Comparison

PolyTune vs VocaLive for iPad

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Tune all strings at once
  • Guitar/bass mode
  • Drop tunings support
  • Award-winning pedal technology
  • Chromatic tuning modes
  • High accuracy
Features
Read full description

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

About

VocaLive for iPad

This app provides singers with studio-quality vocal effects and recording tools. It offers real-time processing, a multi-track recorder, and microphone emulations to enhance vocal performances and practice sessions.

Highlights
  • 12 real-time professional vocal effects
  • 4-processor effects chain
  • 2-track recorder (expandable)
  • Mic Room with 20 mic emulations
  • Vocal warm-up tools
  • Voice Cancel for backing tracks
  • Live Mode GUI
Read full description

VocaLive provides singers and vocalists with a suite of 12 real-time professional vocal effects, along with a range of tools to help you practice, sing and record. The effects can be combined into a chain of 4 processors and saved as presets. A collection of 55 presets is included to get you up and running immediately. VocaLive for iPad includes 12 vocal effects: Pitch Fix (for tuning or stylized FX), Choir, Morph, Reverb, De-Esser, Delay, Parametric EQ, Compressor, Chorus, Phazer and Envelope Filter plus a vocal Double effect available via registration. Together these effects provide unparalleled creative processing power. With VocaLive you can process your voice, sing along to any song in your iTunes Music library — its Voice Cancel feature lets you remove existing vocals — and warm up with helpful vocal warm-up tools. Use the new 2-track recorder to sing over backing tracks, or expand the studio section (available via in-app purchase) to record whole songs. With the optional Mic Room feature, VocaLive also gives you the sound and color of 20 classic and modern studio microphone emulations, for even more control over your vocal tone. Ready to perform? VocaLive’s new Live Mode offers an optimized GUI specifically for live use. See your entire chain at a glance, with all the settings and controls you need in an easy-to-read format designed for the stage. Plus VocaLive offers an optional 4-track looper to easily create songs, harmonies and more on the fly. For best quality, use VocaLive with IK’s iRig Mic range of microphones, from handheld to studio condenser mic. Or connect your favorite 3rd party mic using our iRig Pre interfaces. But you can also have fun with it and record quick ideas using the built-in microphone on your iPad or earbuds. Control your virtual rig just as easily as you would a traditional vocal multiFX with new iRig Stomp I/O integration, so you can change presets, control effects and more right from your feet. Or go wireless with iRig Blueboard, a wireless Bluetooth controller for basic control on the go. VocaLive also supports Core Audio and Core MIDI so you can use any compatible third-party interface or MIDI controller, and Audiobus and Inter-App Audio compatible, letting you use it alongside your favorite recording or songwriting apps. VocaLive for iPad features: • Real time vocal processor + recording app • 4-processor vocal effects chain • 12 professional studio-quality vocal effects included • Mic Room microphone with 20 classic and modern studio mic emulations* • Includes metronome and vocal warm-up tools • 4-track looper section* • 2-track recorder (expandable to a full 8-track recording studio*) • Import and play songs directly from your Music library or computer • Voice Cancel lets you create sing-along backing tracks by removing the vocal track from existing recordings • Simultaneous multi-track recording • Studio section (included with Recorder) with waveform visualization and editing, touch-and-drag looping, normalization, punch-in/punch-out recording, simultaneous multi-track recording support and more • AutoFreeze (allows each track to have its own full effects chain) • Live Mode shows you your entire rig at a glance, with all the parameters you need on stage easily accessible • 55 presets included with 4 Favorites for fast recall • MIDI controllable and with built-in integration for iRig Stomp I/O, iRig Blueboard and other controllers • Audiobus & Inter-App Audio support * available via in-app purchase IMPORTANT: AmpliTube users can add the effects processors from VocaLive to their AmpliTube app using the “Restore my purchases” option in the in-app menu. For more information: www.ikmultimedia.com/vocaliveipad Accessories information: www.ikmultimedia.com

Screenshots

PolyTune4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PolyTune at $4.99 against VocaLive for iPad's $24.99. PolyTune also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and review sentiment (66% vs 35%). VocaLive for iPad's advantage is update cadence (every 9 months vs every 40 months). On ads 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

PolyTune costs $4.99 and VocaLive for iPad $24.99 up front. VocaLive for iPad sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. PolyTune asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PolyTune ships an update every 40 months, VocaLive for iPad every 9 months. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
PolyTune versus VocaLive for iPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPolyTuneVocaLive for iPad
Price$4.99 — better$24.99
Rating2.8 (79 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews65.7% of reviews — better35.1% of reviews
Number of ratings79 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 40 monthsEvery 9 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB135 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTC ElectronicIK Multimedia US, LLC

Customer experience

PolyTune

All ratings79 ratings
Positive41.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative51.9%
Written reviews513 reviews
Positive65.7%
Neutral9.6%
Negative24.8%

VocaLive for iPad

Written reviews194 reviews
Positive35.1%
Neutral11.9%
Negative53.1%

User reviews

PolyTune

From 79 App Store ratings

What 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

VocaLive for iPad

From App Store reviews

What we love

  • 🎤 High-quality vocal effects and processors
  • 🎛️ Intuitive interface and easy-to-use controls
  • 🎵 Professional sound quality when working properly
  • ⚙️ Comprehensive effect presets available
  • 📱 Portable vocal recording solution for iOS

Room to improve

  • 💰 Excessive in-app purchases and hidden costs
  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues across iOS updates
  • ⏸️ Poor compatibility with iOS version updates
  • 🔌 Limited microphone/hardware compatibility
  • 📦 Incomplete base app requiring additional paid features

Bugs and requests

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

VocaLive for iPad

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes on iOS 7, iOS 11, iOS 15, iOS 16 updates
  • App won't start after iOS updates
  • Harmony presets reverting to other presets after updates
  • Stereo recording with phase cancellation instead of mono
  • Vocal audio too quiet or inaudible
Show 9 more
  • Microphone input not recognized
  • App disappears when minimized or switching apps
  • Audible hum in audio output
  • Lag and latency in pitch control and harmonizer
  • Recording glitches, pops, and drops
  • In-app purchases not persisting after reinstall or update
  • Audiobus initialization errors
  • Unable to load sounds for upload
  • WiFi file transfer link not functional

Requested features

15 requests
  • Audio Unit Extension (AUv3) support for use in other DAWs
  • AudioBus compatibility
  • Stereo to mono conversion effect
  • Distortion effect
  • Looper functionality for stacking vocal loops
Show 10 more
  • Multi-track recording with proper timeline editing
  • Waveform visualization for editing
  • Audio copy/paste functionality
  • Better file transfer options (Dropbox, Google Drive integration)
  • GarageBand plugin integration
  • Bluetooth speaker connectivity
  • Keyboard chord control with polyphony
  • Video playback for karaoke/practice
  • Dock connector microphone support
  • Better song list UI with longer character limits

In-app purchases

None

PolyTune

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

VocaLive for iPad

One-time6
  • External Control$5.99
  • Looper$14.99
  • Mic Pack$14.99
Show 3 more
  • Recorder$19.99
  • Studio$19.99
  • Recorder + Studio$24.99

Questions

Is PolyTune free?
PolyTune costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is VocaLive for iPad free?
VocaLive for iPad costs $24.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Do PolyTune or VocaLive for iPad have ads?
Neither PolyTune nor VocaLive for iPad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PolyTune or VocaLive for iPad?
PolyTune ships an update every 40 months, and VocaLive for iPad every 9 months. Most recently, PolyTune was updated on September 28, 2026 and VocaLive for iPad on September 28, 2026.

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