Fretcetera vs AxeChords
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Chord and scale finder
- Custom tuning support
- Playability-based results
- Progression builder
- Chord transition suggestions
- Instrument configuration
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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!
AxeChords
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Learn all the basic Major and Minor Chords on Guitar using the CAGED System. (A system based on the open C, A, G, E, and D chords). Learn the foundation of all Jazz Chords with Shell Chords. (Root, 3rd, 7th). Master advanced Chords and their Inversions with Drop 2 and Drop 3 Chords. (2nd or 3rd highest note of a closed position Chord dropped an octave to spread out the voicing). Select any of 12 different Root Notes for each chord form, providing thousands of different combinations! Shows the scale degree of each chord note, as well as the suggested fingerings for each chord. Play each chord to hear how it sounds, choose from several different guitar types with strummed or picked chords. Context sensitive help available on each screen. Plus, you can also add your own custom User Chords!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Fretcetera at Free against AxeChords's $1.99. Fretcetera also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.2). AxeChords's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On ads 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
Fretcetera is free to download; AxeChords costs $1.99 up front. Fretcetera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AxeChords asks for nothing beyond the download.
Fretcetera ships an update every 3 weeks, AxeChords every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Fretcetera | AxeChords |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (11 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joel Pipher | Joseph Svantner |
In-app purchases
Fretcetera
- Fretcetera Premium$3.99
AxeChords
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Fretcetera free?
Is AxeChords free?
Do Fretcetera or AxeChords have ads?
Which is updated more often, Fretcetera or AxeChords?
Other comparisons
