# Darbuka vs Darbuka Beats

The clearest difference is rating: Darbuka Beats at 4.6 against Darbuka's 3.1. Darbuka Beats also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). Darbuka's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Darbuka sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Darbuka Beats sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Darbuka Beats holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 48 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 42% of Darbuka's written reviews are positive against 40% of Darbuka Beats's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Darbuka ships an update every 4 months, Darbuka Beats weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Darbuka | Darbuka Beats |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-hand-drum/id590663282/reviews) | **[4.6 (48 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-beats-drum-machine/id6745232272/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **48** |
| Positive reviews | **41.7% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 14 MB | 308 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dmytro Denys](https://appshunter.io/developer/429279016) | [Sonic Market](https://appshunter.io/developer/1811451957) |

## What reviewers say

### Darbuka

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-hand-drum/id590663282)

Transform your device into a darbuka, a traditional Middle Eastern hand drum. Play rhythms with your fingers, record your music, and share your creations with others. This universal app is compatible with iPhone and iPad.

**Highlights:** Virtual darbuka drum, Finger drumming interface, Music recording, Share recordings, Universal app support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Advertisement | $0.99 | one-time |


### Darbuka Beats

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/darbuka-beats-drum-machine/id6745232272)

This app provides authentic Middle Eastern and Oriental rhythms for musicians, producers, and dancers. It features a wide variety of traditional loops, dynamic performance tools, and custom loop import. Seamlessly integrate with DAWs and external controllers for live shows and studio production.

**Highlights:** Over 30 authentic Arabic, Middle Eastern, and Oriental rhythms, Dynamic performance tools for live feel, AUv3 and Ableton Link support, Import custom WAV loops with iCloud backup, Set lists for live performances, MIDI Learn integration, Built-in recording and sharing

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Darbuka Beats Factory Rhythms | $1.99 | one-time |
| Darbuka Beats Factory Rhythms | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Darbuka free?

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

### Is Darbuka Beats free?

Darbuka Beats is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Darbuka or Darbuka Beats?

Darbuka Beats is rated higher. Darbuka averages 3.1 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Darbuka Beats averages 4.6 from 48 ratings.

### Do Darbuka or Darbuka Beats have ads?

Darbuka shows ads; Darbuka Beats does not.

### Which is updated more often, Darbuka or Darbuka Beats?

Darbuka ships an update every 4 months, and Darbuka Beats weekly. Most recently, Darbuka was updated on November 1, 2026 and Darbuka Beats on November 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*