# Mandolin Chords Compass vs Mandolin by Ear

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mandolin Chords Compass | Mandolin by Ear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $12.99 |
| Rating | **[3.8 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-chords-compass/id1001868385/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **31** | — |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 64 months | **Every 6 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Size | 24 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Max Schlee](https://appshunter.io/developer/429770420) | [Oleg Sokolov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628122395) |

## What reviewers say

### Mandolin Chords Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-chords-compass/id1001868385)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mandolin by Ear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-by-ear/id1635587336)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mandolin Chords Compass free?

Mandolin Chords Compass costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mandolin by Ear free?

Mandolin by Ear costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Mandolin Chords Compass or Mandolin by Ear have ads?

Neither Mandolin Chords Compass nor Mandolin by Ear shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mandolin Chords Compass or Mandolin by Ear?

Mandolin Chords Compass ships an update every 64 months, and Mandolin by Ear every 6 months. Most recently, Mandolin Chords Compass was updated on October 20, 2026 and Mandolin by Ear on October 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*