Tone Scan vs TB Spectrogram
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Tone Scan
Analyze live or recorded audio to reveal musical details like pitch, timbre, and tonal balance. This app offers three live scans to help you understand sound more deeply, simplifying tasks like instrument tuning and learning songs by ear.
- Chromatic spectrum analysis
- Polyphonic tuner
- Note mix for tonal balance
- Pitch recognition
- Timbre analysis
- Instrument tuning
- Chord and key spelling
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Discover musical secrets in any live or recorded audio. Elevate your perception of sound with this unique app. You’ll be amazed. See what you hear — and can’t hear — with three live scans: 1. A chromatic spectrum to see sound partials and pitch 2. A polyphonic tuner to see the pitch accuracy of select notes 3. A note mix to see changes in tonal balance Simplify tasks like: • Pitch recognition • Timbre analysis • Instrument tuning • Chord and key spelling • Tonality analysis • Learning a song by ear Ready to explore? Try the app for free.
TB Spectrogram
This app provides real-time audio analysis with a spectrogram, spectrum analyzer, and goniometer. It can be used as a standalone application or as an AUv3 plugin within compatible music production hosts. Visualize your audio in detail with adjustable settings and multiple display options.
- Real-time spectrogram and spectrum analysis
- Goniometer for stereo signal analysis
- AUv3 plugin compatibility
- Adjustable frequency and time resolution
- Customizable color themes
- On-screen piano keyboard mapping
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ToneBoosters Spectrogram shows a real-time spectrogram, spectrum, and goniometer AUv3 plugin! We have taken the stunning visual spectrum analyzer features from our latest and greatest Equalizer Pro plugin and released it as a separate app / AUv3 plugin! The ToneBoosters Spectrogram app captures the microphone input and processes the signals in real time. To use it as a plug-in, use an AUv3-compatible host app such as Steinberg Cubasis, Apple Garageband, Audio Evolution Mobile Studio, Auria, AUM, or others. ToneBoosters Spectrogram will appear in the list of Audio Unit extensions for effect plug-ins. Key features: - Fully resizable (as AUv3 plugin) - Color themes for the user interface - Max screen support in Garageband - Adjustable color themes for UI and for spectrogram independently - Adjustable dynamic range - Adjustable frequency resolution - Adjustable time resolution - Adjustable spectral slope - Spectrogram AGC and dimming support - Show spectrogram and spectrum analyzer as overlay or individually - Spectrum analyzer also supports peak hold - Split-band goniometer for stereo signal analysis (correlation, left/right balance in one or two bands!) - On-screen piano keyboard to map spectrum analyzer to piano notes - Optimised for iPad and compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch What you should know: - Licenses acquired for this platform are not compatible with other platforms. - Audio Unit (AUv3) extensions require an iPad mini 2, iPad 4 or later models.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: TB Spectrogram at 4.4 against Tone Scan's 3.2. TB Spectrogram also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Tone Scan sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. TB Spectrogram asks for nothing beyond the download.
TB Spectrogram holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TB Spectrogram has 50 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Tone Scan's written reviews are positive against 71% of TB Spectrogram's.
Tone Scan ships an update every 7 months, TB Spectrogram every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Tone Scan | TB Spectrogram |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.2 (6 ratings) | 4.4 (50 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 71.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 50 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Openchord Inc. | ToneBoosters |
Customer experience
Tone Scan
TB Spectrogram
In-app purchases
Tone Scan
- Audio Free Trial3 variantsFree
- Unlock Audio$4.99
TB Spectrogram
No in-app purchases









