# Drum Journal vs Gecko Drums

The clearest difference is monetization model: Gecko Drums at free against Drum Journal's freemium. Drum Journal's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drum Journal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Gecko Drums sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Drum Journal against 5.0 for Gecko Drums. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drum Journal has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Drum Journal ships an update weekly, Gecko Drums every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drum Journal | Gecko Drums |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-journal-practice-routine/id6758671743/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gecko-drums/id6761950969/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 105 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Porath Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/1832292304) | [Dave Govert Menkehorst](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891647176) |

## What reviewers say

### Drum Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-journal-practice-routine/id6758671743)

This app provides real-time feedback on your drumming practice using your device's microphone. It allows you to slow down or loop sections of YouTube drum videos and automatically tracks your practice sessions to help you monitor progress.

**Highlights:** Microphone-based sticking feedback, YouTube video playback with speed control, Section looping for practice, Automatic practice session tracking, Community-shared exercises, Progress monitoring and streaks

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Annual | $34.99 | per year |
| Pro Yearly | $34.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |


### Gecko Drums

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gecko-drums/id6761950969)

This app is a smart practice partner for drummers, offering a precision metronome with adjustable tempo and an exercise library. It helps users improve timing, speed, and focus with features like auto-advance and real-time accuracy feedback.

**Highlights:** Smart metronome with adjustable tempo, Extensive exercise library with visual notation, Smooth exercise transitions with preview, Auto-advance to next exercise, Real-time timing accuracy feedback, Offline functionality, Lock screen and AirPods controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drum Journal free?

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

### Is Gecko Drums free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Drum Journal or Gecko Drums?

Drum Journal and Gecko Drums are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 9 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Drum Journal or Gecko Drums have ads?

Neither Drum Journal nor Gecko Drums shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drum Journal or Gecko Drums?

Drum Journal ships an update weekly, and Gecko Drums every 10 days. Most recently, Drum Journal was updated on October 31, 2026 and Gecko Drums on October 31, 2026.

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