Comparison

RealPlay vs OFFBEAT

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

Head to head
About

RealPlay

Practice music with authentic backing tracks performed by professional musicians. Customize tempo, key, and mix for focused learning. Features over 100 standard chord progressions with an expanding library.

Highlights
  • Authentic backing tracks
  • 100+ standard chord progressions
  • Real-time tempo adjustment
  • Instrument isolation and mixing
  • Instant transposition to all keys
Features
Read full description

RealPlay lets you practice with real music—not midi tracks, AI, or loops. Play along with authentic backing tracks performed by world-class rhythm sections, featuring an expanding library of over 100 essential standard chord progressions. Easily customize your practice with real-time controls for tempo, key, and mix—so you can focus on exactly what you need. Features: • World-class rhythm sections • 100+ essential jazz standards and chord progressions (expanding library) • Real-time tempo adjustment • Instrument isolation and mixing (ideal for rhythm section players) • Instant transposition to all 12 keys Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

OFFBEAT

Features
Read full description

OFFBEAT is a rhythm training app built for ska punk and jazz musicians. ■ Train the "gap" a metronome can't teach you Just tapping along with a metronome doesn't build the feel you need on stage. OFFBEAT focuses on the genre-specific placement of rhythm — offbeats only, the third note of the swing triplet, the 2 & 4 backbeat — and visualizes your timing error in milliseconds. ■ 6 specialized training modes - Offbeat Master — the 8th-note offbeat that underpins ska cutting - Swing Pocket — the "third triplet" feel of jazz time - 2 & 4 Backbeat — the shared backbone of jazz and ska - Silent Keep — hold your internal groove through bars of silence - Tempo Sprint — survive accelerating tempos without rushing - Call & Response — hear a phrase, play it back ■ Practise with real instrument sounds Tap "Sound" on the start screen to switch from the click to recorded drums, bass, guitar or percussion (the choices depend on the mode). Available in the two free modes too. ■ Laid-back Pack (sold separately) Practise placing your notes a set amount behind a band that stays on the beat. Work through three styles (Bass Pocket, Drag Backbeat, Swing 16) from a drum-and-bass guide to playing on your own. The app checks your average position, spread and drift to show whether you sit back and whether you hold that spot. You can try the introduction and the comparison before buying. ■ Output latency calibration Measures the output delay of your earphones/speaker and folds it into the judgment, resolving the feeling of being "off" when you're actually on time. That said, since Bluetooth latency itself fluctuates, please use wired earphones or a speaker. ■ Built to keep you coming back - Three 30-day lesson courses (All-round / Ska focus / Jazz focus) - Day-streak tracking with a weekly one-day protection freeze - Timing diagnosis after every session: are you rushing or dragging? - Score, accuracy and average offset recorded every run [Pricing] - The app is free to download. - "Offbeat Master" and "Swing Pocket" are free forever, with no time limit. - Base pack (one-time purchase): unlocks the other four modes (2 & 4 Backbeat, Silent Keep, Tempo Sprint, Call & Response) and the three 30-day lesson courses (All-round, Ska, Jazz). - Laid-back Pack (one-time purchase): unlocks the three Laid-back styles (Bass Pocket, Drag Backbeat, Swing 16). It is separate from the base pack and can be bought on its own. - Neither is a subscription. Once you buy one, the content listed for it is yours to keep. - After reinstalling or switching devices, use "Restore Purchase" in Settings. ■ Privacy All play data stays on your device. Nothing is transmitted (see the privacy policy for details). For you if: - You play in (or want to join) a ska punk or jazz band - You can follow a metronome but can't sit in the groove - You've ever been told you rush on the offbeats - You want to sit behind the beat, not just on it — From the developer I've played in a ska punk band and spent years touring the jazz cafés of Japan, yet I never trusted my own sense of rhythm. Metronomes and method books didn't fix it. "It isn't talent — there has to be a way to train this." So I built it with the one skill I did have: programming. That's how OFFBEAT began. Not for people who already have rhythm, but for those who struggle, like I did. Starting with ska and jazz — and someday, for every player, in every genre.

Screenshots

RealPlay4 screens
OFFBEAT4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: OFFBEAT at 15.0 against RealPlay's 17.0. 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. RealPlay sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.29 per month and OFFBEAT sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RealPlay ships an update every 5 days, OFFBEAT every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
RealPlay versus OFFBEAT: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRealPlayOFFBEAT
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (165 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews73.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings165 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRealPlay LLCYUKIO SAITO

In-app purchases

2 purchases

RealPlay

Subscriptions2
  • RealPlay Pro Monthly$3.291 Month
  • RealPlay Pro Yearly$21.991 Year
1 purchases

OFFBEAT

One-time1
  • Unlock 6 modes + 3 courses$5.99

Questions

Is RealPlay free?
RealPlay is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is OFFBEAT free?
OFFBEAT is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do RealPlay or OFFBEAT have ads?
Neither RealPlay nor OFFBEAT shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RealPlay or OFFBEAT?
RealPlay ships an update every 5 days, and OFFBEAT every 6 days. Most recently, RealPlay was updated on October 24, 2026 and OFFBEAT on October 24, 2026.

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