Apps to learn drums, compared: lessons, practice and rudiments
The right drum app depends first on whether you want to be taught or to be checked. Drumeo and Mike's Lessons teach through long video courses from working drummers, and their feedback comes from people who watch a video you send. Melodics, Drumr, Beatlii and InstaDrum grade what you play, most of them from an electronic kit over MIDI. Practice planners and rudiment trainers such as Drumbitious, Drum Journal and Chops organize the practice you already know you need. The table compares 14 apps on what they hear, what they teach, what is free and what they cost in the US today.
By Raul Rodrigues. Checked on . 14 tools, every fact sourced.
Upbeat Studio makes one of the apps in this table, Drum Coach. It is not ranked anywhere on this page: it sits in the table with the same columns and the same criticism as every other row, and the picker never shortlists it. Where it does not fit, the page says so.
Ratings and review counts are the stores' and retailers' own, pulled on 2026-10-07. A cross means the feature is not there; a question mark means neither the listing nor the maker says. Prices are US dollars as listed on the named store on the date in each card; they change, so check the store before you buy.
One by one
What each one is for, and what it is not
Drum Coach by Upbeat Studioours
Upbeat Studio · practice planner · iOS, Android · freemium
Drum Coach builds a daily practice plan from your goals, available time and setup, then serves guided exercises for rudiments, grooves and fills that you can play on a kit, a practice pad or your lap. Know before choosing that it only scores what you play when a MIDI e-kit is connected, a beta feature limited to exercises, so on an acoustic kit or a pad it guides you but does not grade you.
Best for
Daily plan, First steps, Rudiments
Not for
Drummers who want an app to hear and grade their acoustic kit or practice pad, or who want a deep library of video courses from famous teachers.
Someone does it better
Melodics grades your playing on an acoustic kit or practice pad through the microphone, which Drum Coach does not do.
Premium, yearly, in some in-app offers: $59.99/yr at App Store (US)
Lifetime, in some in-app offers: $249.99 at App Store (US)
Free to download with a free trial. The App Store page lists more yearly prices from older or limited offers; the lines above are the plans the app offers new US subscribers today (checked in App Store Connect and RevenueCat).Checked on .
Free tier
A 7-day free trial, free demo sessions and the start of the Drumming Essentials beginner course; full access to plans and guided sessions needs a subscription or the lifetime unlock.
Personalized practice plan.A personalized practice plan based on your goals, available time, setup and learning preferences to guide every session.source
Usable without a kit.A practice pad, or your hands on your lap.source
E-drum connection is beta, apps only.E-drums is currently in beta on iOS and Android (not on web).source
Scoring of e-drum hits in exercises.Exercises and practice sessions with live e-drum hits, scoring, pad calibration, and delay calibration.source
Songs not yet scored on e-drums.Songs are not ready for e-drums yetsource
Rudiments among the exercise types.The exercises in Drum Coach include drum rudiments, drum speed, drum independence, drum coordination, rhythm trainingsource
Exercises come with video.daily interactive drum exercises with video and animationssource
Musora Media Inc. · lessons · iOS, Android, Web · subscription
Drumeo gives a drummer follow-along video lessons from well-known teachers, a step-by-step method path, rudiment lessons and a large transcribed song library where you can remove the drums, slow the tempo and loop parts, in the Musora app and on the web. Know before choosing that Musora describes no listening to or scoring of your playing: its lessons need no MIDI, and personal feedback comes from Musora mentors who review videos you submit.
Best for
Video teachers, Songs, First steps
Not for
Drummers who want the app itself to grade their timing note by note as they play.
Someone does it better
Melodics listens to your kit, pad or e-drums and scores every lesson in real time, while Drumeo leaves feedback to human mentors.
Both website plans start with a 7-day free trial and a 90-day money-back guarantee. A lessons-only plan without songs is $25/month or $229/year on the same page. The App Store also lists Drumeo Edge memberships ($29.99 monthly, $239.99 annual) and single courses.Checked on .
