# Chords Pad vs Chord Studio

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chords Pad | Chord Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-pad/id1462256877/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chord-studio/id6749439732/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **93** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 77.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 10 MB | 198 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Loop-Sessions.LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/414215366) | [Jin Zhang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830436291) |

## What reviewers say

### Chords Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-pad/id1462256877)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All sounds are available | $0.99 | one-time |
| Available sending MIDI message | $0.99 | one-time |
| All chords are available | $2.49 | one-time |
| Always remove ads. | $7.99 | one-time |


### Chord Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chord-studio/id6749439732)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chord Studio Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Chord Studio Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*