Fretcetera vs Sonari Remote
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!
Sonari Remote
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Touch a note. Tilt your iPhone. Shape a sound with your breath. Sonari Remote adds low latency touch, motion and gesture control to Sonari on your Mac. Requires Sonari: MIDI Controller on an Apple silicon Mac on the same local network. This free companion controls the Mac instrument; it does not make sound on its own or connect directly to other music apps. SIX WAYS TO PLAY - Touch: play notes, chords, drum pads and ribbons on the screen. The notes follow the Mac's key and scale. - Hold: tilt, turn and lift your iPhone to shape a note. Add another control with your thumb. - Air: use breath and voice to change the sound, or hum a melody to control pitch. - Face: play with a smile, raised brows, jaw movement or a turn of your head. Requires a TrueDepth camera. - Camera: track your hands from a second angle, alongside or instead of the Mac's camera. - Space: turn the room into zones you can reach into and play. Requires an iPhone with LiDAR. Choose one way at a time. The app explains which features your iPhone supports. LOW LATENCY CONTROL, THROUGH YOUR MAC Play Sonari's built-in instruments or control software instruments through the Mac's MIDI and MPE output. Sensor processing stays on your devices, with musical control sent over your local network. Response depends on your iPhone, network and Mac audio setup. Add motion and breath expression while your other hand plays in front of the Mac camera. PICK THE SOUND. START THE MUSIC. Browse the Mac's sounds, choose a playing surface, change the key and scale, and start or stop the performance from your iPhone. Touch layouts include keyboards, drums, chords and continuous expression controls. TURN A SOUND INTO AN INSTRUMENT Record a sample of up to 30 seconds and send it to your paired Mac. Play it back as a new instrument in Sonari. CONNECT ONCE, PLAY AGAIN Open both apps on the same local network and pair them. They reconnect automatically. No cable or account is needed. Musical control travels over an encrypted connection between your devices. FREE COMPANION Sonari Remote has no in-app purchases or subscriptions. Sonari on the Mac offers a free 14-day trial, followed by a one-time purchase for continued playing. Requires iOS 26 or later and Sonari on macOS 26 or later. Allow Local Network to connect. Motion, microphone and camera access support the ways you choose.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sonari Remote at none against Fretcetera's 1. Fretcetera's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 26.0). On price and ads 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. Fretcetera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sonari Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Fretcetera | Sonari Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (11 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 11 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 90 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joel Pipher | Shubhra Saha |
In-app purchases
Fretcetera
- Fretcetera Premium$3.99
Sonari Remote
No in-app purchases









