The same charts, nothing to install
WebEDrums opens .sng, .chart and .mid files and Rock Band Xbox 360 CON packages, the formats YARG reads, straight from your songs folder in Chrome or Edge.
YARG alternative
The YARG alternative for drummers, in your browser
YARG is a great open-source rhythm game, but it is a desktop download you install and keep updated. WebEDrums is a lighter YARG alternative for drummers: it plays the same .sng, .chart, .mid and Rock Band CON charts in a browser tab, on the laptop or Chromebook you already own.
- Songs from community charts
- Built-in lessons to learn drums
- Easy setup: one cable, one minute
- Any laptop, no gaming PC needed
- 3 free plays a day, no account
- Nothing is uploaded
In a browser
All WebEDrums needs is a browser. YARG needs more.
WebEDrums is a web page, not a game engine you download. It loads in Chrome or Edge in seconds and is light enough for the laptop, Chromebook or school machine you already have.
- No download, no installer and no admin rights: open a tab and play.
- Under 1 MB to load, then cached so it also starts offline.
- A simple, fast highway that runs on the built-in graphics of an ordinary laptop. No gaming GPU.
- Light on memory: one browser tab, not a separate game running next to it.
- Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS in Chrome or Edge. No drivers for your kit.
- Always up to date: new versions arrive when you reload, nothing to patch.
| Feature | WebEDrums | YARG |
|---|---|---|
| Install | None: a browser tab | Yes: desktop download or the YARC Launcher |
| Download size | Under 1 MB (compressed), cached after the first visit | About 125 MB for the game, plus the launcher if you use it |
| Runs on | Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS in Chrome or Edge | Windows 10 (21H1) or 11, macOS, Linux |
| Hardware needed | Any laptop or Chromebook: built-in graphics are enough | Not stated by the vendor |
Competitor figures from the vendor's own pages or store listings, checked October 10, 2026: github.com, yarg.in
Why switch
Why drummers switch from YARG
Runs where YARG cannot
Nothing to download and built-in laptop graphics are enough: WebEDrums runs on Chromebooks, locked-down work laptops and older machines where a desktop game is not an option.
Drums only, so setup is short
Plug in the USB kit and a guided setup maps every pad and zone, with presets for General MIDI, Roland, Alesis and Yamaha modules. No menus for instruments you do not play.
Practice tools for drummers
Drag-handle loops, any tempo down to a quarter with the pitch kept, a metronome that follows the song, a heat map of your weakest sections, and kit sounds from the browser when the module is muted. For beginners, short groove lessons by level come built in.
Still on YARG? The YARG drums setup guide. Your kit: Alesis Nitro, Roland TD-02, Yamaha DTX.
Compare
WebEDrums vs YARG, feature by feature
| Feature | WebEDrums | YARG |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | ||
| Install needed | No: a browser tab. Optional install as an app. | Yes, desktop download |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS with Chrome or Edge; Firefox with limits; phones and tablets by touch | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Chromebooks and locked-down laptops | Yes | No |
| USB e-drum kit | Yes, any USB MIDI kit, over Web MIDI | Yes, in the desktop app |
| Account needed to play | No; only for Pro | No |
| Nothing uploaded, no analytics cookies | Yes | Local app |
| Works offline | Yes; Pro stays active for 7 days without a connection | Yes |
| What you can play | ||
| Chart formats | .chart, .mid, .sng, Rock Band CON | .chart, .mid, .sng, CON |
| Where songs come from | Your own folder of community charts, plus built-in groove lessons by level | Your own folder of community charts, plus a free built-in setlist |
| Built-in lessons | Short groove lessons in four levels, judged on your kit | No |
| Pro drums: cymbals and toms as separate notes | Yes | Yes |
| Expert+ double kick, Star Power, accents and ghosts | Yes | Yes |
| Lyrics while you play | Yes | Yes |
| Drum sounds from the app when the module is muted | Yes, six kit styles | No |
| Guided pad setup with kit presets | Yes: General MIDI, Roland, Alesis, Yamaha, with zones | Manual binding |
| Timing calibration | Yes, from six seconds of your own hits | Audio and video offset |
| Playable without a kit (keyboard, or touch on phones) | Yes | Yes |
| Practice, players and price | ||
| Section loops | Yes, with drag handles | Yes, in practice mode |
| Slow-down that keeps the pitch | Yes, any tempo down to a quarter, picked in BPM | Yes |
| Metronome that follows the song | Yes, on the song's tempo map, beats or eighths | Not stated by the vendor |
| Weakest-sections heat map, click to practise | Yes | No |
| Several players with their own scores | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Price | Free: 3 plays a day, a play counts after 30 seconds. Pro $6 a month billed yearly ($72), or $10 monthly | Free |
Last checked October 2026. Tell us about anything that is out of date through the contact page.
Your songs
Bring your YARG songs
Your YARG library already works. WebEDrums reads the same folder, formats and all. Where the charts come from
-
Open WebEDrums in Chrome or Edge and connect your e-drum kit over USB.
-
Pick the folder where YARG keeps your songs. Nothing is copied or uploaded.
-
Choose a song, pick Pro drums or Expert+ and play.
The honest answer
When YARG is still the better choice
An open-source rhythm game that reads Clone Hero and Rock Band formats and ships a free setlist. Pick it for vocals, multiple instruments and local multiplayer. WebEDrums is the simpler choice when you only play drums and want a quick session in a browser tab.
FAQ
YARG alternative: questions
Is there a YARG alternative that runs in a browser?
Yes. WebEDrums plays YARG and Rock Band drum charts in Chrome or Edge on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS, without a download.
Will WebEDrums run on a low-end PC or a Chromebook?
Yes. It is a browser tab with a simple highway that runs on built-in laptop graphics, so it works on Chromebooks and older machines.
Can I use my YARG songs, including Rock Band CON files?
Yes. WebEDrums reads .sng, .chart, .mid and Xbox 360 CON files from the same folder and uploads nothing.
Does WebEDrums do vocals or guitar like YARG?
No. It is drums only. If you want a full band, YARG is the better pick; if you play drums, WebEDrums gives you deeper drum tools in a lighter package.
Ready to play?
Plug in the kit, find a song or pick your folder, hit the notes. Free every day, no account.