Comparison

Rhythm Ace vs FingerDrumPad

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

Head to head
About

Rhythm Ace

This app is a faithful simulator of a vintage 1967 drum machine, recreating its authentic analog sounds and rhythm presets. It allows for real-time synthesis of percussion, pattern layering, and individual voice muting for unique groove creation.

Highlights
  • Faithful vintage drum machine simulation
  • Real-time synthesized analog sounds
  • 16 classic rhythm presets
  • Authentic pattern combining
  • Individual voice cancel controls
  • Precision tempo control
Features
Read full description

Rhythm Ace is a faithful simulator of the Ace Tone FR-1 — one of the earliest consumer drum machines, built in Japan in 1967 and the ancestor of the legendary Roland rhythm machines. Every sound is synthesized in real time using classic transistor-style audio circuits — no samples, no loops. Just pure, characterful analog-era percussion the way it was meant to sound. Eight synthesized voices Bass Drum · Snare · Low Conga · High Conga · Cymbal · Claves · Cowbell · Maracas 16 classic rhythm presets Waltz, Bossa Nova, Samba, Rock, Swing, Foxtrot, and more — all faithfully recreated from the original FR-1 diode matrix. Authentic pattern combining Select multiple rhythm buttons to layer patterns exactly like the original hardware — the diode matrix OR-combines their steps, letting you build complex grooves from simple presets. Voice cancel controls Mute individual instruments on the fly with the dedicated cancel buttons, just like the original panel. Precision tempo control Large rotary knob for natural, tactile BPM adjustment. Sample-accurate scheduling Built on a lookahead audio clock for tight, rock-solid timing — no drift, no jitter. Whether you're a vintage gear enthusiast, a music producer hunting for retro textures, or just curious what the dawn of the drum machine sounded like, Rhythm Ace brings a slice of music history to your iPhone.

About

FingerDrumPad

Features
Read full description

Become a drummer, just with your fingertips. Plug in headphones and leave the bulky drum kit behind. Play real drums silently, even late at night. FingerDrumPad is a second drum kit that fits in the palm of your hand. ■ Total freedom in pad shape and placement Pads are free-form polygons with 3 to 10 vertices, placeable anywhere on screen. Make the kick large and round, the snare wide and horizontal, the hi-hat small and compact. Create as many original kits as you like, tailored to your own hands. ■ A practice mode that accelerates your progress Every hit is judged in real time. Detailed feedback — Perfect / Good / Early / Late — plus combos, scores, and ranks (S–D) turns daily practice into something you'll look forward to. Your timing habits are visualized as a heatmap, with per-pad statistics and a "pad to focus on next" suggestion. Daily streaks and weekly summaries keep your motivation going. Includes 100+ charts across 10 genres — rock, pop, funk, jazz, Latin, reggae, and more. Start free with the Basic charts. ■ A step sequencer that builds patterns and exports to your DAW Assemble rhythm patterns on 16th- and 32nd-note grids. Odd time signatures like 3/4, 5/4, and 7/4 are supported too. Send your patterns to Practice mode to play them, or export them as MIDI files to take into your DAW. ■ Expand your sound endlessly Load your favorite SF2 SoundFont and use it as an entire kit. Sounds matching the GM standard get the right colors and names automatically, so a brand-new kit takes seconds. Assign any AUv3 instrument plugin to a pad to turn FingerDrumPad into the ultimate touch instrument. A built-in scanner detects which notes actually produce sound, so you'll never guess which note to pick. ■ Packed with thoughtful details ・Multi-touch for both hands at once, plus choke by holding a cymbal pad ・Touch velocity that senses how hard you hit (with per-finger calibration) ・Haptic feedback you can feel with every hit ・Metronome supporting 40–200 BPM and 1–12 beats per measure ・Ensemble mode that plays along to songs from your music library (change playback speed from 50–100% while preserving pitch) ・An interactive tutorial so you'll never feel lost ・Custom drum maps you can register for MIDI modules like Roland and Yamaha ・In-app help via the "?" button on every screen ■ Private by design Crash reporting is off by default. Nothing is sent unless you explicitly opt in. Your practice history and settings stay on your device. ■ Unlock everything with Pro A single one-time purchase lifts the limits on kits and patterns you can save, and unlocks all 100+ charts across 10 genres, SF2 SoundFont import, and AUv3 plugins. No subscription. Plug in your headphones and start drumming with your fingertips today.

Screenshots

Rhythm Ace1 screens
FingerDrumPad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Rhythm Ace at none against FingerDrumPad's 1. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. FingerDrumPad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Rhythm Ace asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Rhythm Ace versus FingerDrumPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRhythm AceFingerDrumPad
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.018.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTero AarnioToshihide Nakamura

In-app purchases

None

Rhythm Ace

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

FingerDrumPad

One-time1
  • Unlock Pro$9.99

Questions

Is Rhythm Ace free?
Rhythm Ace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FingerDrumPad free?
FingerDrumPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Rhythm Ace or FingerDrumPad have ads?
Neither Rhythm Ace nor FingerDrumPad shows ads.

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