Comparison

Rhythm Pad vs Ephemeral

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

Ephemeral

Explore a collection of digital musical instruments playable in augmented reality. Unleash your creativity anytime and anywhere with immersive sound experiences.

Highlights
  • Augmented Reality instruments
  • Digital music creation
  • Playable anywhere
  • Creative sound experiences
Features
Read full description

Ephemeral is a playful music maker for iPhone and iPad. Tap out a beat, record your own samples, build a melody, and turn a small idea into a song!

Screenshots

Rhythm Pad4 screens
Ephemeral4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Rhythm Pad at 4.5 against Ephemeral's 3.5. Rhythm Pad also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 50%) and ratings volume (316 vs 2). Ephemeral's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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 Ephemeral 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 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rhythm Pad has 316 ratings behind it against 2, 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 50% of Ephemeral's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rhythm Pad ships an update every 2 months, Ephemeral every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Rhythm Pad versus Ephemeral: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRhythm PadEphemeral
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (316 ratings) — better3.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews75.3% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings316 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBijoy Thangarajphelgo

Customer experience

Rhythm Pad

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

Ephemeral

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

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

Ephemeral

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

Ephemeral

One-time1
  • Full Version$2.99

Questions

Is Rhythm Pad free?
Rhythm Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ephemeral free?
Ephemeral is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Rhythm Pad or Ephemeral?
Rhythm Pad is rated higher. Rhythm Pad averages 4.5 out of 5 from 316 ratings, while Ephemeral averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Rhythm Pad or Ephemeral have ads?
Rhythm Pad shows ads; Ephemeral does not.
Which is updated more often, Rhythm Pad or Ephemeral?
Rhythm Pad ships an update every 2 months, and Ephemeral every 4 days. Most recently, Rhythm Pad was updated on October 15, 2026 and Ephemeral on October 15, 2026.

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