Comparison

Percussion Loops HD Light vs Afro Latin Percussion Machine

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

Head to head
About

Percussion Loops HD Light

This app offers a library of live-played percussion loops and samples for music creation. It allows users to copy loops to DAWs, utilize Audiobus and Inter App Audio, and practice timing. The free version provides a taste of the full percussion loop library.

Highlights
  • Live played percussion loops and samples
  • Copy loops to DAWs as Apple Loops
  • Audiobus and Inter App Audio support
  • Practice timing with percussionist
  • High-end studio recordings
  • Multiple genres and tempos
Features
Read full description

This is the free trailer version for Percussion Loops HD, a truly live played percussion loops and samples library, played by a pro and purpose built for iOS! Copy them to your fav daw (all loops can be copied as Apple Loops and will follow tempo in Garageband), take advantage of Audiobus and Inter App Audio or play along. Nothing is programmed or synthesized. Download the free version to get a taste of the action with one chapter fully enabled. Now with 4 salsa chapters added! If you want real percussion on your tracks, this is the best option there is, every loop or sample was performed in a pro studio by the Dutch number one percussionist. Furthermore, the app is a direct sibling of Drum Loops HD and Drum Loops HD 2 (also G.I. Records releases). In the revolutionary new version (1.2) loops can be copied to Garageband as Apple Loops meaning that they follow GB tempo, just like in Drum Loops HD and Drum Loops HD 2. Main features! (only Ballads chapter fully functional in light version) * Full percussion loop library for anyone making music on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch, containing 9 styles with Audiobus and Inter App audio support built in * Loops and samples performed on congas, shakers, tambourine, djembe, shekere and more. * Big library of sampled percussion instruments (besides the loops) * Copy/paste to your favorite multitracker! * Copy a wav to any DAW, copy an Apple Loop to Garageband for changing tempo and composing on Apple’s most popular music program * Percussionist to play along with when practicing your timing on any instrument (all grooves loop perfectly in app itself) * Performed, recorded and built only for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. * Many styles in many bpms (check content list) * 4/4, 6/8 loops and shuffles, 'smooth' loops, loops in straight time and shuffled time plus some unique 'urban loops' * Uncut, not time stretched, not chopped but actual high end recordings. * Audio quality: 44.1 kHz, 16 bit (cd). * All loops are actually played in all bpms separately, with subtle changes and differences between them for making your music come alive. * All loops can be used creatively outside their respective styles, giving endless combinations. * The loops were played and cut to 2 bar loops (instead of 1) giving a more natural feel (and less repetition) to your tracks. Every style comes in a wide range of tempos including: * Ballads-60, 66, 72 and 78 bpm (beats per minute), 3 conga loops, 3 shaker loops and 3 tambourine loops per bpm (FULLY FUNCTIONAL IN LIGHT VERSION) * Pop/Rock-80-170 bpm, in 10 bpm increments, 3 conga loops, 3 shaker loops and 3 tambourine loops per bpm * Funk/Hip-Hop-80, 90, 100, 110, 120 and 130 bpm, 3 conga loops, 3 shaker loops and 3 tambourine loops per bpm * Dance/DnB-120, 130, 140, 160 and 180 bpm, 3 conga loops, 3 shaker loops and 3 tambourine loops per bpm * Soul-100, 110, 120 and 130 bpm, 3 conga loops, 3 shaker loops and 3 tambourine loops per bpm * Smooth loops-60-130 bpm (10 bpm increments), 3 conga loops, 3 shaker loops and 3 tambourine loops per bpm * 6/8 and Shuffles-75, 85, 95, 110 and 130 bpm, conga loops, shaker loops, tambourine loops, shekere loops and djembe loops * Jazz,100-280 bpm, 20 bpm increments, 3 conga loops and 2 tambourine loops per bpm * 4 new Salsa chapters, Congas/Bongos, Claves, Cowbell, Timbals, Güiro and Shekere, loops and samples with all relevant patterns and traditional fills! * Urban Loops-80-120 bpm (10 bpm increments) played on congas, djembe, shekere, shaker and tambourine * Mixed percussion loops-80, 100, 120 and 140 bpm mixes of congas, shaker, tambourine and djembe, mixed for your comfort * Conga and Djembe-samples- huge library of percussion samples at multiple dynamic levels, covering all conga hand techniques plus some Djembe samples * Sampled instruments- a vast number of percussion samples (from familiar to less standard with effects) See this app in action here: www.iosappsformusicians.com (support site with two trailers)

About

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

Create and perform authentic Afro-Latin rhythms with a vast library of high-quality percussion sounds. Edit existing beats or compose your own, and integrate with other music apps for live sessions.

Highlights
  • Authentic Afro-Latin rhythms
  • High-quality percussion sounds
  • Rhythm editing and creation
  • Live performance pads
  • Song structure creation
  • MIDI controls
  • Audiobus and Inter-App compatibility
Features
Read full description

