Mandolin Chords Compass vs Mandolin by Ear
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Massive chord library
- Virtual fretboard visualization
- Authentic chord sound playback
- Supports Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello
- Offline functionality
- Left-handed mode
- One-time purchase
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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!
Mandolin by Ear
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Mandolin is a wonderful instrument that came to us from Italy. It retains that sublime musical character few other instrument can be compared to. Learn express yourself with this beautiful instrument in DAYS and WEEKS instead if YEARS. With our unique learning method you will accomplish just that! This is a very powerful ear training and learning tool for musicians who want a shortcut to fluency on the mandolin. With this tool you will be able to play the mandolin it is meant to be played by ear, any melody or solo, you will gain a very deep understanding of chords and the notes they consist of and are surrounded by, they tell you all about this in lessons, but you never actually get to ingrain it. Yet this is the most important skill there is for mastering the mandolin and play any music by ear. The app allows you to practice with just the smartphone or with your real mandolin. This exercise might look a little bit tedious, but trust us, you will see very powerful results in your music within days of using the app. You could call it hacking the mandolin. Provided you possess the basic notes and scale playing skills (youtube will teach you that very easily), you will learn to play the mandolin by ear in DAYS with Mandolin by Ear, something other musicians struggle for YEARS for and still not everyone gets there. You will. During the first month. How much money would you pay to obtain such a skill? Consider this your lucky day, because you are on your way for real musicianship whether it is your hobby or you want to pursue career in music, this app sets you up for the best results.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Mandolin Chords Compass at $4.99 against Mandolin by Ear's $12.99. Mandolin by Ear's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 64 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Mandolin Chords Compass costs $4.99 and Mandolin by Ear $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Mandolin Chords Compass ships an update every 64 months, Mandolin by Ear every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mandolin Chords Compass | Mandolin by Ear |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $12.99 |
| Rating | 3.8 (31 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 31 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 64 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 140 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Max Schlee | Oleg Sokolov |
In-app purchases
Mandolin Chords Compass
No in-app purchases
Mandolin by Ear
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Mandolin Chords Compass free?
Is Mandolin by Ear free?
Do Mandolin Chords Compass or Mandolin by Ear have ads?
Which is updated more often, Mandolin Chords Compass or Mandolin by Ear?
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