iStroboSoft vs PolyTune
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iStroboSoft
This application provides highly accurate tuning for musical instruments, offering professional-grade precision with a real-time strobe display. It supports various tuning modes, temperaments, and input methods, making it suitable for both acoustic and electric instruments.
- 1/10th cent accuracy
- Real-time strobe display
- Guided Mode Tuning
- 12 Temperaments with adjustable root
- Assisted Low Note Detection
- Drop/Capo mode
- Adjustable Concert A
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Usage questions? ***Please contact us before posting an issue in the reviews.*** Peterson Support at info@strobosoft.com or call 708.388.3311 M-F 8am-5pm (CST) TRUSTED BY PROFESSIONALS FOR OVER 70 YEARS. ---iStroboSoft for iOS--- Peterson Strobe Tuners' popular StroboSoft tuning application for iPhone and iPad. iStroboSoft™ offers the unmatched accuracy of a mechanical strobe tuner for the highest degree of precision available in a software tuning application. Plug in and tune your electrics and acoustics quickly and easily with 1/10th cent accuracy. Peterson Tuners has offered tuning solutions for over 70 years and is the only company specializing in hardware and software tuning products for all levels of musicians. FEATURES: • Stand-by mode to reduce battery usage or freeze the display. • Guided Mode Tuning offers an alternate strobe display that slows the strobe bands one-by-one as you come closer to tune. • Speed control for strobe display; dampen the response for a longer note display. • 12 Temperaments with adjustable root control. • Display all sharps note display. • Assisted Low Note Detection (ALND) helps capture very low frequencies. • Mains hum filter option reduces the chances of the tuner latching on to 50 or 60Hz cycle hum when using a direct line-in connection or while using the app during device charging. • Smooth, real-time strobe display allows you to achieve an unmatched level of accuracy. • Note/Octave window displays the correct note and octave for the note being tuned. • Cents display allows you to see how far out of tune your note is in cent values. • Tune in auto or manual mode. • Toggle the display to show: cents, Hz, MIDI note value for the note being tuned. • Glowing flat/sharp indicators assist when tuning a note very far from the target position. • Noise filter: Use the noise filter when utilizing an external mic or clip-on tuning device to help reduce the effect of extraneous environmental noise during tuning. • Input boost: The input boost will raise all input frequencies by +24dB. • Calibration mode: iStroboSoft can be calibrated to an external source guaranteeing 1/10th cent accuracy. • Drop/Capo mode: iStroboSoft will auto-transpose notes up or down to one full octave. • Adjustable Concert A: Change the Concert A reference of the tuner to accommodate tuning to a fixed instrument, such as a piano, or tune instruments that do not utilize the typical Western A440 reference. • Full screen mode permits the strobe display to be maximized on screen to allow better viewing from a distance. • Change strobe display colors to accommodate different lighting environments or set a preferred user color for those with limited color palette recognition. Use the built-in mic on your device for tuning or connect directly via the headphone jack using an approved adaptor cable or interface. Devices without a headphone jack can connect a pickup or mic using the lightning-to-audio adaptor. Support via email at: info@strobosoft.com or call 708.388.3311 M-F 8am-5pm (CST)
PolyTune
This application provides a powerful and accurate tuning tool for musicians. It allows for simultaneous tuning of all strings, supports various guitar and bass modes, and offers drop tunings. Its technology is based on a highly-regarded pedal tuner used by professionals.