Afro Latin Percussion Machine is your virtual Latin percussionist. Practice, create, and perform authentic Afro-Latin rhythms like never before. Free to download and keep, with every feature unlocked for the first 7 days. Designed for musicians, producers, and anyone who loves the rhythms of Latin America and the Caribbean, now with AUv3 support. Play hot Latin rhythms with the highest sound quality: son, son montuno, guaguancó, columbia, yambú, bembé, cha-cha-chá, mambo, merengue, bachata, salsa, bolero, songo and bomba, with over 100 rhythms in total. So easy to use, you can edit and create your own in seconds. Key Features: Song Mode: turn your Afro-Latin rhythms into complete arrangements in seconds. Set groove, jam and intensity per part, double-tap to edit, long-press to reorder. Fast and simple. Jamming Tool & Randomizers: add human feel and spontaneity to every groove. No more flat, repetitive loops. Live Pads: trigger fills, switch rhythms and jam in real time with 8 assignable pads, intro and end buttons, and full MIDI control. Share by AirDrop, Mail or Files: send any groove, live pad set or song to another device or to a friend, with no account or cloud service needed. Standalone & AUv3 Compatible: use Afro Latin Percussion Machine inside your favorite DAW or as a standalone app. Latin Percussion Sounds: congas, bongos, timbales, güiros, claves, cowbells, maracas, shakers, shekeres, cajón, pandeiro, agogô, wood blocks and hand claps, all recorded for a true Latin feel. 100+ Authentic Rhythms: from the styles above to traditional Afro-Cuban toques like bembé, abakuá, makuta and yuka, not found anywhere else, all easy to edit or create your own. Groove sharing across Lumbeat apps: exchange grooves, live pads and songs with Pop Drummer, Soft Drummer and iBassist, standalone or in AUv3. Sound Module: use the full kit as a MIDI sampler, standalone or as an AUv3 plugin, triggered from your own MIDI tracks or pads. Percussion Setup View: see your full kit laid out on screen, instrument by instrument. Custom Rhythm Banks: save and organize your own patterns in your own banks. Advanced MIDI Setup: fully customizable MIDI control mapping, shareable MIDI maps, custom note octave naming, MIDI-controllable tempo, and MIDI Clock In/Out. Per-Track Reverb Send: dial in how much reverb each percussion instrument gets, for precise space and depth. Export Effects: export your grooves exactly as they sound, effects included. Ableton Link: sync tempo and transport with other apps and devices over Wi-Fi, and stay in time with the rest of your setup. External Keyboard Support: play, trigger fills, and control tempo from a connected keyboard. Native on iPhone, iPad and Mac: fully optimized for every screen size, with a dedicated vertical layout on iPhone. Try for Free Afro Latin Percussion Machine is free to download and keep, with every feature unlocked for the first 7 days. During the trial there are limits on exports, random grooves, sound changes and how long each session plays. After the trial you keep a reduced version, and a single one-time purchase unlocks everything for good. No subscription.

Screenshots

Percussion Loops HD Light4 screens
Afro Latin Percussion Machine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Afro Latin Percussion Machine at 71% against Percussion Loops HD Light's 0%. Afro Latin Percussion Machine also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (137 vs 3). Percussion Loops HD Light's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads and device support 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. Afro Latin Percussion Machine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Percussion Loops HD Light asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Percussion Loops HD Light holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Afro Latin Percussion Machine has 137 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of Percussion Loops HD Light's written reviews are positive against 71% of Afro Latin Percussion Machine's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Percussion Loops HD Light ships an update every 11 months, Afro Latin Percussion Machine every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Percussion Loops HD Light versus Afro Latin Percussion Machine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPercussion Loops HD LightAfro Latin Percussion Machine
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.7 (137 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews71.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3137 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better16
Further details — not scored
Size129 MB62 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGo Independent RecordsLumbeat

Customer experience

Percussion Loops HD Light

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

All ratings134 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral7.8%
Negative20.8%

Bugs and requests

Percussion Loops HD Light

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • Problems with sync
  • MIDI Sync unstable
  • Glitches where song doesn't save
  • App crashes when saving
  • No sound after phone call
Show 13 more
  • App doesn't respond in Audioshare
  • Audiobus not working
  • App gets locked up with Audiobus
  • Rhythms not staying with drum kit
  • Steps not highlighted in groove sequencer
  • iPhone sounds have lower pitch than iPad
  • No sound output (crackling)
  • App keeps crashing
  • Tempo slider unresponsive
  • Plus/minus tempo keys spotty
  • Doesn't connect properly with Audiobus
  • Not controllable from Audiobus 2 and 3
  • Sounds drowned out in reverb

Requested features

22 requests
  • Add swing options from Hip Hop drummer
  • Add export function to Logic Pro X
  • Add tutorial or manual
  • Add piano and horns for true Latin effect
  • Add MIDI control for live pad control
Show 17 more
  • Add export MIDI file option
  • Add export audio option
  • Add a way to activate/deactivate with a pedal
  • Add more instrument sounds and banks
  • Add groove or shuffle effect option
  • Add ability to input own sounds
  • Add salsa templates
  • Add martillos in bongo patterns
  • Add more mixer slots for instruments
  • Add a constant metronome option
  • Add a help file
  • Add more variation to rhythms
  • Add envelope setting for tuning
  • Add Matanzas style guaguanco
  • Add plena preset
  • Add more Bomba presets
  • Add ability to organize user sounds

In-app purchases

None

Percussion Loops HD Light

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Afro Latin Percussion Machine

One-time1
  • Afro Latin Full Access$22.99

Questions

Is Percussion Loops HD Light free?
Percussion Loops HD Light is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Afro Latin Percussion Machine free?
Afro Latin Percussion Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Percussion Loops HD Light or Afro Latin Percussion Machine?
Percussion Loops HD Light is rated higher. Percussion Loops HD Light averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Afro Latin Percussion Machine averages 4.7 from 137 ratings.
Do Percussion Loops HD Light or Afro Latin Percussion Machine have ads?
Neither Percussion Loops HD Light nor Afro Latin Percussion Machine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Percussion Loops HD Light or Afro Latin Percussion Machine?
Percussion Loops HD Light ships an update every 11 months, and Afro Latin Percussion Machine every 6 weeks. Most recently, Percussion Loops HD Light was updated on October 7, 2026 and Afro Latin Percussion Machine on October 23, 2026.

Other comparisons