# Bongos! vs Darbuka

The clearest difference is rating: Bongos! at 4.4 against Darbuka's 3.1. Bongos! also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 42%) and ratings volume (60 vs 11). Darbuka's advantage is chart position (#199 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bongos! sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Darbuka sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bongos! holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bongos! has 60 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Bongos!'s written reviews are positive against 42% of Darbuka's.

Bongos! ships an update every 3 months, Darbuka every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bongos! | Darbuka |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bongos/id483719120/reviews)** | [3.1 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-hand-drum/id590663282/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **60** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | **72.2% of reviews** | 41.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#199** |
| Size | 48 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Drum Starz](https://appshunter.io/developer/299477766) | [Dmytro Denys](https://appshunter.io/developer/429279016) |

## What reviewers say

### Bongos!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bongos/id483719120)

Experience the thrill of playing bongos and congas on your mobile device. This app offers high-quality sounds, realistic drumming experiences, and the ability to play along with your own music. Share and export your creations to sound like a pro.

**Highlights:** High-quality 16-bit stereo sounds, Realistic 3D visual effects, Play along to your music, Metronome with 43 sounds, 67 Pocket Beats and Loops, Share and export recordings

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

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


### Darbuka

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-hand-drum/id590663282)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Transform your device into a darbuka, a traditional Middle Eastern hand drum. Play rhythms with your fingers, record your music, and share your creations with others. This universal app is compatible with iPhone and iPad.

**Highlights:** Virtual darbuka drum, Finger drumming interface, Music recording, Share recordings, Universal app support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Advertisement | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bongos! free?

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

### Is Darbuka free?

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

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

Bongos! is rated higher. Bongos! averages 4.4 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while Darbuka averages 3.1 from 11 ratings.

### Do Bongos! or Darbuka have ads?

Both Bongos! and Darbuka show ads.

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

Bongos! ships an update every 3 months, and Darbuka every 4 months. Most recently, Bongos! was updated on November 1, 2026 and Darbuka 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.*