Free tier
A 7-day free trial with full access, then a monthly or annual Musora membership that also covers piano, guitar, bass and singing; a free drumeo.com account opens a few free lessons.
Follow-along video lessons.Every lesson is follow-along. No watching a tutorial and being left to practice alone.source
Drums removed from songs.Remove the drums so you're the drummer.source
Scrolling notation.Follow along with scrolling notations.source
Web, tablet and mobile.Get drum lessons across web, tablet, and mobilesource
7-day trial.When you sign up for a free trial, you'll have 7 days to try everything on Musorasource
Subscription only.Yes, Musora is a subscription (either Monthly or Annual)source
No MIDI needed for lessons.No MIDI, cables, or external software needed!source
Feedback comes from mentors.All of our one-on-one interaction happens through our amazing Mentors Team via student reviews and personalized lesson planssource
Melodics scores your playing in interactive lessons, rudiment drills and song lessons, listening through the microphone on an acoustic kit or practice pad or over MIDI from an e-kit, with a practice mode that loops sections and drops the tempo. Know before choosing that it runs on Windows, Mac, iPad and iPhone only, with no Android or Chromebook version.
Best for
Feedback, Songs, Rudiments, First steps
Not for
Android and Chromebook users, since Melodics does not run there.
Someone does it better
Drumeo teaches through follow-along video lessons from named drummers and adds mentors who review videos you send in.
The website also sells a Standard plan at $29.99 a month or $131.88 billed annually; both plans start with a 7-day free trial. The website prices render by script; they were read in a browser and match Melodics' public plans feed (Premium monthly 3499 and Premium annual 17988 US cents). The App Store does not name the tier of its two subscriptions.Checked on .
Free tier
20 free lessons on iPhone, 20 free premium lessons on iPad with five minutes of playtime a day, and a 7-day desktop trial that falls back to a limited free plan.
Stores
App Store 4.7 (620) listing. Google Play not on this store. Maker
Sources (11)
Listens and gives feedback.Melodics listens to your drumming in real time and gives you instant feedback on timing, accuracy, and consistency.source
E-kits over MIDI.For electronic drum kits, just plug in via MIDIsource
Acoustic kits and pads through the microphone.Acoustic drums and practice pads work with Melodics through the device's built-in microphone.source
No kit needed.No kit? Practice your rudiments on any surface and get real-time feedback.source
Rudiment lessons.Play your way through interactive drum lessons, rudiments and exercises.source
Song catalog.Hundreds, with new lessons added every week.source
Free on iPad.iPad users get 20 free premium lessons with 5 minutes of playtime per day.source
Free on iPhone.For iPhone users you get the same but with unlimited playing time!source
Beatlii; iOS listing published by Musora Media Inc. · lessons · iOS, Android, Windows, macOS · freemium
Beatlii turns an electronic kit into a scored lesson player, with a note highway or a sheet music view, courses from beginner to advanced, step-by-step song breakdowns and feedback on your timing and dynamics after each hit; with no kit you can finger drum on the screen. Know before choosing that both store apps were last updated in November 2025 and the Google Play version rates 2.95, so try the free lessons with your own kit before paying.
Best for
Feedback, Songs
Not for
Acoustic kit or practice pad players, since the maker describes feedback only through an electronic kit or finger drumming on the screen.
Someone does it better
Melodics scores acoustic kits and practice pads through the microphone as well as e-kits, which Beatlii does not describe.
The App Store also lists Monthly Plan entries at $4.99, $7.99 and $9.99, likely offers. beatlii.com/pages/plans shows Monthly $14.99, Annual $99 and Lifetime $249 without naming the currency, so those are not recorded as US dollar lines.Checked on .
Free tier
21 free lessons and 2 free courses with basic practice tools; the annual plan starts with a 7-day trial.
