Comparison

Chords Pad vs Chord Studio

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

Head to head
About

Chords Pad

Explore musical chords with an interactive keyboard display and customizable pads. Visualize chord tones, experiment with progressions, and play notes via MIDI. Unlock advanced features and sounds through in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Chord tone display on keyboard
  • Customizable chord pads
  • Chord progression builder
  • MIDI Bluetooth support
  • Multiple chord list layouts
  • Adjustable keyboard range
Read full description

This app can easily check the sound and the display on the keyboard of the chord tone of musical chords. We have prepared various UI for checking the chords. Use the method that suits you. - Pad Display - Chord List - Pad Display - Custom Pad - Chord Progress [Chord List] You can select from the following patterns for the chord button list display. It supports chord reordering and toggling chord visibility. - Each key : Displays all types of chord patterns in a list for each key - Vertical : Displays all types of chord patterns vertically and each key horizontally - Horizontal : Displays all types of chord patterns horizontally with each key vertically [Custom pad] Larger buttons than the chord list are arranged. You can freely set the chord and key for each button. [Chord Progress] Displays a list of typical chord progressions. The chord buttons are arranged so that you can easily check the sound of the chord progression, and it supports chord changes. It also supports root shifts. In either case, when the chord button is tapped, the selected chord is played and the chord tone is displayed on the keyboard. * If you'd like to display all the chord patterns including tension (b9, # 9, 11, # 11, b13, 13), You need In-App Purchase. [Chord inversion area] When you select a chord in "Chord List" or "Custom Pad," its root position and inversions appear below the chord button area. Example: - CM7 : C E G B (Root position) - CM7/E : E G B C - CM7/G : G B C E - CM7/B : B C E G The note after "/" indicates the bass note. Scroll horizontally through the inversions and tap a button to play it and display its notes on the keyboard. The inversion area for "Custom Pad" can be shown or hidden with "Inversion display" in Settings. Other features: - Supports chord reordering and toggling chord visibility in the "Chord List". ([Settings screen] - [Edit Chord List]) - The keyboard can be slid with the slider. (range: C2 ~ C7) And the keyboard also supports playing. - There are 28 types in all kinds of sound. (It is 9 kinds can be used in the initial state. To use all type, you need In-App Purchase.) - Supports Bluetooth MIDI connection. - Supports sending MIDI messages (note on / off). Chord list: M, 7, 7(b5), 7(#5), 6, 6 9, 9, add9, M7, M9, M7(b5), M7(#5), m, m6, m6 9, m(#5), m add9, m7, mM7, m7(b5), m7(#5), m9, mM9, aug, dim, dim7, sus4, 7sus4, 9sus4, M7sus4, M9sus4, sus2, 7sus2, M7sus2 (To use below, you need In-App Purchase.) 7(b9), 7(#9), 7(#11), 7(b13), 7(13), 7(b9 #11), 7(b9 b13), 7(b9 13), 9(#11), 9(b13), 9(13), 7(#9 #11), 7(#9 b13), 7(#9 13), M7(#11), M9(#11), M7(13), M9(13), m7(11), m7(13), m9(11), m7(b5 11), m7(b5 13) If you would like to create more flexible chord progressions or compose music using chords, try iOS app "Piano Chords Master".

About

Chord Studio

This app helps musicians play, recognize, and create chord progressions. It offers real-time chord recognition, MIDI keyboard support, and tools to craft and export custom musical arrangements. Enjoy a distraction-free experience with a clean interface and regular updates.

Highlights
  • Real-time chord recognition
  • Custom chord progression creation
  • MIDI keyboard support
  • Chord lookup and voicings
  • Built-in metronome
  • Export progressions to MIDI
Features
Read full description

Your all-in-one chord companion. Play and recognize chords live, craft custom progressions, and connect your MIDI keyboard. Play Mode - Recognize chords in real time while you play - Look up any chord and explore multiple voicings - MIDI keyboard support for seamless input - Built-in metronome to keep your practice tight - Challenge your chord skills and compete on global leaderboards - Or simply enjoy it as a elegantly designed piano in your pocket Songwriting Mode - Craft custom chord progressions with just a few taps - Instantly hear how your chords sound together - Choose from a wide range of instruments and playing styles - Customize playback with humanize, transposition, voicing adjustments, and more - Auto-detect chords from MIDI input for faster editing - Share with friends or export your progressions to MIDI files Designed for Musicians - Minimal, elegant design for the best user experience - Light / Dark Mode and customizable theme colors - 100% ad-free, so you can focus on your music - Regular updates with new features and content For questions or feedback, contact us anytime at chordstudio3572@outlook.com Terms of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chords Pad4 screens
Chord Studio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Chord Studio at none against Chords Pad's shown. Chord Studio also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 77%). Chords Pad's advantage is ratings volume (93 vs 1) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Chords Pad sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Chord Studio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Chord Studio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chords Pad has 93 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Chords Pad's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chord Studio's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chords Pad ships an update every 6 weeks, Chord Studio weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Chords Pad versus Chord Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChords PadChord Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (93 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings93 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB198 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLoop-Sessions.LLC.Jin Zhang

Customer experience

Chords Pad

All ratings93 ratings
Positive98.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.1%
Written reviews31 reviews
Positive77.4%
Neutral9.7%
Negative12.9%

Chord Studio

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Chords Pad

One-time4
  • All sounds are available$0.99
  • Available sending MIDI message$0.99
  • All chords are available$2.49
Show 1 more
  • Always remove ads.$7.99
2 purchases

Chord Studio

Subscriptions1
  • Chord Studio Pro$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • Chord Studio Pro Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Chords Pad free?
Chords Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chord Studio free?
Chord Studio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chords Pad or Chord Studio?
Chord Studio is rated higher. Chords Pad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while Chord Studio averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Chords Pad or Chord Studio have ads?
Chords Pad shows ads; Chord Studio does not.
Which is updated more often, Chords Pad or Chord Studio?
Chords Pad ships an update every 6 weeks, and Chord Studio weekly. Most recently, Chords Pad was updated on September 25, 2026 and Chord Studio on July 27, 2026.

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