Comparison

SubPulse vs Score Drummer

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

Head to head
About

SubPulse

Features
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Basic metronomes just keep time. SubPulse trains it. SubPulse is the only metronome with named training methods used by world-class musicians — and it's 100% free. No subscriptions, no ads, no account. Forever. THE TABLE OF TIME — THE JOE MORELLO METHOD The legendary practice system of Joe Morello, the drummer behind "Take Five". At each BPM level, SubPulse automatically cycles through subdivisions — quarters, eighths, sixteenths, triplets — then increases the tempo and repeats. No other metronome can do this. PUSH-PULL — TRAIN BOTH DIRECTIONS Most musicians only practice speeding up. Push-Pull alternates tempo increases AND decreases, so you build genuine tempo control instead of unconscious rushing. Unique to SubPulse. AUTO PROGRESSION — BUILD SPEED ON AUTOPILOT Set your starting tempo and your goal. SubPulse increases the BPM gradually while you stay in the flow state. No interruptions, no manual adjustments. EVERYTHING YOU NEED • Precision metronome, 30–300 BPM • Time signatures: 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, 5/4, 7/8 • Subdivisions: quarters, eighths, sixteenths, triplets • Tap Tempo — detect any BPM by tapping • Practice presets to save your routines • Haptic feedback, adjustable click pitch, screen stays awake • Works offline. In English, Spanish and Portuguese FOR EVERY MUSICIAN Drums, guitar, piano, bass, any instrument — from your first metronome session to advanced subdivision mastery. 100% FREE. FOREVER. No paywall, no trial, no locked features. Download and start practicing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Score Drummer

Features
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Practice drums with your own MIDI and Guitar Pro files. Turn your electronic drum kit into a personal practice studio for the song files you already have. Import a standard MIDI or supported Guitar Pro file, press play, and follow your drum part on screen with live timing feedback. You can also play directly on your iPhone or iPad with the new eight-pad touch drum kit, with score-aware Hi-Hat articulation and optional light haptic feedback. Start immediately with five guided Drum Kit Basics lessons and the included Rock Demo Song. Choose an Easy or Full drum arrangement, then import your own MIDI or Guitar Pro files for focused practice. HOW IT WORKS • Learn Kick, Snare, Hi-Hat, Crash, Toms, and Ride through five guided lessons. • Try Rock Demo Song in Easy or Full. • Import one of your own MIDI or supported Guitar Pro files. • Let Score Drummer detect the drum track automatically, or choose it yourself. • Follow the drum part in a lane-based visual score. • Play with the eight-pad touch drum kit, an electronic drum kit, or keyboard input. • Get live timing feedback as you practice. Guided setup helps you choose touch input, keyboard input, or an electronic drum kit before you begin. PRACTICE MODE Slow songs down and work through difficult sections without starting over. • Adjust tempo from 10% to 100%. • Loop specific bar ranges. • Tap a drum lane to mute it while you practice smaller parts. • Resume with a metronome count-in. • Navigate by song sections and the progress bar. PERFORMANCE MODE Play a full-tempo run and measure the result. • See your score, accuracy, and hit counts during playback. • Receive a letter grade at the end of the performance. • Review detailed stats, history, and replays with Pro. MIXING AND PLAYBACK • Built-in drum and General MIDI SoundFonts. • Full mixer with per-track and per-instrument volume, mute, and solo controls. • MIDI controller auto-detection with hot-plug support. • Touch and keyboard input modes for practice without a drum kit. FREE VERSION • Play five Drum Kit Basics lessons and Rock Demo Song. • Keep one imported song in your library at a time. • Delete or replace that song whenever you want. • Practice Mode and Performance Mode included. • Timing feedback included. • No ads, no time limits, no account needed. PRO FEATURES Score Drummer Pro is a one-time purchase. No subscription. One purchase unlocks Pro on Mac, iPad, and iPhone, and can be shared with your family through Apple Family Sharing. Pro includes: • Unlimited song library. • Detailed performance recap with stats breakdown. • Performance history for reviewing past sessions. • Replay mode for reviewing past performances. • Audio backing track import and MIDI sync. • Use your own SoundFont for backing-instrument playback. • Library export/import for backup and device transfer. • Export a Reference Video showing a perfect instructional playthrough. • Export a Performance Video of a saved take with recorded timing and feedback. Video exports are rendered offline and do not record your screen or camera. Completed videos are saved to Photos. PRIVACY No account or sign-in is required. Your songs, imported files, and performance data stay on your device and are never uploaded. Score Drummer sends limited anonymous product analytics and crash diagnostics, never linked to your identity.

Screenshots

SubPulse4 screens
Score Drummer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Score Drummer at every 3 weeks against SubPulse's every 3 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. SubPulse sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year and Score Drummer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SubPulse ships an update every 3 months, Score Drummer every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 5 level
SubPulse versus Score Drummer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSubPulseScore Drummer
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlejandro RodriguezRoberto Cau

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SubPulse

Subscriptions1
  • SubPulse Premium14 Days trial$14.991 Year
1 purchases

Score Drummer

One-time1
  • Score Drummer Pro$34.99

Questions

Is SubPulse free?
SubPulse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Score Drummer free?
Score Drummer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SubPulse or Score Drummer have ads?
Neither SubPulse nor Score Drummer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SubPulse or Score Drummer?
SubPulse ships an update every 3 months, and Score Drummer every 3 weeks. Most recently, SubPulse was updated on October 25, 2026 and Score Drummer on October 25, 2026.

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