Comparison

BK vs DP8

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

Head to head
About

BK

Control and edit the real-time performance parameters of your Roland BK-9 Backing Keyboard directly from your iPad. Enhance your playing, practicing, and composing experience with quick access to tone editing, part mixing, and effects.

Highlights
  • Real-time parameter editing
  • Tone editing
  • Part mixing control
  • Effects adjustment
  • iPad touchscreen interface
  • Enhanced performance tool
Read full description

Use the Apple iPad to display and edit the real-time performance parameters of your Roland BK-9 Backing Keyboard. With the BK-9 Performance Editor, you can use your iPad to directly access the BK-9’s real-time performance parameters as you play the keyboard. Via the iPad’s graphic display and large touchscreen, you have quick and convenient control of a wide selection of parameters, including tone editing, part mixing, effects, and much more. Designed for use alongside the keyboard’s own dual display system and extensive onboard controls, the BK-9 Performance Editor gives you a powerful tool for enhancing your BK-9 experience while performing, practicing, and composing. Communication between the BK-9 and iPad requires either of the following: - Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit (made by Apple Inc.) and a standard USB cable (Type-A male to Type-B male, readily available at retailers that sell computer accessories) - Roland WNA1100-RL Wireless USB Adapter (connected to the BK-9) and a wireless LAN access point with an Internet connection. - BK-9 Version 1.06 or later (available as a free download from the Roland website) is required in order to use this app with the BK-9.

About

DP8

Experience a full drum kit with an intuitive layout. Enjoy dynamic performance and high-quality sounds at your fingertips. Practice along with songs using real-time speed adjustment and a simple mixer.

Highlights
  • Full drum kit layout
  • Natural dynamic performance
  • High-quality sound
  • Multi-genre drum sounds
  • Integrated song playback
  • Real-time song speed adjust
Features
Read full description

Play whole drumkit with this perfect layout drumpad. Most natural dynamic performance and amazing sound quality, all you can get on your fingertip !! - Multi drum sounds fit different music genre. - All parts of drumset with variety dynamic. - Integrated song playback control. - Simple mixer ,fast sound blend control. - Realtime song speed adjust, perfect for practice. Support by AD ,can be remove by 1-click!

Screenshots

DP82 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: DP8 at 4.4 against BK's 3.7. DP8 also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (78 vs 3). BK's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DP8 holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DP8 has 78 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of BK's written reviews are positive against 50% of DP8's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BK ships an update every 9 months, DP8 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
BK versus DP8: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBKDP8
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)4.4 (78 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings378 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.1 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB88 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRoland CorporationMingChun Chien

Customer experience

BK

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral66.7%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral66.7%
Negative0.0%

DP8

All ratings78 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral7.7%
Negative9.0%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

BK

No in-app purchases

None

DP8

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BK free?
BK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DP8 free?
DP8 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BK or DP8?
DP8 is rated higher. BK averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while DP8 averages 4.4 from 78 ratings.
Do BK or DP8 have ads?
DP8 shows ads; BK does not.
Which is updated more often, BK or DP8?
BK ships an update every 9 months, and DP8 every 2 months. Most recently, BK was updated on October 8, 2026 and DP8 on October 1, 2026.

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