# Monkey Drum vs First Grade Math Challenge

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Grade Math Challenge at none against Monkey Drum's 3. Monkey Drum's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (116 vs 4). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Monkey Drum sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. First Grade Math Challenge asks for nothing beyond the download.

Monkey Drum holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Monkey Drum has 116 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Monkey Drum's written reviews are positive against 80% of First Grade Math Challenge's.

Monkey Drum ships an update every 3 weeks, First Grade Math Challenge every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Monkey Drum | First Grade Math Challenge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monkey-drum/id483225765/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-grade-math-challenge/id571805524/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **116** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **92.1% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 14 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **4.3** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flippfly, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/483225768) | [Eric Marschner](https://appshunter.io/developer/319178159) |

## What reviewers say

### Monkey Drum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monkey-drum/id483225765)

Create music by drawing or playing instruments, then watch jungle animals react to your tunes. Customize characters and unlock new instruments and items by playing or using in-app currency.

**Highlights:** Create music by drawing, Play instruments with mini-keyboard, Customize characters, Save and remix songs, Unlock new instruments and items, True 3D graphics

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Chest (300 Heart Coins) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Chest (1000 Heart Coins) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Large Chest (3500 Heart Coins) | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and entertaining for kids
- 🐵 Adorable monkey character
- 🎶 Great for rhythm and melody creation
- 💡 Encourages creativity and exploration
- 🌟 Good for cause and effect learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ Long load/intro time
- 🔄 Needs frequent updates
- 📉 Unplayable on newer OS versions
- 🤔 Some users find it boring
- 🐒 Disturbing animal design (no legs)

**Reported bugs**

- Screen goes black after filling hearts/coins
- Game sounds can be heard but screen is black
- App not letting phone go into sleep mode
- No sound reported
- Repeated glitches

**Requested features**

- Update Monkey Drum
- Update for latest iOS
- More instruments
- Button to record
- Clear all / start new song option


### First Grade Math Challenge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-grade-math-challenge/id571805524)

Practice addition and subtraction skills with a barnyard theme. Collect and learn about animals by completing timed math challenges, unlocking fun facts and sounds. An in-app upgrade offers more levels and animals permanently.

**Highlights:** Addition & Subtraction practice, Barnyard animal collection, Timed math challenges, Learn animal facts, Animal sounds, Gradually increasing difficulty

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Monkey Drum free?

Monkey Drum is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is First Grade Math Challenge free?

First Grade Math Challenge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Monkey Drum or First Grade Math Challenge?

Monkey Drum is rated higher. Monkey Drum averages 4.4 out of 5 from 116 ratings, while First Grade Math Challenge averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Monkey Drum or First Grade Math Challenge have ads?

Neither Monkey Drum nor First Grade Math Challenge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Monkey Drum or First Grade Math Challenge?

Monkey Drum ships an update every 3 weeks, and First Grade Math Challenge every 2 months. Most recently, Monkey Drum was updated on November 1, 2026 and First Grade Math Challenge on November 1, 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.*