Comparison

Tempo vs Setlist Genius

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

Head to head
About

Tempo

This highly accurate metronome app offers advanced features for musicians, including customizable time signatures, rhythm patterns, and visual feedback. It allows for the creation and management of setlists, automatic tempo adjustments, and integration with external controllers. The app also includes a pitch pipe and supports background playback.

Highlights
  • 35+ time signatures
  • Customizable rhythm patterns
  • Setlist creation and management
  • Automatic tempo adjustment
  • Visual and auditory feedback
  • External controller support
  • Pitch pipe
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Tempo is the bestselling and most accurate metronome on the App Store. Featured as "New and Noteworthy" and "Staff Favorite" by Apple on the main iTunes landing page. If you'll like to try Tempo out before purchasing, download Tempo Lite for free now. Ever since its release, Tempo has been consistently in the top 100 of the Music category in over 30 countries, and the top paid metronome app in most countries. Tempo's engine is written from the ground up for high accuracy and stability. It keeps going even in device lock mode, making it a useful aid for live drumming. Tempo features an innovative interface that morphs between modes that each presents a different combination of functionalities optimized for the task at hand. Five modes are available on the iPhone: Basic, Preset, Setlist, Practice and Gig. On the iPad, Preset, Gig and Complete modes are available, the last providing access to all controls. Visit www.frozenape.com for demo videos. Features Summary Configuration • 35 different time signatures, including compound and complex meters: 1-13/2, 1-13/4, 3/8, 5/8(2 variations), 6/8, 7/8(3 variations), 9/8, 12/8  • 6 rhythm patterns for simple meters and 3 for compound meters  • Customize accents or turn beats off to create more complex rhythms • Tap tempo function  • Tempo ranges from 10 to 800 Display • Visual feedback in the form of pulsating LEDs • Two pendulum types, each with two animation types • Flash whole screen • Fullscreen display mode with gesture controls Setlists • Store presets in multiple setlists  • Advanced setlist management including search, overwriting, copying between setlists and multi-deletion • Quick editing • Share setlists via email • Backup via iTunes File Sharing  Tracker and Automator • Track number of bars played or time your practice • Stop playback automatically when limit reached • Up to 2 bars of voice count in • Automatic adjustment of tempo every n number of bars or n amount of time • Loop and auto advance through setlists • Coach Mode alternates between unmuted and muted bars Sound • Choose from 14 sound sets, including one optimized for live drumming click tracks  • Voice counting  • Vibration mode • Pan audio left, right or centered • Volume control and mute button Control • Control setlists, tempo and playback with AirTurn, iRig BlueBoard, PageFlip Cicada, headphones remote and other accessories • Assign action to proximity sensor trigger Miscellaneous • Classical metronome and Italian tempo markings  • Pitch pipe for playback of all 12 chromatic pitches (calibration from A = 414 to 466 Hz) • Multi-tasking support: plays in background, with audio from other apps • Four color themes • Theme Editor to create unlimited custom themes

About

Setlist Genius

This app combines ambient pads and a metronome for music performance. Easily manage your setlist with song details like key, BPM, and time signature. It allows for seamless transitions between songs and on-the-fly edits.

Highlights
  • Pads in every key
  • Accent-free click track up to 300bpm
  • Automatic pad crossfading
  • Seamless click track changes
  • 6 song sections for setlist management
  • On-the-fly performance edits
Features
Read full description

Setlist Genius is the perfect way to easily combine great sounding pads and click track into one app. Equipped with pads in every key from our #1 App: Worship Pads Pro; you will have a brilliant sounding pad panned to the right and an accent-free click track panned to your left. Key Features: -Pads in every key from Worship Pads Pro (panned right) -Accent-free Click Track up to 300bpm (panned left) -Pads automatically crossfade in and out -When the next song is in the same key, the pad will continue and only the Click will change -6 Song Sections to input keys, bpms, and time signatures for the whole setlist How to use Setlist Genius: Put your setlist into Setlist Genius by entering the name of the song, the bpm, the key, and the time signature for each song. *Note- the bpm, key, and time signature are required to start the song. Then simply push the play button next to the song you want to start. It will fade in the pad and start the click track for that song. If you would like to pause the click track during the song without affecting the pad, you can simply click the "Click" button. This will allow you to toggle the click track on and off. When you are done with that song, you can hit the next play button to fade out the current pad and cue the next scene. When you are done with the whole set, you can hit the pause button at the bottom, which will fade out the existing pad and stop click. In performance edits are possible by editing a scene you are not currently playing in a last minute situation. I hope you enjoy Setlist Genius!

Screenshots

Tempo4 screens
Setlist Genius3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tempo at 84% against Setlist Genius's 0%. Tempo also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.5) and ratings volume (4.8K vs 4). Setlist Genius's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and price ($1.99 vs $2.99). On update cadence, ads, 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

Tempo costs $2.99 and Setlist Genius $1.99 up front. Tempo sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Setlist Genius asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tempo holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tempo has 4.8K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Tempo's written reviews are positive against 0% of Setlist Genius's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Tempo versus Setlist Genius: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempoSetlist Genius
Price$2.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.8 (4.8K ratings) — better2.5 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews84.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4.8K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#23 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.611.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB192 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFrozen Ape Pte. Ltd.Caleb Smith

Customer experience

Tempo

All ratings4,759 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews1,091 reviews
Positive84.0%
Neutral5.6%
Negative10.4%

Setlist Genius

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative80.0%

Bugs and requests

Tempo

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Tap tempo not working on newer iPhones
  • Metronome randomly stops during use
  • Setlist management issues causing crashes

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to reorder songs in setlists
  • Implement Bluetooth sync between devices
  • Include more click sound options
  • Allow programming of tempo changes and time signature changes within a song

Setlist Genius

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Tempo

One-time2
  • Theme Editor$0.99
  • Premium Theme Pack$0.99
None

Setlist Genius

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tempo free?
Tempo costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Setlist Genius free?
Setlist Genius costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tempo or Setlist Genius?
Tempo is rated higher. Tempo averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while Setlist Genius averages 2.5 from 4 ratings.
Do Tempo or Setlist Genius have ads?
Neither Tempo nor Setlist Genius shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tempo or Setlist Genius?
Tempo ships an update every 2 months, and Setlist Genius every 2 months. Most recently, Tempo was updated on September 23, 2026 and Setlist Genius on September 16, 2026.

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