# Tunefox vs Strum Machine

Tunefox and Strum Machine both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 89% of Strum Machine's written reviews are positive against 69% of Tunefox's. Strum Machine also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and chart position (#158 vs unranked). Tunefox's advantage is ratings volume (856 vs 120). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tunefox sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Strum Machine sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Tunefox against 4.7 for Strum Machine. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tunefox has 856 ratings behind it against 120, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Tunefox's written reviews are positive against 89% of Strum Machine's.

Tunefox ships an update every 6 weeks, Strum Machine fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tunefox | Strum Machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (856 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tunefox/id1128824483/reviews) | **[4.7 (120 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strum-machine-backing-tracks/id1509158553/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **856** | 120 |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews | **88.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#158** |
| Size | 488 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tunefox s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1536941280) | [Luke Abbott LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509158552) |

## What reviewers say

### Tunefox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tunefox/id1128824483)

Master bluegrass music with this comprehensive learning platform. Explore various instruments and styles, customize arrangements, and utilize practice tools to develop your musical skills and creativity.

**Highlights:** Skill slider for progressive arrangement enhancement, Switchable licks for authentic vocabulary, Vary slider for fill-in note customization, Tempo adjustments and backing tracks, Looping and measure selection, Speed-up, hide notes, and memory-train tools

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TuneFox Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| One month - one instrument | $9.99 | per month |
| One Month All Instruments | $9.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $14.99 | per month |
| One Month | $14.99 | per month |
| TuneFox Membership | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Three Months - All Instruments | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 Months | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| Thee Months | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| One Year | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Exceptional learning tool
- 👍 Clear layout and intuitive interface
- 👍 Versatile features (speed control, lick switching, etc.)
- 🎨 Excellent audio and visual quality
- 💡 Helpful for all skill levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔒 Subscription-based access
- 🚫 Limited free content
- 🚫 Inconsistent app performance

**Reported bugs**

- Login and account issues
- Blank lesson pages
- Playback issues (jumping to first note, cutting out)
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- More song variety and genre options
- Ability to export arrangements as PDF
- Sync progress across devices
- Improved metronome and backing track volume balance
- More frequent content updates


### Strum Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strum-machine-backing-tracks/id1509158553)

**Currently charting:** #158 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Generate realistic backing tracks for practice with real instrument audio. Customize chord progressions, keys, and tempo. Features a large song library, song editor, and band customization options. Works offline and syncs across devices.

**Highlights:** Realistic instrument audio backing tracks, Customizable chord progressions, keys, and tempo, Extensive song library, Simple song editor, Band and instrument customization, Cross-platform syncing and offline mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tunefox free?

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

### Is Strum Machine free?

Strum Machine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tunefox or Strum Machine?

Strum Machine is rated higher. Tunefox averages 4.6 out of 5 from 856 ratings, while Strum Machine averages 4.7 from 120 ratings.

### Do Tunefox or Strum Machine have ads?

Neither Tunefox nor Strum Machine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tunefox or Strum Machine?

Tunefox ships an update every 6 weeks, and Strum Machine fortnightly. Most recently, Tunefox was updated on October 26, 2026 and Strum Machine on October 27, 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.*