Comparison

iAutoharp vs volumeCTRL

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

Head to head
About

iAutoharp

Easily play chords and strum along to popular tunes without musical training. Reconfigure chord buttons for over 150 chords per key and experiment with melodies by picking subsets of strings.

Highlights
  • Tap chord buttons to strum
  • Switch keys and chords effortlessly
  • Reconfigure over 150 chords per key
  • Pick out melodies by pinching strings
  • Accompaniment for singing or playing along
Read full description

The iAutoharp is easy and fun to play; just tap a chord button and strum to hear that chord played as sweetly as if on the actual 37-string instrument. * Switch keys and chords effortlessly. No musical training is required, and the interface is well designed for the small screen. * Use any of six chord buttons, initially set to common chords so you can easily accompany your singing or play along on most popular tunes. * Reconfigure chord buttons to get any of more than 150 possible chords for each key. You don't need to understand music theory, but if want to learn more about it, the autoharp is a great way to experiment. * Try picking out a melody by "pinching" subsets of strings with two fingers. Please look for other apps by HotPaw Productions in the Music category of the App store: the inTuna Strobe Guitar Tuner, Music Spectrograph, and Sing-inTuna, to visualize if you can sing in tune.

About

volumeCTRL

Gain precise control over your device's audio levels with this utility app. Adjust volume by percentage or dBFS, fine-tune with incremental steps, and temporarily dim or mute sound. Ideal for music, podcasts, and late-night media consumption.

Highlights
  • Precise volume adjustment by percentage or dBFS
  • Keypad for exact value input
  • Fine-tune volume with customizable step sizes
  • Temporary dim and mute functions
  • Seamless integration with device volume controls
  • Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
Read full description

volumeCTRL is a simple utility that works alongside your iPhone/iPad’s built-in volume controls to give you precise control over its level. It is designed for anyone who needs or wants tighter, repeatable control over volume level. volumeCTRL lets you set the volume level using either Percent or dBFS (decibels from Full Scale). You can key in exact values with a handy on-screen keypad. Fine tune your setting using buttons which change the value in small steps. Dim or Mute the sound when you get interrupted temporarily. volumeCTRL is the perfect iPad Split View or Slide Over companion for listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts. Use it with your favorite music app, such as Apple Music, Spotify, Qobuz, TIDAL Music, or Pandora. With volumeCTRL, you can get your late night listening level just right when you stream movies or TV shows while everything else is quiet. If you're picky about exactly how loud your device audio is, volumeCTRL is the right app for you. FEATURES - volumeCTRL lets you set your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch volume precisely + New Favorite Volume options let you set preferred volumes for various listening cases - Selectable Units: Percent (%) or Decibels from Full Scale (dBFS) - Virtual Keypad allows you to key in exact values - Volume Up/Down Buttons let you change the volume in fine-grained 0.5 % or about 0.5 dB steps + New in Version 1.1 You can customize the step size - Dim and Mute Buttons let you temporarily lower the volume and easily get back to your previous level - Dim lowers the volume by a fixed amount (Customizable, Default: 18 dB) Super handy for quieting down loud commercials! - Mute silences the audio completely - volumeCTRL peacefully coexists with the device’s built-in volume controls — use either and the other follows seamlessly - Supports both Dark and Light Mode Appearances - Supports Hardware Keyboards connected to iPads - volumeCTRL is a Universal App - it works on iPad, iPhone, & iPod touch - User Guide embedded in App - no internet connection required to read it - auDSPr strives to design Apps for Everyone - Languages: All auDSPr audio apps support for 简体中文, Español, русский, 日本語, Français, Deutsch, Svenska, Latviešu - Accessibility Features - VoiceOver screen reader support assists visually impaired users APPLICATIONS - Setting impactful yet safe listening levels when using headphones or in-ear monitors - Setting repeatable reference volumes for studio control rooms or audiophile listening rooms - Setting precise levels for hearing aid intelligibility SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS - BUYER BEWARE: Some Bluetooth devices have coarse volume implementations (see picture above). The coarse hardware volume defeats volumeCTRL’s fine software volume setting and prevents performance from behaving optimally! - volumeCTRL is verified to work beautifully with Apple AirPods - Compatible with iOS 11.0 & up (iPhone 5S, iPhone SE (1st Generation), iPod touch (6th Generation) & up) - Compatible with iPadOS 11.0 & up (iPad (5th Generation), iPad Pro (1st Generation), iPad Air (1st Generation), iPad mini 2,& up)

Screenshots

iAutoharp1 screens
volumeCTRL3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: volumeCTRL at 3.2 against iAutoharp's 2.7. volumeCTRL also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 19%) and ratings volume (9 vs 3). iAutoharp's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $4.99). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

iAutoharp costs $1.99 and volumeCTRL $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

volumeCTRL holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of iAutoharp's written reviews are positive against 50% of volumeCTRL's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iAutoharp ships an update every 15 months, volumeCTRL every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
iAutoharp versus volumeCTRL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriAutoharpvolumeCTRL
Price$1.99 — better$4.99
Rating2.7 (3 ratings)3.2 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews18.8% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings39 — better
Update frequencyEvery 15 monthsEvery 9 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.211.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHotPaw ProductionsauDSPr

Customer experience

iAutoharp

All ratings3 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive18.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative81.3%

volumeCTRL

All ratings9 ratings
Positive55.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative44.4%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative41.7%

In-app purchases

None

iAutoharp

No in-app purchases

None

volumeCTRL

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iAutoharp free?
iAutoharp costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is volumeCTRL free?
volumeCTRL costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iAutoharp or volumeCTRL?
volumeCTRL is rated higher. iAutoharp averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while volumeCTRL averages 3.2 from 9 ratings.
Do iAutoharp or volumeCTRL have ads?
Neither iAutoharp nor volumeCTRL shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iAutoharp or volumeCTRL?
iAutoharp ships an update every 15 months, and volumeCTRL every 9 months. Most recently, iAutoharp was updated on September 21, 2026 and volumeCTRL on October 5, 2026.

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