Comparison

Mesgana vs Zema Begena

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

Head to head
About

Mesgana

Features
Read full description

Seventh-day Adventist hymnals in Amharic & English—search and fellowship offline.

About

Zema Begena

Explore the ancient Ethiopian Begena box-lyre with this app. Learn to play traditional hymns through interactive, gamified lessons. Record your voice, layer it with the instrument, and export your performances as videos.

Highlights
  • Authentic Begena sound and playability
  • Gamified hymn practice
  • Record and layer vocals
  • Video export of performances
  • Configure scales and string settings
Features
Read full description

Discover the Divine Sound of the Begena Ancient Box-Lyre. Step into thousands of years of musical tradition with Zema Begena, the ultimate digital gateway to the Begena—the sacred, ten-stringed box-lyre of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Known historically as the instrument of King David, the Begena’s deep, buzzing tones have guided prayer, meditation, and spiritual reflection for centuries. Now, you can carry this beautiful tradition right in your pocket. Whether you are a devout practitioner, a student of Ethiopian culture, or a music lover exploring ancient instruments, Zema Begena makes learning and playing accessible, interactive, and deeply rewarding. Key Features: Authentic Sound & Playability: Experience the unique, resonant buzz of the traditional ten-stringed Begena, meticulously sampled for true-to-life audio quality. Gamified Hymn Practice: Master traditional Ethiopian Orthodox hymns through an interactive, game-like learning system. Perfect your timing, memorize strings, and level up your skills. + Record & Layer Your Voice: Sing along as you play! Use the built-in recording feature to capture your vocal praise layered beautifully over your Begena tracks. + Video Export: Easily export your recorded performances into high-quality videos to share your spiritual musical journey with friends, family, or on social media. + Immerse yourself in the sacred art of Zema. Download Zema Begena today and let the ancient strings elevate your meditation, practice, and prayer. + Configure everything about the begena from its scales [traditional pentatonic scales built directly into the Begena, including Tizita, Bati, Ambassel, and Anchihoye.] to the stringg colors and positioning etc.

Screenshots

Mesgana4 screens
Zema Begena4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Zema Begena at 13.0 against Mesgana's 15.1. On price, update cadence, ads 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mesgana ships an update every 6 weeks, Zema Begena every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Mesgana versus Zema Begena: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMesganaZema Begena
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB194 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKaleb TsegayeBesufekad Mekuria

In-app purchases

None

Mesgana

No in-app purchases

None

Zema Begena

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mesgana free?
Mesgana is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Zema Begena free?
Zema Begena is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Mesgana or Zema Begena have ads?
Neither Mesgana nor Zema Begena shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mesgana or Zema Begena?
Mesgana ships an update every 6 weeks, and Zema Begena every 4 weeks. Most recently, Mesgana was updated on October 17, 2026 and Zema Begena on October 15, 2026.

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