Comparison

iStroboSoft vs Bagpipe Tuner

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Currently charting
Read full description

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)

About

Bagpipe Tuner

This application provides precise tuning for Highland bagpipes. It accurately detects chanter notes and drones, displaying their frequency and pitch position. Ideal for pipers and those assisting with tuning, it simplifies the complex process of achieving good tone.

Highlights
  • Auto note and drone detection
  • Frequency and pitch display
  • Analog and digital meters
  • Waveform input monitor
  • External microphone support
  • Large horizontal display
Features
Read full description

The Bagpipe Tuner App allows precision tuning of Highland bagpipes. Simply sound a note and start tuning. It's easy and accurate. Bagpipe Tuner App for Highland Bagpipes accurately detects your pipe chanter notes, drones and displays the note, frequency and pitch position. Detection is via the inbuilt microphone, or in noisy environments an external microphone like the HBT clip mic can be attached. Bagpipe Tuner features both digital and analog style meters, waveform input monitor and auto gain limiter. Simply press the Learn button and start tuning, or turn horizontal to access a larger meter display. Using a Bagpipe Tuner can really make tuning less stressful, listening more pleasant and playing more enjoyable. You can quickly check your pipes at anytime to maintain good tone– before a gig, practising or competition. And, non-pipers can easily use it to help out with tuning. Why a Bagpipe Tuner? Highland bagpipes are incredibly hard to tune and unlike standard chromatic instruments, the intervals between each note continue to vary. Bagpipe Tuner correctly displays the scale and takes the guesswork out of using a chromatic tuner. Bagpipe Tuner compliments the standalone BLAIR tuners and Bluetooth clip. Features: • Auto detection and display of notes and drones • Analog style meter • Large horizontal display • Frequency display meter • Input waveform meter • Frequency position bar • Learn function for calibration setting • Auto input limiter • Internal microphone • External microphone support (HBT clip mic) • Large frequency detection range • Special Bluetooth mic/ sensor for Bagpipes supported

Screenshots

iStroboSoft4 screens
Bagpipe Tuner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: iStroboSoft at 4.3 against Bagpipe Tuner's 3.6. iStroboSoft also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (298 vs 14). Bagpipe Tuner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and review sentiment (84% vs 76%). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

iStroboSoft costs $9.99 and Bagpipe Tuner $11.99 up front. iStroboSoft sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Bagpipe Tuner asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of iStroboSoft's written reviews are positive against 84% of Bagpipe Tuner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iStroboSoft ships an update fortnightly, Bagpipe Tuner every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
iStroboSoft versus Bagpipe Tuner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriStroboSoftBagpipe Tuner
Price$9.99 — better$11.99
Rating4.3 (298 ratings) — better3.6 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews76.0% of reviews84.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings298 — better14
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 7 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#34 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.08.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeterson TunersMurray Blair

Customer experience

iStroboSoft

All ratings298 ratings
Positive81.5%
Neutral4.4%
Negative14.1%
Written reviews362 reviews
Positive76.0%
Neutral6.4%
Negative17.7%

Bagpipe Tuner

All ratings14 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral21.4%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews64 reviews
Positive84.4%
Neutral1.6%
Negative14.1%

User reviews

iStroboSoft

From 298 App Store ratings

What 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

Bagpipe Tuner

From 14 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🎯 Accurate tuning
  • 💰 Good value for money
  • 🎶 Great for band tuning
  • 📱 Convenient mobile app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashing on latest iOS
  • 🐛 Won't open on devices
  • 🐛 Not working on iPhone X
  • 🐛 Crashing with tuning clip
  • 🐛 Expensive for basic features

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

Bagpipe Tuner

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App won't open
  • App crashes on launch
  • App crashes when using tuning clip
  • App not working on latest iOS versions
  • App not working on iPhone X

Requested features

9 requests
  • Add documentation/help file
  • Implement manual calibration option
  • Improve learn mode functionality
  • Add watch app support
  • Allow manual pitch setting within app
Show 4 more
  • Re-center analog meter on set pitch
  • Add screen lock button
  • Improve readability of help window font
  • Rename 'learn' button to 'calibrate' with reset option

In-app purchases

11 purchases

iStroboSoft

One-time11
  • Extended Frequency Modes$4.99
  • Bluegrass Sweeteners$5.99
  • Buzz Feiten Pack$5.99
Show 8 more
  • 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
None

Bagpipe Tuner

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iStroboSoft free?
iStroboSoft costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Bagpipe Tuner free?
Bagpipe Tuner costs $11.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iStroboSoft or Bagpipe Tuner?
iStroboSoft is rated higher. iStroboSoft averages 4.3 out of 5 from 298 ratings, while Bagpipe Tuner averages 3.6 from 14 ratings.
Do iStroboSoft or Bagpipe Tuner have ads?
Neither iStroboSoft nor Bagpipe Tuner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iStroboSoft or Bagpipe Tuner?
iStroboSoft ships an update fortnightly, and Bagpipe Tuner every 7 months. Most recently, iStroboSoft was updated on October 1, 2026 and Bagpipe Tuner on September 30, 2026.

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