# Rock Drum Machine vs Starrypad

The clearest difference is price: Starrypad at Free against Rock Drum Machine's $17.99. Starrypad also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Rock Drum Machine's advantage is ratings volume (523 vs 1) and chart position (#190 vs unranked). On review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Starrypad is free to download; Rock Drum Machine costs $17.99 up front. Rock Drum Machine sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Starrypad asks for nothing beyond the download.

Starrypad holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rock Drum Machine has 523 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Rock Drum Machine's written reviews are positive against 100% of Starrypad's.

Rock Drum Machine ships an update every 3 weeks, Starrypad every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Rock Drum Machine | Starrypad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $17.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.7 (523 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rock-drum-machine/id725234217/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starrypad/id6806672128/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **523** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 92.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#190** | — |
| Size | 233 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lumbeat](https://appshunter.io/developer/590278231) | [Ryo Ijuin](https://appshunter.io/developer/6806672130) |

## What reviewers say

### Rock Drum Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rock-drum-machine/id725234217)

**Currently charting:** #190 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

Transform your device into a powerful rock drumming tool with realistic sounds and a vast library of rhythms. Easily create custom beats, jam with AI-generated grooves, and integrate with other music apps. Export your creations as audio or MIDI files.

**Highlights:** AI-powered rock drumming, Adjustable jam level and intensity, Live Pads with assignable controls, MIDI out and Ableton Link synchronization, Song Mode for creating drum tracks, Custom rhythm editing, Four built-in effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mike | $4.99 | one-time |
| John | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great sound quality
- 🚀 Easy to use and program
- 🎨 Lots of customization options
- 🎛️ Intuitive interface
- 🎶 Realistic drum sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔌 MIDI integration issues
- 🤔 Steep learning curve for some
- 💰 Expensive compared to other options
- 🔇 Limited drum kit selection

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when exporting audio
- MIDI out not working as expected
- Saving new patterns can be inconsistent
- Occasional UI glitches or freezes

**Requested features**

- Add more drum kits and styles
- Improve MIDI support and control
- Implement AUv3 support
- Add more customization options
- Provide better documentation and tutorials


### Starrypad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starrypad/id6806672128)

Transform your device into a versatile music creation tool. Record and import audio, then assign it to velocity-sensitive pads for playback. Create loops, add layers, and export your work as WAV or MIDI.

**Highlights:** 16 velocity-sensitive pads, Built-in drum kits and synth phrases, Microphone and audio import, Loop recording and layering, WAV and MIDI export, USB MIDI controller support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Rock Drum Machine free?

Rock Drum Machine costs $17.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Starrypad free?

Starrypad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Rock Drum Machine or Starrypad?

Starrypad is rated higher. Rock Drum Machine averages 4.7 out of 5 from 523 ratings, while Starrypad averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Rock Drum Machine or Starrypad have ads?

Neither Rock Drum Machine nor Starrypad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Rock Drum Machine or Starrypad?

Rock Drum Machine ships an update every 3 weeks, and Starrypad every 10 days. Most recently, Rock Drum Machine was updated on October 16, 2026 and Starrypad on October 16, 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.*