Comparison

Keep Time vs Beat Station

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

Head to head
About

Keep Time

This application provides musicians with a visual metronome to enhance their playing. It offers adjustable tempo, customizable sounds and colors, and various subdivision options. Advanced features for rhythm simulation are available through in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Adjustable speed with touch gestures
  • 4 metronome sound options
  • 7 color choices for visualizer
  • Sub-division options (8th, 16th, triplets)
  • Configurable visualizer beats per measure
  • Apple Watch remote tempo adjustment
Features
Read full description

Are you a musician who wants to improve your playing? Metronomes are a great way to work on your speed, timing, and accuracy, no matter what instrument you play! Keep Time is a free, fully functioning metronome with a strong visual component. Featuring: - Adjustable speed using touch gestures. You can tap the screen to synchronize it with your tempo. - 4 different metronome sounds - 7 different color choices for the visualizer and interface, including a "rainbow" option - Sub-division options such as: 8th notes, 16th notes, triplets, and shuffles - Visualizer configurable to display 2-8 beats per measure - Advanced features such as Auto Adjust and Simulate Human Rhythm available via In-App purchase - Support for iPad multitasking - Remote tempo adjustment using Apple Watch Directions: Keep Time is operated by using the menu at the bottom of the screen. Start and pause the metronome by using the "Play" button on the far left. Use the "Settings" menu to change the speed, sounds, and colors. Push the "Visualizer" button to remove the settings menu overlay. Finally, the "More" button provides technical information and links to the entire Okunarium Labs catalog.

About

Beat Station

This app provides a versatile drum machine for musicians, offering realistic drum sets and extensive loop libraries. It allows for real-time control of song sections and hands-free operation via a Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard, enhancing practice, production, and live performance.

Highlights
  • Realistic drum sets
  • Extensive drum loop library
  • Multiple control modes (Loop, Pedal, Song)
  • Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard support
  • Inter-App Audio and background audio
  • Export songs as audio files
  • MIDI implementation and DAW integration
Features
Read full description

The Beat Station is a rhythm machine for practicing guitar, bass, keyboard, or any type of instrument, and also brings to production and live performance the ease of not requiring live drums and a drummer. You can control verse, chorus, transition, fill, intro, and outro sections using different modes of operation. Connect Bluetooth MIDI Pedalboard lets you control all sections hands-free. When you hear the rhythm patterns and start to control them live, it is truly like a versatile drummer playing along with you. LOOP MODE Easily play rhythm patterns with loop pads. Each rhythm style includes 12 rhythm patterns: intro, verse, chorus, six fills, two transitions, and outro. You can switch rhythm patterns in real-time as needed during your performance. PEDAL MODE You can use the Pedal mode to play rhythm patterns with four footswitches. By using a Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard, you can perform operational tasks without having to take your hands off of your instrument. SONG MODE You can connect rhythm patterns to create a complete drum track that's appropriate for your own song, and play it automatically. Features • 6 ultra-realistic drum sets • Over 1700 drum loops, 136 rhythm styles in 15 genres • Easily play rhythm patterns with three modes • Inter-App Audio support • Audio background mode • Export your songs as audio files • Full MIDI implementation • MIDI Controller support • MIDI Learn • Send MIDI to DAW or other apps • Ableton Link integration • Keep your projects up to date across all devices using iCloud -------- Beat Station Pro Subscription - Get All Genres of Rhythm (Over 1700 Drum Loops) - Unlimited Projects - Export Audio - MIDI Output • $2.99(USD)/Month  • $22.99(USD)/Year Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. PRIVACY POLICY: https://sonarmusic.app/beatstation/privacy/ TERMS OF USE: https://sonarmusic.app/beatstation/terms/

Screenshots

Keep Time4 screens
Beat Station4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Keep Time at free with in-app purchases against Beat Station's subscription. Keep Time also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 64%). Beat Station's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (496 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Keep Time sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Beat Station sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Beat Station holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beat Station has 496 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of Keep Time's written reviews are positive against 64% of Beat Station's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Keep Time ships an update every 4 months, Beat Station every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Keep Time versus Beat Station: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKeep TimeBeat Station
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)4.5 (496 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews — better63.9% of reviews
Number of ratings1496 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB209 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJustin OkunSonar Multimedia

Customer experience

Keep Time

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%

Beat Station

All ratings496 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral6.3%
Negative6.3%
Written reviews144 reviews
Positive63.9%
Neutral13.9%
Negative22.2%

Bugs and requests

Keep Time

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Beat Station

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Subscription issues (unable to restore purchases)
  • App freezing or closing unexpectedly
  • Blank tutorial screens
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between beats

Requested features

5 requests
  • More beat variety (Latin, jazz, waltz, etc.)
  • Ability to import custom drum samples
  • Tempo and style changes within a song
  • Midi export option
  • Better tutorial and customer support

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Keep Time

One-time1
  • Feature Pack$1.99
3 purchases

Beat Station

Subscriptions2
  • Beat Station Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Beat Station Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$22.991 Year
One-time1
  • Beat Station Pro (Lifetime)$59.99

Questions

Is Keep Time free?
Keep Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Beat Station free?
Beat Station is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Keep Time or Beat Station?
Beat Station is rated higher. Keep Time averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Beat Station averages 4.5 from 496 ratings.
Do Keep Time or Beat Station have ads?
Neither Keep Time nor Beat Station shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Keep Time or Beat Station?
Keep Time ships an update every 4 months, and Beat Station every 5 weeks. Most recently, Keep Time was updated on June 5, 2026 and Beat Station on September 30, 2026.

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