Comparison

DjembeTime vs djembeföla!

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

Head to head
About

DjembeTime

Create, play, and share traditional West African rhythms with studio-quality sound. This app features an easy-to-use notation editor, adjustable playback, and cloud storage for your compositions. Perfect for learning and practicing Djembe and Dundun.

Highlights
  • Create Djembe and Dundun notations
  • Studio quality sound recordings
  • Adjustable playback tempo and volume
  • Interactive swing editor for micro-timing
  • Cloud storage and email sharing
  • Export to audio files
  • AirPlay support
Features
Read full description

DjembeTime lets you create notations for traditional West African rhythms, play them on your device and share with other people. - Studio quality sound recorded with a Master Djembefola Salif Malima Kone (Burkina Faso) (http://djeliarhythms.com) - A complete traditional ensemble with Djembe and Dundun drums - Beautiful music scores that are adapted to Djembe notation - Easy-to-use notation editor with a custom musical keyboard - Adjustable playback tempo - Adjustable volume and balance for each instrument - Interactive swing editor for accurate micro-timing - Rhythm files can be stored on cloud services available on your device (iCloud, Dropbox, etc.) - Rhythm files can be shared via email - Export to audio files - AirPlay support: play anywhere from your home theater to your car This app is a perfect companion in your studies of Djembe and Dundun: - Annotate and learn traditional rhythms  - Use as a play-along track to practice solo phrases at your own pace - Make your own collection - Share with your friends! Suggestions or bugs? https://djembetime.canny.io

About

djembeföla!

Explore and learn traditional West African rhythms with this comprehensive drumming app. Features authentic recordings, customizable playback, and detailed cultural information. Perfect for students and enthusiasts aiming for certification.

Highlights
  • Dozens of traditional rhythms
  • Djembe and dunun parts with individual controls
  • Customizable tempo and volume
  • Metronome with shekere/clave sounds
  • In-depth rhythm information and maps
  • Supports TTMDA curriculum for certification
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Inspired by Master Djembeföla, Mamady Keïta, and designed for students and enthusiasts worldwide, djembeföla! is the most comprehensive West African drumming app available today. Scroll through dozens of traditional rhythms, each with djembe and dunun parts, using sorting options such as Region, Ethnic Group, Cultural Purpose, and more. Press play and following the djembe signal, the selected rhythm plays in a continuous loop, as the cursor visually marks each beat. With master tempo and volume controls, as well as separate volume sliders and mute buttons for each djembe and dunun part (including the dunun bells) djembefola! is infinitely customizable. A Signal Repeat selector allows the user to hear the signal repeat, and choose between several different intervals. A selectable Metronome function keeps you in time with traditional shekere or clave sounds. Press the 'i' (info) button for more in-depth information about the rhythm, including maps -- information that is vital to the preservation of West African drumming culture. Play it through headphones for individual woodshedding, or through a home stereo or PA system via WiFi or BlueTooth to play as a group. Set the sorting function to 'LEVELS' and djembeföla! is uniquely set up to follow TamTam Mandingue Djembe Academy's curriculum for certification. With links to TTMDA and ClubTTM, djembeföla! is the perfect tool to help you achieve your TTMDA certification. In-app purchases mean you can go at your own pace -- start with the Beginner Levels Module, and when you're ready, explore the Intermediate and Advanced Modules. There's even a Dununba Rhythms Module with 21 Dununba Rhythms, and now modules with rhythms created by Mamady Keïta. Features: • over 120 rhythms available in Version 2.0, • multiple sorting groups - alphabetical, ethnic group, region, purpose, and TTM curriculum levels • actual recordings instead of samples - means it sounds organic and authentic instead of computer-generated. • single page interface - you don't have to switch pages to view the notation, or change the mix. • master tempo control - slide left or right for .75x to 1.5x the rhythm's default tempo, and simply tap the control to return the tempo to the rhythm's default value. • individual mute and volume controls - emphasize whichever parts you want to hear more clearly. • signal repeat option for repeating the signal at varying cycles • new metronome options including shekere & clave • in-app purchases - build your library of rhythms as you go, with available rhythm packs from Beginner to Advanced, and more *note: with initial purchase, 8 rhythms have full functionality: Abondan Balakulandjan Bao Denadon Kotedjuga Kuku Mendiani Takosaba • links to TTMDA and ClubTTM - one of the world's most in-depth resources for West African drumming culture, the TTMDA site lists all kinds of drumming events and workshops, as well as links to TTMDA Certified Teachers all over the world. There's an online store, and with ClubTTM, there are countless hours of video posted by both Mamady Keïta and TTM Certified Teachers.

Screenshots

DjembeTime4 screens
djembeföla!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: djembeföla! at 80% against DjembeTime's 40%. djembeföla! also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (35 vs 2). DjembeTime's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On 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

DjembeTime costs $1.99 and djembeföla! $4.99 up front. djembeföla! sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. DjembeTime asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DjembeTime holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: djembeföla! has 35 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of DjembeTime's written reviews are positive against 80% of djembeföla!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DjembeTime ships an update every 11 months, djembeföla! every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
DjembeTime versus djembeföla!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDjembeTimedjembeföla!
Price$1.99 — better$4.99
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.7 (35 ratings)
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings235 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#95 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.4
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB158 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperPavel AgapovTom Taylor

Customer experience

DjembeTime

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

djembeföla!

All ratings35 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral6.7%
Negative13.3%

In-app purchases

None

DjembeTime

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

djembeföla!

One-time6
  • MK Originals Beginner Pack$9.99
  • BEGINNER Rhythm Pack$9.99
  • MK Originals Intermediate Pack$14.99
Show 3 more
  • MK Originals Advanced Pack$14.99
  • INTERMEDIATE Rhythm Pack$14.99
  • DUNUNBA Rhythm Pack$14.99

Questions

Is DjembeTime free?
DjembeTime costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is djembeföla! free?
djembeföla! costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DjembeTime or djembeföla!?
DjembeTime is rated higher. DjembeTime averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while djembeföla! averages 4.7 from 35 ratings.
Do DjembeTime or djembeföla! have ads?
Neither DjembeTime nor djembeföla! shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DjembeTime or djembeföla!?
DjembeTime ships an update every 11 months, and djembeföla! every 6 weeks. Most recently, DjembeTime was updated on September 18, 2026 and djembeföla! on September 27, 2026.

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