Comparison

Djembe! vs Darbuka Beat

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

Head to head
About

Djembe!

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
Read full description

Have you always wanted to play an African drum? Now you can, anytime, anywhere, with Djembe! Featuring professionally recorded sounds and high quality graphics, Djembe! is the ultimate African drumming app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. You can play a large Djembe, small Djembe, or even play intricate beats like a pro with 2 different Djembe jams. Play alone, to the metronome with 43 different sounds, or to over 80 unique Pocket Beats and Loops. You can even play along to your favorite music on your iPod right from within Djembe!. With features including amazing 3D effect when hitting the drums, low latency 16-bit stereo sounds, slide 'n play, pitch control, ability to share and export your recordings (optional in-app purchase), drum rolls, and more, you'll sound like a pro from the moment you start playing! FEATURES: • 7 different layouts: Large Djembe, Small Djembe, Djembe Jam 1, Djembe Jam 2, African Drum, Bata Drum, and Talking Drum • 4 Unique Playing Zones on each drum create a realistic sounding drum • Share your recordings through email, Facebook, and Twitter • Export your recordings to your computer (optional in-app purchase) • Visual 3D effect when drums are hit maximizes the drumming experience • Metronome with 43 sounds to choose from and variable speed switch (BPM) • 63 Pocket Beats and Loops to play along to • PlayAlong Beats: 16 new loops with basic bass drum, hi-hat or snare beats, to play along for added rhythmic expression! • Slide your finger between the drums • Shake your device to play sounds to your favorite music • Play drum heads simultaneously • Play along with your favorite music by easily accessing your iPod music right from within Djembe! • Volume controls for both the drum sounds and music • Pitch control allows for unlimited drum sounds • Rolls on drums with variable speed adjustment (BPM) • Using headphones will allow you to fully enjoy the high quality sounds of Djembe! Free PRIVACY POLICY: http://codyrotwein.com/privacy.html

About

Darbuka Beat

Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a powerful virtual darbuka and create rhythms anytime, anywhere. Darbuka Beat is an interactive percussion app designed for beginners, musicians, and rhythm enthusiasts. Play authentic darbuka-inspired sounds using intuitive touch controls, experiment with different playing modes, and build your own rhythms wherever inspiration strikes. Features: • Single Darbuka mode for focused playing • Double Darbuka mode for richer rhythmic patterns • Pad mode with multi-touch support • Realistic Dum, Tek, Ka, Roll, and percussion sounds • Customizable touch zones and sound assignments • Import your own short custom sounds • Play MP3 backtracks while performing • Built-in metronome with adjustable tempo • Record, save, replay, and manage your rhythms • Multiple visual skins and backgrounds • Simple controls designed for landscape play Whether you are practicing traditional Middle Eastern rhythms, creating modern beats, or simply enjoying percussion, Darbuka Beat makes rhythm creation fun and accessible. No musical experience is required—just tap, play, and feel the beat.

Screenshots

Djembe!4 screens
Darbuka Beat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Darbuka Beat at none against Djembe!'s 2. Darbuka Beat also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Djembe! ships an update every 3 months, Darbuka Beat every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Djembe! versus Darbuka Beat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDjembe!Darbuka Beat
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (46 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings46 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB39 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperDrum Starzasywalul fikri

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Djembe!

One-time2
  • Djembe! Upgrade$0.99
  • Exporting$0.99
None

Darbuka Beat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Djembe! free?
Djembe! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Darbuka Beat free?
Darbuka Beat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Djembe! or Darbuka Beat have ads?
Both Djembe! and Darbuka Beat show ads.
Which is updated more often, Djembe! or Darbuka Beat?
Djembe! ships an update every 3 months, and Darbuka Beat every 5 days. Most recently, Djembe! was updated on October 29, 2026 and Darbuka Beat on October 31, 2026.

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