# Fretcetera vs Mandolin Tuner EM

The clearest difference is rating: Fretcetera at 4.8 against Mandolin Tuner EM's 4.0. Fretcetera also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fretcetera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Mandolin Tuner EM sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Fretcetera holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Fretcetera's written reviews are positive against 67% of Mandolin Tuner EM's.

Fretcetera ships an update every 3 weeks, Mandolin Tuner EM every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Fretcetera | Mandolin Tuner EM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretcetera/id1262938497/reviews)** | [4.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-tuner-em-1/id1481362092/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **91.7% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joel Pipher](https://appshunter.io/developer/1262938496) | [myrApps](https://appshunter.io/developer/954211898) |

## What reviewers say

### Fretcetera

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretcetera/id1262938497)

This app helps musicians find chords, scales, and progressions for string instruments in any tuning. It calculates optimal fingerings based on playability and user-defined preferences, and can generate chord transition suggestions.

**Highlights:** Chord and scale finder, Custom tuning support, Playability-based results, Progression builder, Chord transition suggestions, Instrument configuration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fretcetera Premium | $3.99 | one-time |


### Mandolin Tuner EM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-tuner-em-1/id1481362092)

This application provides a precise tuning experience for mandolin players, supporting various alternate tunings and offering a quick reference for common chords with fingerings. It features automatic string detection and adjustable reference frequencies for accurate tuning.

**Highlights:** Alternate mandolin tunings, Adjustable reference note frequency, Automatic string detection, Common chord fingerings, Multiple note naming schemes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Fretcetera free?

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

### Is Mandolin Tuner EM free?

Mandolin Tuner EM is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Fretcetera or Mandolin Tuner EM?

Fretcetera is rated higher. Fretcetera averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Mandolin Tuner EM averages 4.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do Fretcetera or Mandolin Tuner EM have ads?

Mandolin Tuner EM shows ads; Fretcetera does not.

### Which is updated more often, Fretcetera or Mandolin Tuner EM?

Fretcetera ships an update every 3 weeks, and Mandolin Tuner EM every 5 months. Most recently, Fretcetera was updated on October 24, 2026 and Mandolin Tuner EM 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.*