# Universal Chords vs Guitar Notation

The clearest difference is rating: Universal Chords at 5.0 against Guitar Notation's 4.0. Universal Chords also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 58%) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). Guitar Notation's advantage is update cadence (every 4 months vs every 48 months) and ratings volume (249 vs 3). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Guitar Notation sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Universal Chords asks for nothing beyond the download.

Universal Chords holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Guitar Notation has 249 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Universal Chords's written reviews are positive against 58% of Guitar Notation's.

Universal Chords ships an update every 48 months, Guitar Notation every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Chords | Guitar Notation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-chords/id1034168777/reviews)** | [4.0 (249 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitar-notation-tabs-and-chords/id1144464459/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **249** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 58.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 48 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 1 MB | 153 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chase CASTER](https://appshunter.io/developer/519490965) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Chords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-chords/id1034168777)

Access a comprehensive library of chords for various instruments like guitar, ukulele, and piano. Easily switch between instruments, discover alternate fingerings, and adjust for right or left-handed play.

**Highlights:** Chord lookup for multiple instruments, Alternate fingerings, Right/left-handed toggle, Instrument switching

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Guitar Notation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitar-notation-tabs-and-chords/id1144464459)

This app allows guitar enthusiasts to read, compose, edit, and play back guitar sheet music. It supports multi-track tabs, chord charts, and various notation elements, enabling users to create music on the go.

**Highlights:** Read, compose, and edit guitar sheet music, Playback functionality with high-quality sound, Multi-track tab support, Chord chart configuration, Export in MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, and PDF formats, Supports up to 8 staff for editing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Access Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Guitar Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bass Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extras Package | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 🚀 Useful
- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Excellent tool
- 👍 Nice app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessively paid version
- 🐛 Buggy and constantly asking to pay
- 🚫 Free version is basically unusable
- 🚫 Can't even use anything but 4/4
- 🚫 No tutorial on how to use

**Reported bugs**

- Audio playback only works through Bluetooth
- Can't create a D chord, forces barre chord
- Freezes on login screen
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add ability to change tuning
- Add palm muting feature
- Add more examples
- Add instructions/tutorial
- Add ability to transpose


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Chords free?

Universal Chords is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Guitar Notation free?

Guitar Notation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Universal Chords or Guitar Notation?

Universal Chords is rated higher. Universal Chords averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Guitar Notation averages 4.0 from 249 ratings.

### Do Universal Chords or Guitar Notation have ads?

Neither Universal Chords nor Guitar Notation shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Chords or Guitar Notation?

Universal Chords ships an update every 48 months, and Guitar Notation every 4 months. Most recently, Universal Chords was updated on November 2, 2026 and Guitar Notation on November 11, 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.*