# Sanshin vs ChordTap Lite

The clearest difference is price: ChordTap Lite at Free against Sanshin's $1.99. Sanshin's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.0) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.2). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

ChordTap Lite is free to download; Sanshin costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sanshin holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of Sanshin's written reviews are positive against 30% of ChordTap Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sanshin ships an update every 16 months, ChordTap Lite every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sanshin | ChordTap Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sanshin/id328157378/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordtap-lite/id983609844/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **30.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 16 months** | Every 24 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 11 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CRIMSON TECHNOLOGY, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/310846061) | [shuji wakisaka](https://appshunter.io/developer/564493999) |

## What reviewers say

### Sanshin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sanshin/id328157378)

Learn to play the traditional Okinawan Sanshin instrument with this app. It displays finger positions and corresponds to "Kun-Kun-Shi" musical scores in Kanji, making it accessible even for beginners.

**Highlights:** Learn Sanshin finger positions, Kanji score display, Beginner-friendly interface, Okinawan music exploration, Interactive learning tool

**In-app purchases:** none


### ChordTap Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordtap-lite/id983609844)

This app helps you compose music by playing piano chords without needing to know fingerings or an instrument. It allows you to explore chord progressions and develop your ear training. The simple interface features 288 playable chords across four pages with distinct color schemes for easy navigation and discovery.

**Highlights:** Compose music with piano chords, Explore chord progressions, Develop absolute pitch, 288 playable chords, Simple, intuitive interface, Color-coded pages for navigation, Adjustable screen sizes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sanshin free?

Sanshin costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ChordTap Lite free?

ChordTap Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sanshin or ChordTap Lite?

Sanshin is rated higher. Sanshin averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ChordTap Lite averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Sanshin or ChordTap Lite have ads?

Neither Sanshin nor ChordTap Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sanshin or ChordTap Lite?

Sanshin ships an update every 16 months, and ChordTap Lite every 24 months. Most recently, Sanshin was updated on October 27, 2026 and ChordTap Lite on October 17, 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.*