Comparison

Mandolin Chords Compass vs Tunefox

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

Head to head
About

Mandolin Chords Compass

Access a vast library of mandolin chords with a virtual fretboard and authentic sound. Perfect for beginners and experienced players, it offers offline functionality and supports multiple mandolin family instruments. Master any song with this comprehensive practice and composition tool.

Highlights
  • Massive chord library
  • Virtual fretboard visualization
  • Authentic chord sound playback
  • Supports Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello
  • Offline functionality
  • Left-handed mode
  • One-time purchase
Features
Read full description

Take your mandolin playing to the next level. Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned musician, Mandolin Chords Compass gives you instant access to a massive library of chords across the entire fretboard—accurate, intuitive, and easy to explore. Master 24,000 Chords With Precision And Simplicity:
 Quickly find the right voicing by selecting the chord root, type and addition and explore the options with just a few clicks. View each chord on a virtual fretboard and hear its authentic sound. It supports Mandolin, Mandola and Mandocello! All-in-One Professional Tool for Players and Creators: + Visualize chords in 17 fretboard positions + Listen to chord sounds + Left-handed mode, retina graphics, and adjustable volume + Designed for offline use, no internet or subscriptions required Built for Practice, Composition, and Teaching:
 Ideal for self-taught learners, classroom instructors, or songwriters creating custom progressions. Whether you're developing skills or composing original music, this app is your complete mandolin companion! Get Full Access with a One-Time Purchase:
 No subscriptions. No recurring fees. Just powerful features you own forever. Across all of your Apple devices —iPhone, iPad and Mac! Elevate your music and master the mandolin today! Get Mandolin Chords Compass and start playing with confidence!

About

Tunefox

Master bluegrass music with this comprehensive learning platform. Explore various instruments and styles, customize arrangements, and utilize practice tools to develop your musical skills and creativity.

Highlights
  • Skill slider for progressive arrangement enhancement
  • Switchable licks for authentic vocabulary
  • Vary slider for fill-in note customization
  • Tempo adjustments and backing tracks
  • Looping and measure selection
  • Speed-up, hide notes, and memory-train tools
Features
Read full description

Tunefox: Your Ultimate Bluegrass Learning Tool Tunefox is your go-to web and app-based learning platform, meticulously crafted to empower you in mastering bluegrass songs and licks for flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar, mandolin, banjo, clawhammer banjo, and bass. With revolutionary tools like the skill slider and switchable licks, Tunefox elevates your musical journey. Experience Versatility: Explore a wide range of musical styles for each instrument. For mandolin and guitar, immerse yourself in stylized arrangements spanning Bluegrass, Fingerstyle, Crosspicking, Jazz, Classical, and more. Banjo enthusiasts can delve into the major styles of 3-finger picking - Scruggs, melodic, backup, single-string and more. Spark the Flame of Your Creativity: Switchable licks in every song provide authentic bluegrass vocabulary and fresh perspectives for tune interpretation. Expand your improvisational prowess by mastering a diverse array of licks. Limitless Customization: Tailor your songs to your liking with our unparalleled customization options. Use the skill slider to progressively enhance your arrangements, just like adding bricks to a foundation. The vary slider empowers you to choose fill-in notes to complement your core arrangement. Spice up your playing with a variety of licks, effortlessly blending styles and techniques. Special Practice Tools: Tunefox offers all the essential practice tools you need, including tempo adjustments, backing tracks, chords, and looping/measure selection. Additionally, our app provides access to special tools like speed-up, hide notes, and memory-train. Real Musician Development: Our mission is to nurture your journey from a learner to a true musician. At Tunefox, we believe in helping you understand the essence of bluegrass music, enabling you to grasp its vocabulary and seamlessly incorporate it into songs you know and love. Dive into the world of bluegrass with Tunefox - it's where you turn your musical aspirations into reality. ---------------------------------------------------------- "Tunefox is a superior way to learn songs and licks in the privacy of your own home. A clear method of teaching all styles of bluegrass banjo; enough to keep you busy for years." - Steve Martin (Actor/Comedian/Musician) "It's a great jumping off point for making up my own licks." - Graham Sharp (Steep Canyon Rangers) "Tunefox is the best digital learning tool for banjo I've ever encountered. The interface is intuitive, and the content is musical and well thought out. Everyone learning bluegrass banjo should get this app." - Wes Corbett (Molly Tuttle Band) ---------------------------------------------------------- Try Tunefox out with a free 7-day trial and then become a member to get access to: - Unlimited access to all instruments, songs and licks - Tunefox on your computer, iPhone or iPad - Revolutionary practice tools like Lick Switcher or Skill Slider - New songs and licks added every month ---------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe for One Month - All Instruments for $14.99 Subscribe for One Year - All Instruments for $99.99 Lifetime Subscription - All Instruments for $299.99 - Your payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase
 - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period
 - Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal 
- Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase https://www.tunefox.com/terms-of-service https://www.tunefox.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Mandolin Chords Compass4 screens
Tunefox4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tunefox at 69% against Mandolin Chords Compass's 17%. Tunefox also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.6 vs 3.8). Mandolin Chords Compass's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). 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

Tunefox is free to download; Mandolin Chords Compass costs $4.99 up front. Tunefox sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Mandolin Chords Compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tunefox holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tunefox has 834 ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 17% of Mandolin Chords Compass's written reviews are positive against 69% of Tunefox's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mandolin Chords Compass ships an update every 64 months, Tunefox every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Mandolin Chords Compass versus Tunefox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMandolin Chords CompassTunefox
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating3.8 (31 ratings)4.6 (834 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.7% of reviews68.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings31834 — better
Update frequencyEvery 64 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB488 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMax SchleeTunefox s.r.o.

Customer experience

Mandolin Chords Compass

All ratings31 ratings
Positive71.0%
Neutral3.2%
Negative25.8%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%

Tunefox

All ratings834 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral2.2%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive68.8%
Neutral8.8%
Negative22.5%

Bugs and requests

Mandolin Chords Compass

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Tunefox

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login and account issues
  • Blank lesson pages
  • Playback issues (jumping to first note, cutting out)
  • Compatibility problems on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • More song variety and genre options
  • Ability to export arrangements as PDF
  • Sync progress across devices
  • Improved metronome and backing track volume balance
  • More frequent content updates

In-app purchases

None

Mandolin Chords Compass

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Tunefox

Subscriptions10
  • TuneFox Membership$9.991 Month
  • One month - one instrument$9.991 Month
  • One Month All Instruments$9.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • 1 Month$14.991 Month
  • One Month7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • TuneFox Membership$19.993 Months
  • Three Months - All Instruments$19.993 Months
  • 3 Months$24.993 Months
  • Thee Months1 Month trial$29.993 Months
  • One Year7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Mandolin Chords Compass free?
Mandolin Chords Compass costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tunefox free?
Tunefox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mandolin Chords Compass or Tunefox?
Tunefox is rated higher. Mandolin Chords Compass averages 3.8 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Tunefox averages 4.6 from 834 ratings.
Do Mandolin Chords Compass or Tunefox have ads?
Neither Mandolin Chords Compass nor Tunefox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mandolin Chords Compass or Tunefox?
Mandolin Chords Compass ships an update every 64 months, and Tunefox every 6 weeks. Most recently, Mandolin Chords Compass was updated on September 26, 2026 and Tunefox on September 25, 2026.

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