# Djembe! vs Darbuka

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Djembe! at 50% against Darbuka's 0%. Djembe! also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1). Darbuka's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Djembe! sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Darbuka asks for nothing beyond the download.

Djembe! holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 137 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Djembe!'s written reviews are positive against 0% of Darbuka's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Djembe! | Darbuka |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/djembe/id480770201/reviews)** | [4.1 (137 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-percussion-drums-pad/id1541452560/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **137** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 702 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Drum Starz](https://appshunter.io/developer/299477766) | [Satomi Uchida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1340507560) |

## What reviewers say

### Djembe!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/djembe/id480770201)

Experience the authentic sound of African drums on your mobile device. Explore various drum types, play along to beats, or jam with your own music. Features include realistic graphics, high-quality audio, and recording capabilities.

**Highlights:** Multiple African drum types, Professionally recorded sounds, Play along to beats and loops, Integrates with iPod music, Recording and sharing options, Realistic 3D visual effects, Metronome with adjustable tempo

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Djembe! Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Exporting | $0.99 | one-time |


### Darbuka

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-percussion-drums-pad/id1541452560)

This app provides realistic finger darbuka pads for practicing along with songs. It offers high-quality sounds, customizable pad positions, and includes a metronome and recording features for jam sessions and lessons.

**Highlights:** Realistic finger darbuka pads, Practice along with songs, High-quality sound selection, Customizable pad positions, Built-in metronome, Recording and loop functions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Djembe! free?

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

### Is Darbuka free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Djembe! or Darbuka?

Djembe! is rated higher. Djembe! averages 4.7 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Darbuka averages 4.1 from 137 ratings.

### Do Djembe! or Darbuka have ads?

Both Djembe! and Darbuka show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Djembe! or Darbuka?

Djembe! ships an update every 3 months, and Darbuka every 3 months. Most recently, Djembe! was updated on November 5, 2026 and Darbuka on November 7, 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.*