms
  • Add envelope setting for tuning
  • Add Matanzas style guaguanco
  • Add plena preset
  • Add more Bomba presets
  • Add ability to organize user sounds

In-app purchases

None

Timbales

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

One-time1
  • Afro Latin Full Access$22.99

Questions

Is Timbales free?
Timbales costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Afro Latin Percussion Machine free?
Afro Latin Percussion Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Timbales or Afro Latin Percussion Machine?
Afro Latin Percussion Machine is rated higher. Timbales averages 1.6 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Afro Latin Percussion Machine averages 4.7 from 137 ratings.
Do Timbales or Afro Latin Percussion Machine have ads?
Neither Timbales nor Afro Latin Percussion Machine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Timbales or Afro Latin Percussion Machine?
Timbales ships an update every 38 months, and Afro Latin Percussion Machine every 6 weeks. Most recently, Timbales was updated on October 14, 2026 and Afro Latin Percussion Machine on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons