Comparison

Gig Drummer vs AKI Drum Machine

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

Head to head
About

Gig Drummer

This app provides a virtual drum machine for live performance, rehearsal, and recording. It offers over 30 rhythms across various genres, dynamic performance tools, and custom loop import. Organize your sets and control it with MIDI for a professional live drumming experience.

Highlights
  • 30+ versatile rhythms
  • Dynamic performance tools
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • Custom loop import
  • Set lists for gigs
  • MIDI learn support
  • Record and share grooves
Features
Read full description

Gig Drummer: Drum Machine for Live Performance. Take the stage with Gig Drummer, the ultimate drum machine app built for performers, producers, and musicians. With over 30 gig-ready rhythms spanning rock, pop, jazz, funk, country, Latin, and more, Gig Drummer brings a live drummer to your fingertips—perfect for rehearsal, recording, or the road. Features: • 30+ Versatile Rhythms – From 8 Beat, Funk, and Reggae to Swing, Cha Cha, and Trap, cover any style with ease. • Dynamic Performance Tools – Play intros, variations, fills, endings, and layer percussion for a humanized, on-the-fly feel. • AUv3 Plugin Support – Use Gig Drummer inside your favorite AUv3-compatible DAWs and hosts. • Custom Loop Import – Load your own WAV loops and expand your rhythm library. • Set Lists for Gigs – Organize rhythms into set lists for smooth, seamless shows. • MIDI Learn Support – Control everything with your MIDI hardware on stage or in the studio. • Tempo Tap & Lock – Stay perfectly in time with flexible tempo controls. • Smooth Transitions – Insert breaks, fade in/out, and end grooves cleanly for pro-level transitions. • Ableton Link – Sync effortlessly with other apps and gear. • Record & Share – Capture your grooves and share your performance with the world. Included Rhythms: 8 Beat, 16 Beat, Ballad, Big Band, Blues, Bossa Nova, Cha Cha, Country, Dance, Disco, Funk, Pop, Reggae, Reggaeton, Rock, Rock & Roll, Soul, Swing, Trap—and more. Whether you're rocking a live set, jamming at home, or laying down tracks in the studio, Gig Drummer keeps you locked in the groove. Download now and bring the band with you—wherever you play.

About

AKI Drum Machine

This app provides professional-grade, hands-on drum backing for musicians, songwriters, and performers. It allows importing MIDI drum styles, triggering song sections live, and customizing drum sounds. Enjoy real-time tempo control and flexible MIDI connectivity for a portable rhythm solution.

Highlights
  • Playable beat sections (Intros, Variations, Fills, Endings)
  • Import MIDI drum styles from Yamaha/Korg
  • Assign custom drum sounds (SF2 import)
  • Real-time tempo control with multi-tempo support
  • MIDI input/output and controller support
  • Background audio playback
  • Visual metronome and multi-meter support
Features
Read full description

AKI Drum Machine is a professional-grade arranger-style rhythm machine for iPad and iPhone, designed for musicians, songwriters, producers, and performers who want quick, hands-on drum backing without opening a full DAW. Import MIDI drum styles, trigger song sections live, assign your own drum sounds, and play everything from the screen or a MIDI controller. It gives you playable drum sections, fast tempo control, easy sound swapping, and a portable library of styles and sounds in one app. Import MIDI drum sections — including drum sections exported directly from Yamaha and Korg arrangers — and play them live with hands-on control over every section. Trigger intros, variations, fills, breaks, and endings in real time, just like a hardware arranger. PERFORMANCE & PLAYBACK - Playable beat sections — Intros, Variations, Fills, Breaks, and Endings - Start/Stop control - Auto Fill — automatically plays a matching fill when you switch variations - Fill Loop and Break Loop - Visual Metronome - Multi-Meter Support — styles can have different meters and time signatures for each section - Background audio — playback continues when the app is backgrounded TEMPO CONTROL - Real-time tempo control - Tempo Reset — double-tap to return to original tempo - Direct Tempo Entry — press and hold to enter a tempo value directly - Multi-Tempo Support — different tempos for different style sections - Per-Part Tempo Editing — view, adjust, and save tempo by style section STYLES, IMPORT & LIBRARY - 8 factory styles: 8 Beat, 16 Beat, Ballad, Country, Pop Latin, Rock, Samba, Swing Jazz - Yamaha and Korg MIDI Style Import — directly imports drum and percussion parts from styles exported as MIDI files - Files app integration — open MIDI files directly in the app - Built-In Style Library with rename and delete - Style Info — view import format, section details, and per-section tempo and meter data SOUNDS & MIXING - SF2 Sound Import — use your own drum kits - Built-In Sound Library with assignable drum and percussion sounds - Per-Style Sound Assignment — every style remembers its own sounds, volumes, and channels - Dual Drum and Percussion playback - Master Volume plus independent Drum and Percussion channel mixing - Reset to default drum sound anytime MIDI & CONNECTIVITY - MIDI Input and Output - MIDI Learn — assign hardware controls to any function - Adjustable MIDI Input and Output Routing - Automatic MIDI Hardware Detection - Virtual MIDI Support - Bluetooth MIDI Support - Multiple Simultaneous MIDI Controllers — all connected hardware sources active at once - MIDI Panic — instantly stops all MIDI notes on all channels INTERFACE & COMPATIBILITY - Light and Dark modes - iPad and iPhone compatible - In-app searchable User Guide - iOS 16+ Built for gigging musicians, worship leaders, singer-songwriters, and one-man-band performers who need reliable, professional drum backing without a full DAW. SUPPORT support@akimuzika.com akimuzika.com

Screenshots

Gig Drummer3 screens
AKI Drum Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Gig Drummer at Free against AKI Drum Machine's $39.99. Gig Drummer also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (15 vs 1). AKI Drum Machine's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). On review sentiment, ads 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

Gig Drummer is free to download; AKI Drum Machine costs $39.99 up front. Gig Drummer sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. AKI Drum Machine asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AKI Drum Machine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gig Drummer has 15 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gig Drummer ships an update monthly, AKI Drum Machine every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Gig Drummer versus AKI Drum Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGig DrummerAKI Drum Machine
PriceFree — better$39.99
Rating4.5 (15 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings15 — better1
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size307 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSonic MarketALEKS ENTERPRISES LLC

Customer experience

Gig Drummer

All ratings15 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

AKI Drum Machine

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Gig Drummer

One-time3
  • Gig Drummer Factory Offer$1.99
  • Gig Drummer Factory Rhythms$3.99
  • Gig Drummer Factory Rhythms$4.99
None

AKI Drum Machine

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Gig Drummer free?
Gig Drummer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AKI Drum Machine free?
AKI Drum Machine costs $39.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Gig Drummer or AKI Drum Machine?
AKI Drum Machine is rated higher. Gig Drummer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while AKI Drum Machine averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Gig Drummer or AKI Drum Machine have ads?
Neither Gig Drummer nor AKI Drum Machine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Gig Drummer or AKI Drum Machine?
Gig Drummer ships an update monthly, and AKI Drum Machine every 3 months. Most recently, Gig Drummer was updated on October 30, 2026 and AKI Drum Machine on November 5, 2026.

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