# Mandolin Companion — user reviews > 107 indexed App Store user reviews of Mandolin Companion by Infinaut Technologies, Inc, rated 3.70/5 from 35 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-companion/id458349872/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-companion/id458349872.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 18 · 4★ 3 · 3★ 6 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 6 ## What do users think of Mandolin Companion? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Comprehensive chord and scale database - 🎵 Audio playback of chords and scales - 💰 Free app with quality features - 🎸 Excellent tuner functionality - 📚 Great learning resource for beginners - 🎯 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface - 🔄 Multiple chord fingering positions - 👈 Left-handed mode support - ⚙️ Support for alternate tunings - 🎼 Includes metronome functionality - 📖 Visual chord diagrams with finger placement guidance **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes on recent iOS versions - 🎨 Outdated skeuomorphic design - 🔊 Annoying startup sound (cannot be disabled) - ❌ No exit button (confusing navigation) - 🔄 Reversed string orientation in landscape mode - 📱 Not compatible with iOS 6 and later versions - 🎓 Steep learning curve for absolute beginners - 💸 Paywall for some features and tunings - 🎵 Scales are visual-only (no audio playback) - ⏱️ Limited metronome time signature options (4/4 only) - 🏠 Unnecessary home screen startup mode - 🔍 Incomplete chord library (missing common variations) **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes upon opening (iOS 6 and later compatibility issue) - Stuck on splash/startup screen - App freezes and requires reload - Landscape mode displays strings in reverse order - Note playback sometimes won't stop - Orientation detection issues on iPad - Tuner note labels reversed from actual playback - Incorrect scale information (e.g., B minor scale showing G#) - No way to exit app except through review button - Crashes after iOS updates **Most requested features** - Interactive chromatic tuner with ear training - Arpeggiated chord playback with variable speeds - Bluegrass 'chop' chord variations - Scale playback with looping and directional options - User-contributed chord additions - Flat chord positions - Staff notation display for notes - Ability to disable startup sound - Remove or skip home screen on startup - Improved landscape mode string orientation - Additional metronome time signatures - Dobro/resonator guitar app version ## Newest reviews (14 of 107) ### 2/5 — User friendliness *2024-08-07* As for the chords I am ok with showing me one chord with the notes then I can build a chord from the picture. My problem is getting out. Of the APP when I am done with it. The only way I have found is to click on write a review. You need to put an exit selection in. ### 2/5 — It works. It’s worth it. But ugly, with annoying start-up sound *2024-01-20, version 4.3.3* It’s useful, and I bought the custom CGDA tuning I needed for my tenor guitar. Thank you, kind developer, it gets the job done 🙏🏻 On the other hand, it’s fully skeuomorphic, which makes it look and feel 10 years out of date. It starts every time with a questionably-useful home screen mode. And it always plays a start-up sound, which apparently I can’t configure to shut up. So, while useful, and worth it, it’s not a _joy_ to use. And the start-up noise is super obnoxious. I would give it 4 stars if the start up sound could be turned off. And 5 if the home screen was removed, or the app opened on the actual functionality. With these improvements, it could be a fast and indispensable app to support band practices or memory-refreshing while waiting in a queue. Otherwise, its clunkiness makes me want to open it as little as possible, with my phone muted. ### 3/5 — Pretty Good *2020-09-26* This is pretty good but it is missing many too many alternate chords. Some of the alternate chords missing are easier than the ones showing. In fact some chords missing are the most common version of the chord. For example, F Maj. Look at other chord sites for mandolin. I question wether the person who put these chords in actually play mandolin. If they could add these it would be much better than all the other apps. It would be good to have an option to have users add these chords. ### 2/5 — Terrible *2020-07-16* I did not like the ads and the fact that there was so much to purchase! It was the worst mistake I’ve ever made! ### 3/5 — Scales are incorrect *2019-07-14* Specifically B minor scale indicates a G# there is no G# in the B minor scale ### 3/5 — String Orientation *2019-02-09* When rotating the display to the left to landscape mode the strings are oriented in reverse order. The G string should be on the bottom and the E string should be on the top just as the player would view the instrument when looking down at it. ### 5/5 — Great App for Mandolin. *2017-01-24, version 3.2.0* This is a really good reference guide and learning app. Best one I've found so far for the Mandolin. ### 5/5 — Free and simple. Love it! *2016-10-26, version 3.2.0* I can see and hear different chords and tune my mandolin by it. Sweet and simple. ### 5/5 — all in one *2016-07-10, version 3.2.0* has a tuner, scales and chords. great for starting out. ### 5/5 — Awesome app *2016-01-02* This app is freaking amazing. For the couple of people that had said they had issues with it showing it left handed, that was kind of annoying to me to start. What I did was just flip my iPad and turn auto screen rotation off and propped it up on my feet, that way I could just be looking at it without having to turn my head and it showed it right handed. ### 5/5 — Easy and efficient *2015-10-17, version 3.2.0* Well designed app for all the basics to get started and to keep learning. ### 5/5 — Good job! *2015-10-03, version 3.2.0* It is easy to use and has everything you need to get started on the mandolin. ### 5/5 — Great *2015-04-03, version 3.2.0* Vey useful app. Great to reference when learning the mando. ### 5/5 — Great app *2015-03-27, version 3.2.0* I just bought a mandolin on a whim and had no idea how to tune it. I have played guitars for years and have several good tuners but this is much easier and faster. With different tunings I had no idea of mandolin chords and am very impressed with the ease of use on this app. Definitely got me off to a great start with my new instrument. Would recommend this app to others any day. