Comparison

Song Book Pro vs HX Notes

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

Head to head
About

Song Book Pro

This app provides a digital songbook for musicians, offering lyrics, chords, and setlist management. It features optimized typography for readability, built-in chord diagrams, and import capabilities for custom songs. It's designed for seamless performance from casual jams to professional gigs.

Highlights
  • Unlimited songs and sets management
  • Optimized typography for low light
  • Hundreds of built-in chord diagrams
  • Import custom songs (ChordPro, Tabular)
  • Dark Mode support
  • Fluid workflow and fast UI
Features
Read full description

SongBook Pro is the best companion for playing music – from sitting around a campfire to gigging in the Carnegie Hall: With SongBook Pro you always have your songs, sets, chords, and lyrics right at your fingertips.
 *** 
The top features are: * Manage an unlimited number of songs and sets easily. * Beautiful typography optimized for reading in low-lighting conditions. * Hundreds of builtin chord diagrams. * Import custom songs in ChordPro and Tabular format Here are the details: === Manage an unlimited number of songs and sets easily. === The app has been optimized to allow a fluid workflow that doesn’t get in your way. All UI operations are lightning fast and have consistent metaphors. === Beautiful typography optimized for reading in low-lighting conditions – including support for Dark Mode. === The display of titles, songs, chords, and lyrics has been thoughtfully created adopting typographic best practices. === Hundreds of builtin chord diagrams. === Forgot how to play a chord? Check the builtin chord database, which shows you chord diagrams including finger recommendations for Guitar and Ukulele. More instruments will follow. === Import custom songs in ChordPro and Tabular format. === Custom songs in ChordPro format can be imported by the means of the iOS document picker. This includes file providers, such as DropBox, Google Drive, iCloud, etc. Limited support for tabular format is available, e.g. as used by online archives, such as Ultimate Guitar archive. *** You can test all the functionality of the app with 10 songs. If you want to see more, please support the development by purchasing the unlimited songs and sets in-app-purchase. Rock on!

About

HX Notes

Features
Read full description

HX Notes is a fast, purpose-built note app for guitar players using multi-effects processors like the Line 6 Helix/Helix Stadium Capture preset tweaks, snapshot changes, and tone adjustments in a way that actually makes sense during rehearsal or on stage. Instead of digging through menus or trying to remember what you changed, HX Notes lets you log quick, structured notes tied to specific songs, sections, and sounds—so you can edit your tones later and stay focused on playing. Key Features * Song-based organization
Keep all your tone notes tied to specific songs. * Section-level tracking
Log changes for Intro, Verse, Chorus, Solo, Outro, and more. * Quick tweak capture
Track adjustments like: * Gain / Drive * Delay (Mix, Time, Feedback) * Reverb (Mix, Decay) * EQ (Frequency, Q, Gain) * Modulation and effects * Snapshot-aware notes
Document exactly what changes between snapshots. * Clean, rehearsal-friendly UI
Designed for fast scanning—not clutter. HX Notes is built for players who want tighter control over their sound without slowing down their workflow.

Screenshots

Song Book Pro4 screens
HX Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Song Book Pro at Free against HX Notes's $8.99. Song Book Pro also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.4). HX Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Song Book Pro is free to download; HX Notes costs $8.99 up front. Song Book Pro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HX Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Song Book Pro versus HX Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSong Book ProHX Notes
PriceFree — better$8.99
Rating3.7 (527 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews16.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings527 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael LauerChad Jacoby

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Song Book Pro

One-time1
  • Unlimited Songs and Sets$1.99
None

HX Notes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Song Book Pro free?
Song Book Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HX Notes free?
HX Notes costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Song Book Pro or HX Notes have ads?
Neither Song Book Pro nor HX Notes shows ads.

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