# iStroboSoft vs D'Tools

The clearest difference is price: D'Tools at Free against iStroboSoft's $9.99. iStroboSoft's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.6) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

D'Tools is free to download; iStroboSoft costs $9.99 up front. iStroboSoft sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and D'Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

iStroboSoft holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iStroboSoft has 298 ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of iStroboSoft's written reviews are positive against 49% of D'Tools's.

iStroboSoft ships an update fortnightly, D'Tools every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iStroboSoft | D'Tools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.3 (298 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istrobosoft/id308296029/reviews)** | [3.6 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dtools/id375703586/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **298** | 30 |
| Positive reviews | **76.0% of reviews** | 49.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#42** | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peterson Tuners](https://appshunter.io/developer/308296032) | [D'Addario & Company, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/308730620) |

## What reviewers say

### iStroboSoft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istrobosoft/id308296029)

**Currently charting:** #42 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extended Frequency Modes | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bluegrass Sweeteners | $5.99 | one-time |
| Buzz Feiten Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Guitar & Bass Sweeteners | $5.99 | one-time |
| Orchestral Sweeteners | $5.99 | one-time |
| World Sweetener Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Tuning Tools | $9.99 | one-time |
| Steel Guitar Sweeteners | $14.99 | one-time |
| Harmonic Tuning | $19.99 | one-time |
| Keyboard Sweeteners | $19.99 | one-time |
| Full Discounted Upgrade Pack | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Extremely accurate
- 🔒 Reliable and stable
- 👍 Fantastic for instrument setup and intonation
- 👍 Portable and convenient
- 👍 Excellent value for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes or crashes on certain iOS versions
- Incorrect note detection on some instruments
- Display issues with newer iPhone/iPad models

**Requested features**

- 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


### D'Tools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dtools/id375703586)

This app is a comprehensive toolkit for guitarists, offering features like a chord library, scale explorer, digital tuner, and metronome. It provides professional-grade utilities to help players of all levels improve their technique and explore musical possibilities.

**Highlights:** Chord library with 7,000+ chords, Scale and arpeggio explorer, Professional-grade digital tuner, Hyper-accurate digital metronome, Chord finder by fret selection, Lefty mode for chords

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buzz Feiten Tuning System | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎸 Comprehensive all-in-one guitar tool (tuner, metronome, chord finder, scales)
- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 💰 Free or affordable pricing
- 🎯 Accurate tuner (when working properly)
- 📚 Extensive chord and scale library

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes, especially with chord finder
- 🔊 Audio/sound issues after app closure or phone reboot
- 📱 Microphone access problems on newer iOS versions
- 🎵 Tuner accuracy issues (reads sharp or flat)
- ⚠️ Poor app support and unresponsive developers

**Reported bugs**

- Chord finder crashes app repeatedly
- Tuner stops working after iOS updates
- Microphone access not granted or requested properly
- Audio/sound stops working after app closure
- Metronome has no sound intermittently

**Requested features**

- Mute button for metronome
- Bluetooth audio output for metronome
- Dark mode/dark background for tuner visibility
- Ability to change tuning in chord dictionary
- Auto-play feature for continuous chord/scale playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iStroboSoft free?

iStroboSoft costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is D'Tools free?

D'Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, iStroboSoft or D'Tools?

iStroboSoft is rated higher. iStroboSoft averages 4.3 out of 5 from 298 ratings, while D'Tools averages 3.6 from 30 ratings.

### Do iStroboSoft or D'Tools have ads?

Neither iStroboSoft nor D'Tools shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iStroboSoft or D'Tools?

iStroboSoft ships an update fortnightly, and D'Tools every 4 months. Most recently, iStroboSoft was updated on October 12, 2026 and D'Tools on October 5, 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.*