InstaDrum teaches popular songs step by step in a game-like format, from a single note to a beat to a full song, with real drum notation and real-time feedback when you connect electronic drums by Bluetooth or cable. Know before choosing that the maker describes feedback only through electronic drums; without one you play an on-screen virtual drum.
Best for
Songs, Feedback, First steps
Not for
Acoustic kit or practice pad players who want feedback, since the maker describes feedback only through electronic drums.
Someone does it better
Melodics hears acoustic kits and practice pads through the microphone and adds rudiment drills, which InstaDrum does not describe.
Ferenc Nemeth · lessons · iOS, Android, macOS · one-time
Drum School is a reference library of grooves in many styles, rudiment and hand exercises and classic hits, each with standard notation, a loop from 30 to 300 bpm, limb-by-limb muting and video by Ferenc Nemeth, plus technique videos and newer streaming video lessons. Know before choosing that it is a paid app bought separately on each platform, and nothing on the maker page or listings says it listens to or scores your playing.
Best for
Rudiments, Video teachers
Not for
Beginners who want the app to plan each day or tell them whether they played a pattern right.
Someone does it better
Drumr pairs notation and tempo tools with scoring of your hits from an e-kit or a practice pad, which Drum School does not describe.
Price (US)
Drum School for iPhone and iPad: $24.99 at App Store
Each platform is a separate purchase; the Android copy is sold on Google Play, whose price is not recorded here by method. The App Store also lists Pop Rock Hits Vol.1 and Funk Hits Vol.1 packs at $1.99 each, although the maker site says the hits collection is included with no extra purchases.Checked on .
Free tier
Nothing is free: it is a paid download on each platform, with no subscription.
One-time purchase.One-time purchase · No subscriptionssource
Separate purchase per platform.Each platform is a separate purchase.source
Platforms.A single, beautifully designed app on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Android.source
Technique videos.Instructional demonstrations of fundamental drumming technique, performed by Ferenc Nemethsource
Hits to play along to.Play along to classic pop, rock and funk hits with full notation and audio.source
Rudiment exercises.The practice section includes 145 drum exercises divided into: Basic Rudiments, Rolls, Flams, Drags, Hand Exercises and Coordination.source
Standard notation.Standard drum notation with high quality graphics in portrait or landscape mode.source
Streaming video lessons added.New Academy tab with streaming video lessonssource
Drumr is a notation-first practice player for kit and marching drummers, with courses, grooves, fills and all 40 PAS rudiments, tempo ramps from 30 to 300 bpm, and Performance Analysis that marks early, late and missed notes on the score from an e-kit over MIDI or a practice pad through the microphone. Know before choosing that it is an Apple-only app that needs iOS 26 or iPadOS 26, and pad scoring needs AirPods or Apple wired headphones.
Best for
Rudiments, Feedback
Not for
Android users, and anyone whose iPhone or iPad cannot run iOS 26.
Someone does it better
Melodics runs on Windows, Mac, iPad and iPhone and listens to a full acoustic kit through the microphone, not only a practice pad.
Premium starts with a 7-day free trial. Notate, the companion notation editor, is a separate app with its own subscription.Checked on .
Free tier
70+ free scores, including all 40 PAS rudiments plus grooves, fills and drumline exercises, and a 7-day Premium trial for the full library.
Stores
App Store 4.4 (92) listing. Google Play not on this store. Maker
Sources (11)
Performance Analysis.Performance Analysis marks early, late, and missed notes right on the notation, rep by rep, so you know what to work on next.source
E-kit input.E-drums: per-instrument feedback via USB/MIDI.source
Practice pad input.Practice pads: microphone analysis with AirPods or Apple wired headphones.source
Free tier.70+ free scores, including all 40 PAS rudiments, plus grooves, fills, and drumline exercises.source
Courses and recommendations.Follow a course or curated playlist, or get recommendations from your recent practice.source
Coach needs Apple Intelligence.Requires Apple Intelligence.source
Verena Zaiser · practice planner · iOS, Android · freemium
Drumbitious is a practice planner and diary: you build exercises and plans, or let it build a 30-day rudiment plan, run them with a metronome that can ramp the tempo, and every session is logged with BPM and time. Know before choosing that its maker describes it as a planner and diary and never mentions listening to you, so the material and the judgment of how a session went are yours.
