# ChordPainter vs AU Studio

The clearest difference is price: ChordPainter at $2.99 against AU Studio's $9.99. ChordPainter also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). AU Studio's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 22 months) and device support (4 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

ChordPainter costs $2.99 and AU Studio $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ChordPainter ships an update every 22 months, AU Studio monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ChordPainter | AU Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/au-studio/id6763809742/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 195 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stefan Arnhold](https://appshunter.io/developer/432185706) | [Christian Thompson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1511795684) |

## What reviewers say

### ChordPainter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordpainter/id1315077406)

**In-app purchases:** none


### AU Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/au-studio/id6763809742)

This app acts as a dedicated host for Audio Unit extensions, allowing musicians and developers to inspect, audition, and test installed audio plugins. It provides detailed information about each unit's capabilities and behavior without requiring a full digital audio workstation.

**Highlights:** Scan and catalog installed Audio Units, Filter plugins by developer, type, and status, Load AUv3 interfaces or use detailed inspector, Inspect registry identity, MIDI support, and parameters, Route CoreMIDI sources and audition audio effects, Monitor runtime CPU and memory usage, Built-in manual for guidance

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ChordPainter free?

ChordPainter costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AU Studio free?

AU Studio costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do ChordPainter or AU Studio have ads?

Neither ChordPainter nor AU Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ChordPainter or AU Studio?

ChordPainter ships an update every 22 months, and AU Studio monthly. Most recently, ChordPainter was updated on October 7, 2026 and AU Studio on October 1, 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.*