- Tune all strings at once
- Guitar/bass mode
- Drop tunings support
- Award-winning pedal technology
- Chromatic tuning modes
- High accuracy
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It's the most powerful tool you've ever had in your pants! You know ... for tuning. That said, this is one of those nuggets on the App store you cannot afford to miss if you value being in tune and you take your smartphone with you when you go places. Yes to both? Then it's a no-brainer! - Tune all strings at once! Just strum your guitar, and see the pitch of all strings instantly. - Guitar/bass mode - Drop-tunings - 1:1 port of the award-winning PolyTune pedal (Guitar Player, Guitar World, Premier Guitar, MIPA, NAMM Best in Show 2010, etc.) - Based one the world’s best selling pedal tuner used by countless pros such as Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Steve Morse, Orianthi and many more! PolyTune is the world's first polyphonic tuner that will have future guitarists wondering how we ever got by without it. The magic lies in a never before seen approach to tuning aimed at speed, accuracy and ease of use, which allows you to get in tune fast, and back to doing what you love: playing. The PolyTune iPhone app is a 1:1 port of the award-winning PolyTune pedal tuner, and PolyTune for iPhone delivers exactly the same features and tuning technology as the pedal version. The pedal version is the fastest way to tune on-stage, whereas the iPhone app is the fastest and most convenient way to tune off-stage. Specifications: - Reference pitch from 435Hz to 445Hz - Drop tuning from E-flat to B - 0.5 cent accuracy - 2 chromatic tuning modes: Needle and Stream - MonoPoly recognizes whether one or several strings are played at once
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: iStroboSoft at 4.3 against PolyTune's 2.8. iStroboSoft also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 40 months) and chart position (#18 vs unranked). PolyTune's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On ads 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
iStroboSoft costs $9.99 and PolyTune $4.99 up front. iStroboSoft sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. PolyTune asks for nothing beyond the download.
iStroboSoft holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 298 and 79 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of iStroboSoft's written reviews are positive against 66% of PolyTune's.
iStroboSoft ships an update fortnightly, PolyTune every 40 months. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.
| Parameter | iStroboSoft | PolyTune |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | $4.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (298 ratings) — better | 2.8 (79 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.0% of reviews — better | 65.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 298 — better | 79 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 40 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #18 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Peterson Tuners | TC Electronic |
Customer experience
iStroboSoft
PolyTune
User reviews
iStroboSoft
From 298 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Extremely accurate
- 🔒 Reliable and stable
- 👍 Fantastic for instrument setup and intonation
- 👍 Portable and convenient
- 👍 Excellent value for the price
Room to improve
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with iOS updates
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for additional features
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance, jumps between notes
- 🐛 Struggles with low and high notes
- 🐛 Microphone input not always reliable
PolyTune
From 79 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🩵 Works really well
- 💯 Accurate and precise
- 🔢 Polyphonic tuning mode
- 🎨 Customizable display colors
- 🔌 Works with electric and acoustic guitars
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes or freezes on newer iOS versions
- 🔇 Struggles to pick up low strings or in noisy environments
- ⏱️ Screen dims during use
- 🚫 No support for alternate/custom tunings
- 💤 Drains battery quickly when running in background
Bugs and requests
iStroboSoft
Reported bugs
3 issues- App freezes or crashes on certain iOS versions
- Incorrect note detection on some instruments
- Display issues with newer iPhone/iPad models
Requested features
5 requests- Add support for more sweetened tunings and temperaments
- Improve display visibility and layout for newer devices
- Integrate with audio apps and allow routing through other apps
- Add Apple Watch app for quick tuning access
- Improve noise filtering and input sensitivity
PolyTune
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes on launch
- Unable to detect or tune certain strings
- Inaccurate tuning readings
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for 432Hz tuning
- Implement custom tuning options
- Improve compatibility with external audio interfaces
- Add a dedicated on/off switch
In-app purchases
iStroboSoft
- Extended Frequency Modes$4.99
- Bluegrass Sweeteners$5.99
- Buzz Feiten Pack$5.99
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- Guitar & Bass Sweeteners$5.99
- Orchestral Sweeteners$5.99
- World Sweetener Pack$9.99
- Tuning Tools$9.99
- Steel Guitar Sweeteners$14.99
- Harmonic Tuning$19.99
- Keyboard Sweeteners$19.99
- Full Discounted Upgrade Pack$59.99
PolyTune
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is iStroboSoft free?
Is PolyTune free?
Which has better reviews, iStroboSoft or PolyTune?
Do iStroboSoft or PolyTune have ads?
Which is updated more often, iStroboSoft or PolyTune?
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