Comparison

Chords Compass vs Ancient

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

Head to head
About

Chords Compass

Explore over 250,000 chords for piano, guitar, ukulele, and more. This app provides visual chord charts, authentic sounds, and features like left-handed mode and custom tunings for musicians of all levels.

Highlights
  • 250,000+ chords
  • 7 instrument support
  • Visual chord charts
  • Authentic audio previews
  • Left-handed mode
  • Custom tunings
Features
Read full description

Unlock your musical creativity. Explore chords like never before! Chords Compass is your all-in-one chord reference tool for Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Bass, Mandolin, Banjo, and Balalaika. Designed for musicians of all levels—from absolute beginners to advanced composers — this powerful app puts over 250,000 chords at your fingertips. What Users Say: + “This is great! This is what I've been looking for. Easy to navigate, easy to understand. Fantastic.” (by Ryan) + “Helpful app. Has all the basics and a few more chords. Easy to use and has fingerings for different instruments.” (by Mike Lund) + “Thanks. Helps with school lessons, especially intervals. “(by Vyl Dex) Why Musicians Love Chords Compass: + Access over 250,000 chords instantly in any key, chord type, or position across 7 instruments + Visual chord charts and authentic sounds let you hear and play each chord + Piano features chord inversion tools; string instruments include fretboard positioning, left-handed mode, and alternate tunings + Optimized for both learning and professional composition Key Features: + Supports: Piano, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Mandolin, Banjo, Balalaika + 56 chord types in all keys and positions + High-quality chord diagrams with audio previews + Full support for left-handed musicians + Custom tuning and fret location options + Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac Perfect For: + Songwriters + Music educators and students + Self-taught musicians + Beginners + Anyone wanting to explore harmony in depth One-time purchase! No ads! No subscriptions! Just music-making made simple! Buy Chords Compass Now! Whether you're composing your next track or starting to learn music, Chords Compass gives you the tools to expand your creativity!

About

Ancient

A personal music player that lets you organize, customize, and enjoy your own audio files and album art. It offers a subscription-free, ad-free, and offline listening experience with extensive customization options for your library and player.

Highlights
  • Import audio files from Files app or USB
  • Edit metadata for artists, albums, and songs
  • Add custom artwork for artists, albums, and playlists
  • Customize library theme (colors, fonts, text size)
  • Offline playback without internet connection
  • Export library, metadata, playlists, and themes
Read full description

Ancient is an audio library and music player for those who want to curate, customize, and connect with their music listening experience using their own files and album art. Experience a simple and more personal way to connect with your music. No subscription, no ads, no internet connection needed, no login, no data collection, no in-app purchases, just you and your favorite tunes. Organize: - Import your files directly from the Files app on your phone or via USB from Finder - Supports MP3, FLAC, M4A, WAV, AAC, AIFF, and AIF audio file formats - Edit metadata for artists, albums, and songs for any file type - Optional automatic compilation grouping Enjoy: - Search or browse by artist, album, song, or playlist - Add custom artwork for artists and playlists - Add custom image collections for albums - Zoom, pan, and swipe through album art collections while listening - Customize the theme of the library and player (colors, fonts, text size, rounding, borders, shadows, artwork display, and which tabs appear) - Non-repeating shuffle aware of your current tab (artists, albums, songs, or playlists) Archive: - Export your library, metadata edits, playlists, settings, and custom artwork - Export playlists with embedded custom artwork and tracklists - Export and import themes Any questions, issues, or feedback, please contact at ancientaudioplayer@gmail.com

Screenshots

Chords Compass4 screens
Ancient4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ancient at 100% against Chords Compass's 67%. Chords Compass's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Chords Compass costs $9.99 and Ancient $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Chords Compass versus Ancient: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChords CompassAncient
Price$9.99$9.99
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequency—Every 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMax SchleeSpiral Lab LLC

Customer experience

Chords Compass

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Ancient

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Chords Compass

No in-app purchases

None

Ancient

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chords Compass free?
Chords Compass costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ancient free?
Ancient costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chords Compass or Ancient have ads?
Neither Chords Compass nor Ancient shows ads.

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