Elastic Drums vs Ruismaker FM
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Elastic Drums
This app offers a flexible groovebox experience, utilizing drum synthesis models for deeply tweakable sounds. It provides a powerful instrument for sound design and beat-making with extensive effects and a 16-step sequencer.
- Drum synthesis models
- Deeply tweakable sounds
- Versatile effects section
- 16-step sequencer
- Audio recording and export
- Ableton Link synchronization
- Inter-App Audio support
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Machinedrum: "It's awesome, a lot of fun to work with and very easy to get something going. I love the sound presets too.“ Keyboards: „An extremely flexible beatbox with tons of character." CDM: "Finally, Your Pocket Gets a Perfect Drum Synth: Elastic Drums for iPhone." FACT Magazine: „One of the iPad’s best drum machines.“ Unlike most drum apps that rely heavily on samples, Elastic Drums uses drum synthesis models - making the sounds much more elastic and deeply tweakable. This approach allows for radical sound shaping, and when combined with the app’s versatile effects section, Elastic Drums becomes not just a beat-making tool, but a powerful instrument for sound design. Features: - 6 synth channels with 20 different percussion synth engines (kick, snare, hihat, clap, tom, wobble, fm, fm4, square, grain, synth, drone, sampler, 808 kit) - 12 parameters for each synth engine - Automation for each parameter via knob recording or velocity - 4 send effect channels with 2x13 mono effects and 2x11 stereo effects - Automation for all of the 8 possible effect parameters via xy pad - Master effects (stutter, delay, compressor ...) - 16 step sequencer for the 6 channels, each with it's own tempo multiplier & length - Record audio and export to via Airdrop or Audioshare - Email audio recordings and presets - Ableton Link synchronization and Ableton Live Set Export - Audiobus, Audiobus Remote, Inter-App Audio - Midi learn/Midi implementation of the most important parameters Factory presets by: App Sound, Ben Jeffrey, Bill Jobs, Dead Fader, Hecq, Kero, Leonard de Leonard, Machine Drum, Mouse on Mars, Ochre, Pan, Phlex, Pilocka Krach, Red Sky Lullaby, Servando, Shadow Dancer, Swarm Intelligence, zNo
Ruismaker FM
Design unique percussion sounds from scratch with a flexible synthesis engine. Create everything from traditional drums to unconventional effects. Offers a standalone Euclidean sequencer for pattern creation and export options.
- FM synthesis engine for percussion
- Create custom drum sounds
- Euclidean sequencer
- AUv3 compatible
- No samples used
- MIDI CC controllable
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Here comes the the crazy twin-sister of Ruismaker, designed for people who want to design their own percussion sounds from scratch. Ruismaker FM's simple, yet flexible synthesis engine lets you create anything from snaredrums, kickdrums and spacy toms to weird and unconventional percussive sounds and effects. Ruismaker FM is a unique drumsynth plugin (i.e. it does not use samples), which is coupled with a creative Euclidean sequencer when run in standalone mode. The plugin is fully AUv3 (Audio Unit) compatible: - Seamless integration with Garageband and other AU hosts - Audio Unit Instrument: making music on iOS doesn't get more convenient - Supports AUv3 Multi-Out in AUM and ApeMatrix - Each sound is modeled using authentic analog and FM algorithms; - Comes with dozens of unique customizable models - Does not use any samples; all sounds are synthesized in realtime, on the fly - Light on the CPU, so you can run lots of Ruismaker FMs simultaneously - Fully automatable parameters (requires host support) and MIDI CC controllable - Has its own preset manager The standalone sequencer is refreshingly different: - Program patterns using Euclidean algorithms - Powerful random feature and mutation probability settings per channel - Syncs with Ableton Link or MIDI Clock - Exports WAV and MIDI - Compatible with Audiobus 3 (including MIDI IN/OUT mode) - CoreMIDI In and Out - AU MIDI output for on-screen pads User manual available on Ruismaker.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ruismaker FM at none against Elastic Drums's 8. Ruismaker FM also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On review sentiment, ratings volume, 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
Elastic Drums costs $9.99 and Ruismaker FM $4.99 up front. Elastic Drums sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Ruismaker FM asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ruismaker FM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 145 and 54 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Elastic Drums's written reviews are positive against 83% of Ruismaker FM's.
Elastic Drums ships an update every 3 months, Ruismaker FM every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Elastic Drums | Ruismaker FM |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | $4.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (145 ratings) | 5.0 (54 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | 83.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 145 — better | 54 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 49 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Oliver Greschke (DE) | Bram Bos |
Customer experience
Elastic Drums
Ruismaker FM
Bugs and requests
Elastic Drums
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashing and freezing issues on certain devices
- Audio glitches when switching presets
- Timing and sync problems with external apps
Requested features
5 requests- AUv3 support for state saving and better DAW integration
- More flexible song/arrangement mode
- Improved MIDI mapping and control
- Additional synthesis engines and sound design options
- Enhanced performance and live playback features
Ruismaker FM
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Elastic Drums
- Factory PresetsFree
- Dj Elephant Power kit$2.99
- App-Sound kit$2.99
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- Bill Jobs (synthQ) kit$2.99
- Sample Import$3.99
- Futuristic synths$3.99
- Analog techno provider$3.99
- App-Sound Lofi Kit$3.99
Ruismaker FM
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Elastic Drums free?
Is Ruismaker FM free?
Which has better reviews, Elastic Drums or Ruismaker FM?
Do Elastic Drums or Ruismaker FM have ads?
Which is updated more often, Elastic Drums or Ruismaker FM?
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