Comparison

Fretcetera vs Guitar Scales

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

Head to head
About

Fretcetera

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
Read full description

Fretcetera is musical calculator that uses algorithms to connect you to chords, scales and progressions on a variety of string instruments in any tuning! This is not just a chord book. Fretcetera computes every way to play chords or scales in any tuning, and returns the top results based on their playability. Fine-tune results by configuring your instrument exactly as you play it. Enter personal preferences and constraints. Select from common tunings or create your own! Build progressions to listen to chord transitions, and even get suggestions based on the chords you are playing!

About

Guitar Scales

Visualize scales on your instrument's fretboard for guitar, bass, and ukulele. Explore over 48 built-in scales, create your own, and customize tunings. Practice solos or simply play along with interactive note playback.

Highlights
  • Visualize scales on fretboard
  • Supports guitar, bass, ukulele
  • Over 48 built-in scales
  • Create custom scales
  • Customizable instrument tunings
  • Interactive note playback
  • Left-handed mode
Features
Read full description

Guitar Scales + is the easiest way to see scales on the fretboard while playing guitar, bass and ukulele. You can choose from over 48 build in scales, create your own and customize the tuning of your instrument. With excelent playback support, you can work out solos, or just play around on the fretboard. Whether you are are a beginner, want to learn music theory, or are a veteran player, Guitar Scales +is the perfect app for you. FEATURES - Show any scale in any key on the fretboard - Supports guitar, bass and ukulele - See over 48 build in scales - Create your own scales - Choose different tunings or create your own - Support for tunings with more strings - Change to left handed fretboard - Dynamic number of frets - Show intervals and octaves for every note - Choose which accidentals should be shown - Play any scale by tapping the notes - Supports multiple guitar sounds (nylon, steel, clean, jazz, overdrive, distortion) - Supports multiple bass sounds (finger, pick, acoustic) - Support for dark and light mode SUPPORT Please feel free to contact me any time if you have questions or suggestions. Alos, leave a rating if you like the app, it means a lot to me! support@getstringtheory.com TERMS & PRIVACY https://www.getstringtheory.app/terms.html https://www.getstringtheory.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

Fretcetera4 screens
Guitar Scales4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Fretcetera at free against Guitar Scales's freemium. Fretcetera also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (92% vs 75%). Guitar Scales's advantage is ratings volume (33 vs 11). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Fretcetera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Guitar Scales sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Fretcetera against 4.9 for Guitar Scales. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 33 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Fretcetera's written reviews are positive against 75% of Guitar Scales's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fretcetera ships an update every 3 weeks, Guitar Scales every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Fretcetera versus Guitar Scales: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretceteraGuitar Scales
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (11 ratings)4.9 (33 ratings) — better
Positive reviews91.7% of reviews — better75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1133 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoel PipherDenis Andrasec

Customer experience

Fretcetera

All ratings11 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral9.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive91.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative0.0%

Guitar Scales

All ratings33 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Fretcetera

One-time1
  • Fretcetera Premium$3.99
2 purchases

Guitar Scales

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$17.991 Year

Questions

Is Fretcetera free?
Fretcetera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Guitar Scales free?
Guitar Scales is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Fretcetera or Guitar Scales?
Guitar Scales is rated higher. Fretcetera averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Guitar Scales averages 4.9 from 33 ratings.
Do Fretcetera or Guitar Scales have ads?
Neither Fretcetera nor Guitar Scales shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fretcetera or Guitar Scales?
Fretcetera ships an update every 3 weeks, and Guitar Scales every 2 months. Most recently, Fretcetera was updated on October 24, 2026 and Guitar Scales on October 23, 2026.

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