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Not for beginners *2025-06-27, version 4.3.3* This app assumes you have a basic understanding of musical knowledge. It will not teach you that. You have to have a foundation before using this app. It’s very confusing for me and I cannot understand how to get started or what the target is. Only spend the $ if you know what you are doing ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work anymore *2021-04-05* Doesn’t work anymore, just shuts down when you hit it.... deleted it! ### 1/5 — Terrible, you cannot get support. *2017-08-23* I bought a screen for this app, there's no place to find it and you cannot get support from the developers, "Page Not Found"! ### 1/5 — Latest Version August 2017 *2017-08-20, version 4.3.0* The latest version is a mess. What happened to the chords? Can't find anything that looks like standard mando chords. ### 1/5 — Really confusing *2016-06-04, version 3.2.0* I use your banjo chord app and love it, downloaded this and the layout is flipped... Super confusing. Would be great if I was left handed. ### 1/5 — totally useless *2016-02-17, version 3.2.0* cannot make head nor tail of it, dont waste the down load ### 1/5 — Has potential... *2013-01-05, version 3.2.0* Sometimes won't stop playing a note. It has a nice look but the finger placement is a little confusing. Doesn't show what fingers to use. The add at the bottom drives me nuts. This app could be really nice. It just needs some refinements. If all this is fixed I'll give a better rating. I'm using an iPad3. ### 1/5 — No instructions? *2012-11-24, version 3.1.2* I am just beginning. I know a few chords and was hoping this would help me move forward. All I see are dots and numbers. There are no instructions on how to proceed or progress. The string play only on my first strum. No progressive tutorials. The fretboard is too high up on the iPad to reach naturally with my fingers. Bummed I paid for the Ad Free version. ### 1/5 — Position *2012-10-28, version 3.1.2* Position of mandolin is backwards when held horizontal ### 1/5 — does no work *2012-10-13, version 3.1.1* this app is useless. It opens to the splash screen and then nothing. On one occasion it correctly sensed the orientation of my iPad, on two others it did not. Total waste of time and bandwidth. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Heck yeah! *2025-12-13* Some features are behind a small pay wall, but almost everything the average player needs is available for free and at a high quality. ### 5/5 — Crashes upon opening every time *2024-05-03* This has been my favorite app to learn mandolin with for YEARS! But it crashes every single time I open it now. Is there an update? I’m using iPhone 13 mini with the latest iOS. ### 5/5 — Great for a beginner *2021-01-07* I’ve been playing guitar for 40 years. I’ve been playing mandolin for 2 days. I don’t have any reference as to whether this is a good app for an experienced mandolin player. But for me? It’s fantastic. Chords and scales, with sound. The rest is up to me. ### 5/5 — Optional/Alternate/Open tuning add on *2020-11-19, version 4.3.3* Saves enormous time and effort in dissecting the mandolin fingerboard in identifying notes in the various open and alternate turnings needed to construct chords and ideal sounding progressions. The audible strum and tempo features enable personal preference for the 'flavour' of chords being sought without picking up the mandolin. The optional tuning feature can be applied to fiddle as well. All in all a true Godsend for the Bluegrass mando and fiddle player. The bucks for the multi tuning add on is invaluable. ### 5/5 — A great resource *2019-10-17* This is a terrific way to learn chords and scales for mandolin. Much better than thumbing through a book. It’s not just for beginners - need to know how to play a 9th or diminished chord? They’re all here. My only gripe is that the sideways/landscape view shows the strings in reverse order. But that view is not essential, so I can live with the glitch. Highly recommended for every mandolin player. ### 5/5 — Way cool! *2019-02-22* Whoever said of putting left handed mode. You are a legend! ### 5/5 — Very useful *2018-11-28, version 4.3.3* Very intuitive and great if you’re starting out ... I am. ### 5/5 — Good reference *2018-03-16* Big help learning scales and chords. Good tuner. ### 5/5 — So Good... and Free! *2017-07-05* I see this app hasn't been updated since 2012 -- yet it is still the best app I have found for learning mandolin chords. The iOS warned me when I started it this time that it needs to be updated or it will not work with future versions of iOS. Very sad! I would gladly pay for this app if it were going to be maintained. I would probably ask for a few more features and updated interface. But it works and works well. ### 5/5 — Great little App for Mandolin *2017-04-29, version 3.2.0* This app is a great app for tuning and alternative cord positions. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*