Comparison

Fretboard vs NanoRadio

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

Head to head
About

Fretboard

Master the guitar fretboard with this visual tool. Understand scales, arpeggios, and patterns across the entire neck instantly. Connect music theory to your playing and practice smarter by discovering patterns.

Highlights
  • Interactive fretboard with pinch-to-zoom
  • Explore scales and arpeggios
  • Visualize CAGED patterns
  • Change key instantly
  • See entire neck or zoom into regions
  • Three display modes
Features
Read full description

Master the guitar fretboard. One scale at a time. Stop guessing scales and shapes. Fretboard turns your guitar into a visual map — see every note, scale, and pattern across the entire neck instantly. MOST GUITARISTS ARE LOST ON THE FRETBOARD You memorize shapes. But when the key changes or the song moves… everything falls apart. Because the fretboard still feels like a puzzle. FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE NECK Fretboard helps you explore scales and arpeggios in CAGED positions across the entire fretboard. So you can see how everything connects. WHAT YOU'LL UNLOCK • Play anywhere on the neck — no more being stuck in one position • Understand scales instantly — see patterns across every key • Connect theory to your guitar — turn music theory into something visual • Practice smarter — discover patterns instead of memorizing random shapes BUILT FOR REAL GUITAR PRACTICE • Interactive fretboard with pinch-to-zoom • Explore scales and arpeggios — pentatonic, major, minor, modes, and more • Visualize CAGED patterns — arrow through positions and watch them light up • Change key instantly — tap to switch root note • See the entire neck or zoom into 4–5 fret regions • Three display modes: degrees, note names, or dots only SCALES & ARPEGGIOS INCLUDED Basic scales: Minor Pentatonic, Major Pentatonic, Blues, Major, Natural Minor, Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor Major scale modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian Arpeggios: Major, Minor, Major 7, Minor 7, Dominant 7, Minor 7b5 Universal app — works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Simple, uncluttered, and designed for practice.

About

NanoRadio

This minimalist audio streaming tool allows users to import and play their own custom audio or radio stream URLs. Enjoy seamless listening with features like preset management, Apple Watch integration, and a sleep timer, all within a distraction-free interface.

Highlights
  • Custom stream import
  • Preset management
  • Apple Watch integration
  • Home screen widgets
  • Sleep timer
  • Minimalist UI with dark mode
Features
Read full description

NanoRadio is a powerful, minimalist audio streaming tool designed for pure playback efficiency. Built from the ground up to provide a seamless listening experience, it allows you to bring your own audio streams and listen anywhere. Please note: NanoRadio is solely a playback tool. It does not provide, host, or distribute any copyrighted music or radio resources. Users must provide their own legally obtained streaming URLs. Key Features: • Custom Stream Import: Easily add your own audio or radio stream URLs (supports MP3, AAC, M3U8, etc.) and start listening instantly. • Preset Management: Save your favorite streams to quick-access preset slots for one-tap playback. • Apple Watch Integration: Control playback or listen directly from your wrist with our standalone Watch app. • Home Screen Widgets: Start playing your favorite presets directly from your desktop. • Sleep Timer: Fall asleep to your favorite audio streams with a customizable auto-stop timer. • Dark Mode & Minimal UI: A completely redesigned, distraction-free interface that supports dynamic theming. • Bedside Mode: Turn your iPhone into a nightstand radio clock. A full-screen, dimmable night clock shows the time alongside the station you're listening to, with large play / previous / next controls and a sleep timer that fades out automatically. Choose from three layouts (overview, minimal clock, or clock with a player bar) and a warm night color that's easy on the eyes in the dark — usable even when it isn't charging (charging overnight recommended). • CarPlay support: browse your stations and favorites right on your car's display, tap to play, and control playback (play/pause, previous/next station) from the dashboard. Perfect for listening to the radio while you drive. • WAKE WITH RADIO Fall asleep to the radio, wake up to it too. In bedside mode, set a time and NanoRadio starts your chosen station at exactly that moment — a gentle, familiar way to wake up instead of a harsh alarm tone. Pick any station, or simply let it resume the one you were listening to. If the station can't be reached — no signal, or the stream is down — a built-in tone takes over, so you're never left oversleeping. Together with the sleep timer, your bedside clock now handles both ends of the night: it stops the radio when you drift off, and starts it again when it's time to get up.

Screenshots

Fretboard3 screens
NanoRadio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: NanoRadio at 3.8 against Fretboard's 3.3. NanoRadio also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Fretboard sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and NanoRadio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NanoRadio holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 75% and 75% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fretboard ships an update every 2 months, NanoRadio every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Fretboard versus NanoRadio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretboardNanoRadio
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (4 ratings)3.8 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings46 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.617.6
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSergey Mankovsky恒俭 董

Customer experience

Fretboard

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%

NanoRadio

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Fretboard

One-time1
  • Unlock All$4.99
1 purchases

NanoRadio

One-time1
  • Unlock Pro Features$2.99

Questions

Is Fretboard free?
Fretboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NanoRadio free?
NanoRadio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Fretboard or NanoRadio?
NanoRadio is rated higher. Fretboard averages 3.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while NanoRadio averages 3.8 from 6 ratings.
Do Fretboard or NanoRadio have ads?
Neither Fretboard nor NanoRadio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fretboard or NanoRadio?
Fretboard ships an update every 2 months, and NanoRadio every 3 weeks. Most recently, Fretboard was updated on October 24, 2026 and NanoRadio on October 26, 2026.

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