# Pocket Drums vs Drum Set +

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Drum Set + at 100% against Pocket Drums's 49%. Drum Set + also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). Pocket Drums's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 20 months). On device support there is nothing between them.

Pocket Drums is free to download; Drum Set + costs $4.99 up front. Pocket Drums sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Drum Set + asks for nothing beyond the download.

Drum Set + holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Drums has 290 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of Pocket Drums's written reviews are positive against 100% of Drum Set +'s.

Pocket Drums ships an update every 2 months, Drum Set + every 20 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pocket Drums | Drum Set + |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (290 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-drums/id522215628/reviews) | **[4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-set-plus-real-pad-machine/id1506538364/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **290** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 49.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 20 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#179** |
| Size | 84 MB | 464 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Drum Starz](https://appshunter.io/developer/299477766) | [Satomi Uchida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1340507560) |

## What reviewers say

### Pocket Drums

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-drums/id522215628)

Experience realistic drumming with a virtual drum kit that fits in your pocket. This app offers responsive touch controls, high-fidelity drum sets, and various beats to help you play along. Learn rudiments with included videos and customize your sound with adjustable pitch, volume, and effects.

**Highlights:** Realistic touch-sensitive drum response, 15 high-fidelity recorded drum kits, 16 PlayAlong Beats and 20 music/drum beats, Basic drum rudiment videos, Adjustable pitch, sensitivity, volume, reverb, and delay, Multi-track recording and sharing capabilities

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Exporting | $0.99 | one-time |
| Kit Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Wraps | $0.99 | one-time |
| Snares | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full - Unlock everything | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Realistic drum sounds and quality audio
- 👍 Great for drum practice and learning
- 🎯 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎸 Multiple drum kits and sound options
- 💰 Free app with useful features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing
- 🔊 Occasional loud glitching sounds
- ⏱️ Timing issues and lag during fast playing
- 🎵 Poor drum sound quality in some kits

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when playing drums rapidly
- Glitching audio that stutters and repeats loudly
- App freezes when recording multiple times
- Screen stretches and becomes unresponsive
- App fails to open after updates

**Requested features**

- Double bass pedal for metal songs
- Reggae drum tones
- Splash and china cymbals
- Mix and match custom drum sets
- Built-in drumming lessons


### Drum Set +

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-set-plus-real-pad-machine/id1506538364)

**Currently charting:** #179 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app provides a realistic finger drum pad experience with high-quality sounds. Practice along to songs, customize drum positions and sounds, and utilize built-in metronome and recording features for jam sessions and lessons. It offers a wide variety of drum sounds and color options.

**Highlights:** Realistic finger drum pads, High-quality drum sounds, Customizable drum positions, Metronome function, Recording and loop features, Wide sound selection

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pocket Drums free?

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

### Is Drum Set + free?

Drum Set + costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pocket Drums or Drum Set +?

Drum Set + is rated higher. Pocket Drums averages 4.0 out of 5 from 290 ratings, while Drum Set + averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Pocket Drums or Drum Set + have ads?

Pocket Drums shows ads; Drum Set + does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pocket Drums or Drum Set +?

Pocket Drums ships an update every 2 months, and Drum Set + every 20 months. Most recently, Pocket Drums was updated on October 29, 2026 and Drum Set + on October 29, 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.*