Best for
Daily plan
Not for
Drummers who want lessons or feedback on what they play, since it organizes and logs practice and its maker never mentions listening to you.
Someone does it better
Drum Journal listens through the phone microphone and marks each stroke on a pad as on time or off, which the Drumbitious maker never describes.
Price (US)
Drumbitious Premium, monthly: $1.99/mo at App Store (US)
Drumbitious Premium (annual): $14.99/yr at App Store (US)
The App Store In-App Purchases list names the first plan only Drumbitious Premium; the listing text calls it the monthly plan. The maker website shows euro prices only.Checked on .
Free tier
The free plan includes practice plans and exercises, the metronome and timer, the session diary, 30 days of statistics and the basic exercise library, while Premium adds the tempo ramp, PDF and video attachments and unlimited statistics.
Practice planner and diary.Drumbitious is a practice planner and diary for drummers.source
One tap builds a 30-day rudiment plan.One tap builds a 30-day rudiment plan and drops five exercises into your library.source
Runs on iPhone, iPad and Android.Your account syncs across iPhone, iPad and Android, and the app speaks English, German and Spanish.source
Tempo ramp is a Premium feature.Steps of 1 to 50 BPM, every 1 to 99 bars. (Premium)source
Library exercises come with text, images and audio, not video lessons.All exercises come with a description, images and audio to guide you through the exercise.source
Progress is tracked from BPM, time and how practice felt.Track your Progress by tracking data like BPM, Practice Time and Feelingsource
Basic metronome free, tempo ramp Premium.Dynamic mode is a Premium feature; the metronome itself, including BPM, tap tempo and volume, is free.source
Focus is on your own exercises.The main focus of Drumbitious is to create your own exercises, but there is a library of exercises that you can choose from.source
Porath Consulting GmbH · practice planner · iOS · freemium
Drum Journal runs a practice routine you assemble, and its sticking trainer listens through the phone microphone to mark every stroke on a pad or snare as on time, early or late, including flams and accents, next to YouTube songs you can slow down and loop. Know before choosing that its maker presents it as a practice companion rather than a lesson library, so you bring the lessons, and it runs only on iPhone and iPad, with Android still being built.
Best for
Feedback, Rudiments, Daily plan
Not for
Android drummers and anyone who wants to be taught, since it runs only on iPhone and iPad and expects you to bring your own lessons.
Someone does it better
Drumbitious runs on Android as well as iPhone and iPad, while Drum Journal is iPhone and iPad only for now.
The App Store also lists a Pro Annual plan at the same price as Pro Yearly.Checked on .
Free tier
Exercises, the microphone sticking coach, YouTube practice with slow-down and looping, streaks, session logs and one background music mood are free with a limited number of exercise slots.
Stores
App Store 5.0 (9) listing. Google Play not on this store. Maker
Sources (12)
Microphone sticking coach on a practice pad.The built-in sticking coach uses your device's microphone to hear you play on a practice pad.source
Marks every hit.The app listens through the microphone and shows a colored dot for every hitsource
Works on a pad or a full kit.It works with a practice pad or a full kitsource
Bring your own lessons or teachers.Use whatever lessons or teachers you want, and keep the work in Drum Journal.source
You assemble the routine yourself.Mix rudiments, sticking patterns, songs, and YouTube videos into one routine.source
YouTube lessons and songs, slowed and looped.Drop any YouTube drum lesson into your routine. Slow it down, loop the hard bar, mark the section that's killing you.source
Exercises shown in drum notation.View exercises with sheet music notation. Toggle between sticking text and standard drum notation.source
Rudiment library.RUDIMENTS: Four more in the library, free to practice: Flam Accent, Single Stroke Four, Paradiddle-Diddle and Double Paradiddle join the library.source
Digital Staves Ltd · rudiment trainer · iOS · freemium
Chops covers all 40 PAS rudiments with notation, audio playback, snare and kit variations, courses, and workouts that set the metronome to the speed you can play each rudiment. Know before choosing that it is made for iPhone and iPad with no Android version, and neither the listing nor the maker site says it listens to your playing.
