# Instrument Scale Master vs Mode Circle

The clearest difference is rating: Instrument Scale Master at 5.0 against Mode Circle's 4.6. Instrument Scale Master also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Mode Circle's advantage is device support (5 vs 2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Instrument Scale Master holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Instrument Scale Master's written reviews are positive against 75% of Mode Circle's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on June 11, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Instrument Scale Master | Mode Circle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instrument-scale-master/id1661819423/reviews)** | [4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mode-circle/id6444849284/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **5** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 38 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Carter Hawkins](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786186535) | [Dr. Garbers Softwareentwicklung](https://appshunter.io/developer/549623621) |

## What reviewers say

### Instrument Scale Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instrument-scale-master/id1661819423)

Master your instrument's scales with interactive learning and practice modes. View fingerings, notes, and get help with specific notes. Ideal for preparing for band auditions.

**Highlights:** Learn Mode for sectioned scale practice, Play Mode for testing scale knowledge, Scale Viewer with fingerings and notes, Note Lookup for specific note assistance, Supports Tuba, Baritone, Trombone, Bass Trombone

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mode Circle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mode-circle/id6444849284)

Explore all 12x7 diatonic scales interactively. This app displays and plays selected scales, offering various arrangements and views based on scale tones, fundamentals, brightness, or relationships. It allows for highlighting specific modes or freely selecting any scale.

**Highlights:** Interactive diatonic scale exploration, Scale playback functionality, Multiple arrangement and view options, Grouping by scale tones or fundamentals, Arrangement by scale degree or brightness, Displaying single diatonic modes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Instrument Scale Master free?

Instrument Scale Master is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mode Circle free?

Mode Circle is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Instrument Scale Master or Mode Circle?

Instrument Scale Master is rated higher. Instrument Scale Master averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Mode Circle averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do Instrument Scale Master or Mode Circle have ads?

Neither Instrument Scale Master nor Mode Circle shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Instrument Scale Master or Mode Circle?

Instrument Scale Master ships an update every 9 months, and Mode Circle every 9 months. Most recently, Instrument Scale Master was updated on June 11, 2026 and Mode Circle on September 20, 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.*