# iStroboSoft vs the Craic

The clearest difference is price: the Craic at $4.99 against iStroboSoft's $9.99. iStroboSoft's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (298 vs 13). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

iStroboSoft costs $9.99 and the Craic $4.99 up front. iStroboSoft sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and the Craic sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.39 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for iStroboSoft against 4.3 for the Craic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iStroboSoft has 298 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of iStroboSoft's written reviews are positive against 75% of the Craic's.

iStroboSoft ships an update fortnightly, the Craic every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iStroboSoft | the Craic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | [4.3 (298 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/istrobosoft/id308296029/reviews) | [4.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-craic/id586009292/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **298** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | **76.0% of reviews** | 74.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#17** | — |
| Size | 5 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peterson Tuners](https://appshunter.io/developer/308296032) | [Wil Macaulay](https://appshunter.io/developer/301735019) |

## What reviewers say

### iStroboSoft

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

**Currently charting:** #17 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


### the Craic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-craic/id586009292)

This app transforms your device into a portable digital tunebook, offering thousands of traditional tunes in ABC notation. Easily search, play, and organize music for various instruments, with options to create custom sets and collections. Import tunes from multiple sources and share them as ABC or PDF.

**Highlights:** Searchable tune library, Create and play tune sets, Organize favorite tunes, Import ABC notation, Playback with tempo control, Edit ABC notation, Print and share tunes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly supporter | $1.39 | per month |
| Yearly supporter | $12.99 | per year |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Huge Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iStroboSoft free?

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

### Is the Craic free?

the Craic costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iStroboSoft or the Craic?

iStroboSoft and the Craic are both rated 4.3 out of 5 on the App Store, from 298 and 13 ratings respectively.

### Do iStroboSoft or the Craic have ads?

Neither iStroboSoft nor the Craic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iStroboSoft or the Craic?

iStroboSoft ships an update fortnightly, and the Craic every 2 months. Most recently, iStroboSoft was updated on September 25, 2026 and the Craic on September 25, 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.*