Best for
Rudiments, Daily plan
Not for
Drummers on Android, or anyone who wants grooves, songs or feedback on their strokes rather than a rudiment workbook.
Someone does it better
Drum Journal listens to your pad through the microphone and marks each stroke on time or off, which the Chops listing never claims to do.
Price (US)
Chops Subscription (Monthly): $2.99/mo at App Store (US)
Chops Subscription (Yearly): $29.99/yr at App Store (US)
The App Store also lists an Education Subscription (Yearly) at $12.99.Checked on .
Free tier
Free to download, but neither the listing nor the maker site says which rudiments or features work without the subscription; schools and eligible ensembles can apply for free access.
Stores
App Store 4.7 (15) listing. Google Play not on this store. Maker
Sources (9)
Rudiment trainer with workouts, courses and progress tracking.A rudiment trainer built for drummers: workouts, exercises, courses, and progress tracking.source
All 40 PAS rudiments.MASTER ALL 40 PAS RUDIMENTSsource
Shows notation.Beautiful and easy to read notation.source
Pad practice and kit variations.Break out from your practise pad and apply your new skills on the kit.source
Personalised workouts run the session.Chops knows your skill level, and personalises each workout to help you achieve your goals.source
Sets the metronome to your speed.Chops knows how fast you can play each rudiment and adjusts the metronome for you.source
Audio demonstration of each rudiment.Listen to each rudiment in action.source
Metronome & Rudiment Practice pairs a drummer's metronome with gap training and automatic tempo increases to all 40 essential rudiments in notation with audio, plus speed-building programs and Practice Packs based on Stick Control and Accents & Rebounds. Know before choosing that the free version shows ads and the packs, custom sessions and the advanced metronome tools need Premium.
Best for
Rudiments
Not for
Drummers who want lessons, songs or feedback on what they actually play, since it is a metronome with a rudiment library and practice programs.
Someone does it better
Chops personalises each workout to your skill level and adds snare and kit variations for every rudiment, which this listing does not describe.
The core metronome and the full library of 40 rudiments are free, with ads, while Premium adds advanced metronome features, unlimited and custom practice sessions and all Practice Packs.
Stores
App Store 4.6 (31) listing. Google Play not on this store.
Sources (7)
All 40 rudiments with notation and audio.All 40 essential drum rudiments with notation, sticking, and audio playbacksource
Speed training programs.Pre-built speed training programs that ramp BPM over timesource
Practice Packs.Practice Packs based on Stick Control and Accents & Reboundssource
What is free.The core metronome and full rudiment library are free.source
What Premium adds.Upgrade to Premium for advanced metronome features, unlimited practice sessions, custom session creation, and all Practice Packs.source
Gap training and auto-increment limited on free.Gap Training and Auto Increment are free for 2 sessions, then require premium.source
Native Mac app.Requires macOS 14.0 or later.source
Mike's Lessons
Mike Johnston (mikeslessons.com) · lessons · Web · subscription
Mike's Lessons is Mike Johnston's subscription website: video lessons filmed in 4K with interactive notation, structured courses, song-based Sessions where you send Mike videos of yourself for review, and weekly live streams. Know before choosing that it has no app on the App Store or Google Play, so you learn in a browser on any device, and feedback means Mike reviewing videos you submit.
