# Rhythm Pad vs Drum Machine

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Rhythm Pad at 75% against Drum Machine's 18%. Rhythm Pad also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Drum Machine's advantage is ratings volume (6.1K vs 320) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Rhythm Pad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Drum Machine sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Rhythm Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drum Machine has 6.1K ratings behind it against 320, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Rhythm Pad's written reviews are positive against 18% of Drum Machine's.

Rhythm Pad ships an update every 2 months, Drum Machine every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rhythm Pad | Drum Machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (320 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rhythm-pad/id504321020/reviews)** | [4.3 (6.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-machine-music-maker/id1435908315/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 320 | **6.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.3% of reviews** | 18.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bijoy Thangaraj](https://appshunter.io/developer/453056920) | [MWM](https://appshunter.io/developer/452269707) |

## What reviewers say

### Rhythm Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rhythm-pad/id504321020)

Create and record drum beats with high-quality sampled sounds. Utilize a sequencer to build patterns, play along with your music library, and export your creations as audio files. Customize drum kits and apply effects for professional-sounding results.

**Highlights:** High-quality stereo sampled drum sounds, Sequencer for creating drum patterns, Live performance recording, Export recordings as audio files (AAC/WAVE), Built-in reverb and compression effects, Customizable drum kits, Play along with music library

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro Version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🥁 Great drum samples
- 👍 Responsive and easy to use
- 🎶 Ability to play along with music
- 🎮 Fun and enjoyable experience
- 📝 Good for practice and recording

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Aggressive ads and notifications
- 🔇 Sound issues (disappearing sound, low volume)
- 🐛 Bugs and performance problems
- 🔌 Latency issues

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup after purchasing the pro version
- Ads still show up even after purchasing the pro version
- Music playback issues when using the app

**Requested features**

- Ability to import custom drum samples
- More drum kits and sound options
- Support for additional time signatures
- Improved recording and overdubbing features
- Option to adjust individual pad volumes


### Drum Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-machine-music-maker/id1435908315)

Create impressive music with an intuitive beat maker. Explore various drum kits, utilize a step sequencer, and mix tracks with an 8-track mixer. Compatible with MIDI controllers for an enhanced experience.

**Highlights:** High quality drum kits, 8 tracks mixer, Steps sequencer, Drum pads, MIDI controllers compatibility

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium Pass | $4.49 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Pass | $7.49 | per 7 days |
| Weekly premium pass | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Pass | $8.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Pass | $9.49 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium Pass | $18.99 | per month |
| Annual Premium Pass | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium Pass | $39.99 | per year |
| Annually Premium Pass | $46.99 | per year |
| Annually premium pass | $79.99 | per year |
| Annually Premium Pass | $94.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Cool app
- 🚀 Great drum machine
- 🚀 Fun to make music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Requires subscription to use
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🐛 Crashes and errors
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 💰 Overpriced subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription screen blocks access
- Ads block functionality
- Sounds don't save

**Requested features**

- Export tracks
- Tap tempo
- Free version with limited features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rhythm Pad free?

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

### Is Drum Machine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Rhythm Pad or Drum Machine?

Rhythm Pad is rated higher. Rhythm Pad averages 4.5 out of 5 from 320 ratings, while Drum Machine averages 4.3 from 6.1K ratings.

### Do Rhythm Pad or Drum Machine have ads?

Both Rhythm Pad and Drum Machine show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rhythm Pad or Drum Machine?

Rhythm Pad ships an update every 2 months, and Drum Machine every 4 weeks. Most recently, Rhythm Pad was updated on October 23, 2026 and Drum Machine on October 25, 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.*