Comparison

Rhythm Pad vs Real Cajon

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

Head to head
About

Rhythm Pad

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
Read full description

Note: This free version is supported by ads. To remove advertisements, either use the in-app purchase or buy Rhythm Pad Pro from the App Store. Play drums and compose beats using high-quality, professionally sampled drum kits with Rhythm Pad. Create drum recordings by tapping on the pads or using the sequencer and export them as audio files. Play drums along with the songs from your Media Library and Apple Music. Rhythm Pad is the smartest way to play drums on your mobile device. Introducing the Sequencer Quickly put together drum patterns of up to 8 bars using the sequencer. You can also record your live performance directly on to the sequencer and edit your sequence to your liking. Save your sequences and export them as audio files. Top features of Rhythm Pad • High-quality stereo sampled sounds with maximum polyphony. • Realistic Open and Closed Hi-Hats function. • Recording feature - Record by playing on the pads or create new patterns using the sequencer. • Quantization - Fix imprecisions during recording by enabling the quantization feature. • Export your recordings as audio files (AAC or WAVE) and use it in other audio applications. • Apply built-in reverb and compression effects to process the drum sounds. • Custom drum kits - Create new drum kits with sounds from other factory drum kits. • Smart Levels - Pads sound louder at the center and softer at the edges. • Optimized layout for maximum playability on iOS devices. • Precise metronome powered by the Metronome M1 engine. • Configure the volume level of individual pads. • Rearrange pad positions to your preference. Follow Rhythm Pad on Twitter for updates: @JSplashApps (https://twitter.com/jsplashapps) Like Rhythm Pad page on Facebook: https://facebook.com/rhythmpad

About

Real Cajon

This app simulates playing a cajon, a Peruvian percussion instrument. It allows users to strike different sections of the cajon, record and share audio, and customize its appearance. Enjoy realistic sounds and visual feedback.

Highlights
  • Record and share audio
  • Trim and playback recordings
  • Adjustable volume for each sound
  • Customizable skins and colors
  • Realistic HD graphics
  • Professional studio sound recordings
Features
Read full description

A simple and easy to play cajon simulator. Strike the surface made out of a thin layer of plywood called tapa. Slap the wooden face of the cajon and play multiple sections at the same time. Enjoy the visual vibration of the cajon! The cajón is a box-shaped percussion instrument originally from Peru, played by slapping the front or rear faces with the hands, fingers, or sometimes implements such as brushes, mallets, or sticks. Cajones are primarily played in Afro-Peruvian music. A Cajon falls under the drum instrument family due to its bass, mids and high frequency sound being similar to that of a kick drum and snares. Users can now record sound while playing, share the sound, trim recorded audio and playback the recorded sound. Adjust the volume for each cajon sound. Customize your cajon with different skins, wood types and background colors. Features • Record Sound while playing • Share Recorded Sound • Trim Recorded Audio • Playback Recorded Sound 
• Fast and Responsive • Beautiful Realistic HD Graphics • Customizable Cajon Wood Skins and background colors • Settings Menu With volume and haptic settings • Adjustable Volume for Each Cajon Sound • Portrait Mode • Tapa Marking Guide • Real sound recorded in professional studios More features and skins coming soon!

Screenshots

Rhythm Pad4 screens
Real Cajon4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Rhythm Pad at 75% against Real Cajon's 21%. Rhythm Pad also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.4) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 13 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Rhythm Pad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Real Cajon sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Rhythm Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rhythm Pad has 320 ratings behind it against 10, 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 21% of Real Cajon's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rhythm Pad ships an update every 2 months, Real Cajon every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Rhythm Pad versus Real Cajon: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRhythm PadReal Cajon
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (320 ratings) — better3.4 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews75.3% of reviews — better21.4% of reviews
Number of ratings320 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 13 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB90 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBijoy ThangarajBudali Kingsley

Customer experience

Rhythm Pad

All ratings316 ratings
Positive87.3%
Neutral5.1%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews356 reviews
Positive75.3%
Neutral11.2%
Negative13.5%

Real Cajon

All ratings10 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive21.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative78.6%

Bugs and requests

Rhythm Pad

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Real Cajon

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Rhythm Pad

One-time1
  • Upgrade to Pro Version$9.99
1 purchases

Real Cajon

One-time1
  • VIP Unlock All$2.99

Questions

Is Rhythm Pad free?
Rhythm Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Real Cajon free?
Real Cajon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Rhythm Pad or Real Cajon?
Rhythm Pad is rated higher. Rhythm Pad averages 4.5 out of 5 from 320 ratings, while Real Cajon averages 3.4 from 10 ratings.
Do Rhythm Pad or Real Cajon have ads?
Both Rhythm Pad and Real Cajon show ads.
Which is updated more often, Rhythm Pad or Real Cajon?
Rhythm Pad ships an update every 2 months, and Real Cajon every 13 months. Most recently, Rhythm Pad was updated on October 23, 2026 and Real Cajon on October 28, 2026.

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