Best for
Video teachers, Songs, First steps
Not for
Drummers who want an app that listens and scores them as they play, since this is a website and feedback comes from video submissions.
Someone does it better
Melodics listens through the phone microphone or an e-kit and gives instant feedback on what you play, while Mike's Lessons relies on videos you send to Mike.
A six-month membership is $149.95. Read on the live home page in a browser; the site blocks automated reads.Checked on .
Free tier
No free plan is described; a one-week free trial opens all courses.
Stores
App Store not on this store. Google Play not on this store. Maker
Sources (8)
4K video lessons with interactive notation (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).All of our lessons are filmed in 4K and feature and are accompanied by our proprietary interactive notationsource
Song-based Sessions (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).A series of courses built around learning a song and applying the fundamentals of drumming to play it as accurately as possible.source
Feedback by video review (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).Through our unique feature, Sessions, you can submit your videos to Mike for a comprehensive review.source
Weekly live streams (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).Each week you will get the opportunity to interact with Mike during the live streams.source
Start on a pad or e-kit (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).you can begin your drum lessons online with a simple practice pad or electronic kit before moving to a full acoustic setup.source
One-week free trial (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).Yes, you can access all courses and cancel anytime during your first weeksource
Website in the browser, no app (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).The website is fully mobile-optimized, so you can learn drums online anywhere, from any device.source
Taught by Mike Johnston (Wayback copy of the maker's home page script, 2026-09-04; same words on the live site 2026-10-07).Mike Johnston is an internationally recognized educator, clinician and musician dedicated to the art of drumming education.source
Real Drum: electronic drum set
Kolb Apps (KOLB SISTEMAS - EIRELI) · drum game · iOS, Android, Web, Windows · freemium
Real Drum is a virtual drum kit you play with your fingers on a phone or tablet, with over 100 lessons, video lessons, loops to play along with, custom kits and MIDI support. Know before choosing that it is a game with ads, and the maker never says its lessons grade your timing or teach technique on sticks and a real kit.
Best for
First steps
Not for
Anyone who wants to build stick technique on a pad or kit, since it is played with fingers on a touch screen.
Someone does it better
Melodics teaches on a real practice pad or kit and gives feedback on what you play, while Real Drum's lessons are played with fingers on a screen.
The App Store In-App Purchases list also shows several other Premium variants, from $1.99 to $99.99, including a 6-month plan at $17.99 and a Remove Ads item at $99.99.Checked on .
Free tier
The virtual kit is free with ads along with part of the lessons and loops, while Premium removes ads and unlocks all lessons, all loops and the metronome.
Drums by MWM is a tapping game: you follow on-screen instructions on a virtual kit through lessons and a large song catalog and aim for a high score. Know before choosing that the listing describes only tapping the screen, never sticks, a pad or a kit, and the app has not been updated since 2024-02-20.
Best for
First steps
Not for
Anyone who wants to build stick technique on a pad or kit, since the listing describes playing by tapping a virtual kit on the screen.
Someone does it better
Real Drum, another virtual kit, is still updated in 2026, adds video lessons and supports MIDI, while MWM's Drums was last updated in February 2024.
The In-App Purchases list shows weekly passes at several prices from $5.99 to $9.49; the description names a weekly pass at $7.99 and a yearly one at $40.99, which does not appear in the list.Checked on .
Free tier
Some drum kits, free play and the songs outside the Premium catalog are free, and a subscription with a free trial unlocks the Premium song catalog and all drum kits.
