BU vs StrumForge
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BU
This application serves as a chord finder specifically for baritone ukuleles. It displays common chord fingerings and allows users to save notes and import chord names.
- Baritone ukulele chord display
- Saves up to 40 memos per page
- Adds titles to memo pages
- Email chord names from memos
- Import function for chord names
- Displays simple chord approaches
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BU-Chord is a chord book for Baritone ukulele. This app displays baritone ukulele chords. In-App Purchase(unlock all): ■ Browse all chords available ■ Store 40 memos per page, up to a total of 30 pages ■ Add titles to each memo page ■ Send the chord name displayed at the top of a memo by e-mail ■ Provisional feature -- gain access to an import function (attach chord name from e-mail, etc.) Note: This app does not show every way of holding the strings. It shows the most simple 3-6 approaches for each chord. Note that you cannot search for other chord variations within the app. Tuning is fixed as below: 1 - E 2 - B 3 - G 4 - D
StrumForge
Instantly generate countless guitar chord progressions and practice with built-in scales, tempo, and grooves. Explore various chord types and fingerings, and play along with integrated drum patterns. Designed for musicians to focus on playing and songwriting.
- Generate over 425,000 chord progressions
- Play along with chord diagrams in tempo
- Solo over progressions with scale diagrams
- Lock or randomize key
- Choose chord types (open, barre, triads, power)
- Built-in drum groove and tempo control
- Left-handed chord diagram support
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StrumForge brings chord progressions, drum grooves, exercises, scales, triads, and arpeggios together in one practice app. Work on chord changes, build your timing and technique, and practice improvisation with interactive diagrams and built-in playback. Instantly generate over 1 million unique, theory-based chord progressions across every key. Customize your practice loop, choose your guitar sound and rhythm, and play along at your own pace. No ads. No account required to get started. CHORD PROGRESSIONS • Generate theory-based progressions instantly across every key • Choose 2, 4, 8, 12, or 16 chords for focused loops or longer practice sessions • Select your key, mode, chord types, tempo, and guitar sound • Lock individual chords, change their voicings, or replace them manually • Explore open chords, barre chords, triads, and power chords • Add sevenths, suspended chords, and add9 chords • See chord shapes outlined on your scale diagram during playback or chord preview • Build your own progression to practice specific chord changes RHYTHM & DRUMS • Play along with sampled drum grooves that bring your practice to life • Unlock the full collection of 20 grooves with Pro, including rhythms in 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 • Customize drum parts from light to busy, add fills, and choose a metronome click • Choose guitar strumming patterns independently of the drum groove • Adjust guitar and drum volumes to suit your practice • Save drum settings and guitar strum with each favorite progression TRIADS & ARPEGGIOS • Explore every triad inversion and how shapes connect across the fretboard • Play along with the Triad Trainer to practice changes in time • Learn moveable arpeggios through CAGED chord shapes • Follow animated TAB that highlights each fret as it plays • Adjust playback tempo, direction, and rhythm to suit your practice EXERCISES & RIFFS • Build technique with hundreds of original guitar drills and riffs, from beginner to advanced • Practice picking, scale sequences, legato, slides, bends, blues, and more • Follow guitar playback with synchronized TAB and an animated fretboard • Adjust tempo and key, loop exercises, and use a count-in and metronome • Filter by difficulty, technique, and type, and save your favorites • Tap the lightning bolt to preview Exercises; Pro unlocks the practice controls SCALES & FRETBOARD • Improvise over progressions with matching mode and pentatonic scale diagrams • Explore CAGED scale shapes individually or across the full fretboard • Choose note or interval labels and highlight triads or characteristic intervals • Move diagrams to your preferred fretboard position • Explore chord shapes with interval, note, or suggested finger-placement labels • Use left-handed diagrams in portrait or landscape UNLOCK STRUMFORGE PRO • Unlimited progression generation and longer progressions • Musical styles for mood-based generation • All drum grooves, customizable kits, fills, and independent guitar strumming • Triad Trainer and Arpeggio Trainer with animated TAB • Exercises with hundreds of drills and riffs, synchronized TAB, and guitar playback • Advanced scale tools and individual CAGED scale shapes • Save, revisit, and share favorite progressions with scale and rhythm settings • Sync favorites and preferences across devices with an account • Track practice automatically with session stats and streaks • Guitar tuner with popular alternate tunings and reference tones • Metronome with tap tempo, subdivisions, swing, and saved presets • Additional 12-string, overdrive, and arpeggiated guitar sounds • Dark mode and saved practice preferences From focused technique drills to exploring the whole fretboard, StrumForge helps you put music theory into practice—and discover ideas for your own songs along the way. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: StrumForge at 4.8 against BU's 3.8. StrumForge also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 60%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). On price, 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
Both are free to download. BU sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and StrumForge sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
StrumForge holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StrumForge has 58 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of BU's written reviews are positive against 100% of StrumForge's.
BU ships an update monthly, StrumForge every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BU | StrumForge |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (6 ratings) | 4.8 (58 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 58 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Asoft.iOS | Adam Spain |
Customer experience
BU
StrumForge
In-app purchases
BU
- Full version (permanently)$3.99
StrumForge
- StrumForge Pro Weekly7 Days trial$2.997 Days
- StrumForge Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- StrumForge Pro Annual$24.991 Year
- Lifetime Pro$49.99









