# Pocket Drums Classic vs DrumSet Live

The clearest difference is rating: DrumSet Live at 4.4 against Pocket Drums Classic's 3.7. DrumSet Live also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pocket Drums Classic sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. DrumSet Live asks for nothing beyond the download.

DrumSet Live holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DrumSet Live has 262 ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Pocket Drums Classic's written reviews are positive against 81% of DrumSet Live's.

Pocket Drums Classic ships an update every 2 months, DrumSet Live every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Drums Classic | DrumSet Live |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-drums-classic/id468252067/reviews) | **[4.4 (262 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumset-live/id683934123/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 29 | **262** |
| Positive reviews | 60.3% of reviews | **81.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 69 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.3** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Drum Starz](https://appshunter.io/developer/299477766) | [CREATELEX LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/542282279) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Drums Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-drums-classic/id468252067)

This app allows users to play drums on their mobile devices with a wide variety of high-quality drum kits and realistic sound effects. It includes features for recording, sharing, and exporting performances, along with a metronome and loops for practice and jamming.

**Highlights:** 33 high-quality stereo drum kits, Recording and sharing capabilities, 14 unique drum loops, Variable pitch and roll controls, Metronome with multiple sounds, Lefty mode, Play along with iPod music

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pocket Drums Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kit Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Exporting | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kit Pack 2 | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Great sound quality
- 🥁 Realistic feel and rebound
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🎵 Good for practicing and playing along to music
- 💡 Variety of drum kits and sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Excessive ads
- 💥 Frequent pop-up ads
- 🚫 Ads interrupt gameplay
- 📉 Horrible sound quality (specific drums)
- 😵 Glitches and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Ads pop up every time a drum is clicked
- Ads pop up when editing kits or going into settings
- Ads pop up in the middle of a song
- Bluetooth has a delay
- Ads pop up when opening the app

**Requested features**

- Change drum color
- Fix glitches when editing kits or going into settings
- Add option to change tempo
- Add more customization options
- Add a menu to choose different drum sets/skins


### DrumSet Live

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumset-live/id683934123)

Learn to play the drums with realistic sound kits. Create custom drum kits and sample sounds for music production. Offers real-time feedback and high-quality audio.

**Highlights:** Learn to play drums, Real drum sound kits, Custom drum kits, Sample sounds, Text feedback on tap, High-quality audio

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Realistic and high-quality drum sounds
- 👍 User-friendly and simple interface
- 🚀 Responsive and fast app performance
- 💰 Free to download and use
- 🎯 Accurate drum simulation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🐛 Black screen and app freezing issues
- ⏱️ Audio delay between tap and sound
- 🔇 Sound quality issues or missing audio

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Black screen and forced exit
- No sound playback
- Full-screen ads interrupt gameplay
- Audio delay between tap and sound output

**Requested features**

- Recording functionality
- Multitouch support for complex rhythms
- Ad removal or reduced ad frequency
- Different drum sound variations
- Landscape orientation support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Drums Classic free?

Pocket Drums Classic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is DrumSet Live free?

DrumSet Live is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Drums Classic or DrumSet Live?

DrumSet Live is rated higher. Pocket Drums Classic averages 3.7 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while DrumSet Live averages 4.4 from 262 ratings.

### Do Pocket Drums Classic or DrumSet Live have ads?

Pocket Drums Classic shows ads; DrumSet Live does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Drums Classic or DrumSet Live?

Pocket Drums Classic ships an update every 2 months, and DrumSet Live every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pocket Drums Classic was updated on October 29, 2026 and DrumSet Live on October 26, 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.*