Stores
App Store 4.4 (32k) listing. Google Play not on this store. Maker
Sources (5)
Song catalog.Learn thousands of song from a songbook updated every week!source
Scores taps note by note.Get all notes and rhythm perfectly to reach high score.source
Lessons follow on-screen instructions.Play easily like on a real drum just by following the instructionssource
Played by tapping the screen.Just tap and instantly hear the kick drums, cymbals, or snare drums!source
What the subscription unlocks.Subscribe for unlimited access to our Premium songs catalog and play with all Drum kitssource
What the data says
What we found
Being graded mostly needs an electronic kit
Seven of the 14 apps say they score what you play. Five of them listen to an electronic kit over MIDI or Bluetooth. Only three say a microphone can follow real drums: Melodics for acoustic kits and practice pads, Drum Journal on a pad or a kit, and Drumr on a practice pad with Apple headphones. On an acoustic kit, the rest guide you but do not say they can tell whether you played it right.
The video schools give feedback through people
Drumeo and Mike's Lessons have the deepest video teaching on this page, and neither says its app listens to you play. Their feedback is human: Musora's mentors and Mike himself review videos you send. The apps that grade you in real time are built around exercises and songs, not around a teacher on camera.
The biggest audiences belong to drum games
Real Drum has by far the most store ratings of any app here, on both stores, and MWM's Drums follows it on the App Store. Both are drum games with lessons attached: a fine first taste of rhythm before there is a kit in the house, not a path to playing one.
Paying once is rare
Drum School is the only app sold outright. Beatlii, Chops and Drum Journal offer a lifetime unlock next to their subscriptions. Everything else bills by the month or the year, so the price column shows both where both exist.
Method
How we checked
Where the facts come from. Every spec, feature tick and claim comes from the maker's own page, a store listing, a manual or a retailer's spec sheet, read on 2026-10-07, and the exact words relied on are kept with each row (open "Sources" on any card). Store ratings and review counts are the stores' own on that date, pulled through Sonar, an app-store analytics service. A feature is marked yes only when one of those sources says it; when none does, it is shown as unknown rather than as no.
How it was checked. Every row was researched once and then handed to a second, independent pass whose only job was to break it: open the same pages, check every spec, every tick, every rating and every quote. Rows it could not confirm were corrected, marked unknown, or dropped before publishing.
What this page does not measure yet. We have not put a drum recording through every app at half speed and compared how the hits survive. Time-stretching smears sharp attacks, and drums are all sharp attacks, so it matters; when we test it, the method will be here.
Prices. Every price is in US dollars, read on 2026-10-07 on the store or page named next to it, with a link: Sweetwater, Musician's Friend or the maker's own store for gear and books, the US App Store's in-app purchase list or the maker's pricing page for apps. When a maker sells for less on its own website than in the app, both are shown. Prices change, so the date is part of the fact: check the store before you buy. Nothing on this page is an affiliate link.
FAQ
Questions drummers ask about apps to learn drums, compared: lessons, practice and rudiments.
It depends on whether you want to be taught or checked. For teaching on video, Drumeo and Mike's Lessons have the deepest courses. For an app that grades what you play, Melodics and Drumr, best with an electronic kit. For building your hands, a rudiment trainer such as Chops. The three questions at the top of the page narrow it to your setup.
A few say they can, through the phone's microphone: Melodics for acoustic kits and practice pads, Drum Journal on a pad or a kit, and Drumr on a practice pad with Apple headphones. Most apps that grade you rely on an electronic kit connected by cable or Bluetooth.
Most apps here have a free part, and the size differs a lot. Melodics gives 20 lessons, Beatlii 21 lessons and two courses, Drumr over 70 scores including all 40 rudiments, and Metronome & Rudiment Practice keeps its full rudiment library free. Drumeo and Mike's Lessons open their full libraries with a one-week trial.
No. Most of these apps work on a practice pad, your knees or the screen; the No kit column shows which say so. Being graded on what you play needs an electronic kit or, for a few apps, a microphone.
Drum Coach, Drumeo, Beatlii, InstaDrum, Drum School, Drumbitious and Real Drum have Android apps. Melodics runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows but not Android; Drumr, Drum Journal and Chops are Apple only; Mike's Lessons runs in the browser.
