# Autoharp vs Harp Real

The clearest difference is price: Harp Real at Free against Autoharp's $1.99. Harp Real also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Autoharp's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 15 months). On review sentiment, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Harp Real is free to download; Autoharp costs $1.99 up front. Autoharp sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Harp Real asks for nothing beyond the download.

Harp Real holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harp Real has 649 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Autoharp's written reviews are positive against 68% of Harp Real's.

Autoharp ships an update every 2 months, Harp Real every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Autoharp | Harp Real |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autoharp/id366274361/reviews) | **[4.7 (649 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harp-real/id1481348599/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **649** |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **67.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 32 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Arlo Leach](https://appshunter.io/developer/353281976) | [Son Truong Ngoc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447240720) |

## What reviewers say

### Autoharp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autoharp/id366274361)

Experience the realistic sound of an autoharp with intuitive chord buttons and strumming. Enhance your music with built-in effects and use it as a MIDI controller. Customize string and chord layouts for advanced control.

**Highlights:** Realistic autoharp sound, Chord buttons and strumming, Built-in chorus, delay, and reverb effects, MIDI controller output, Customizable string and chord layouts, Save and switch effect programs

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Save Multiple Effects Programs | $0.99 | one-time |
| Set Up Custom Chord Layouts | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Lovely, natural sound
- 🤩 Addictive to fidget with
- 📚 Great for learning chords
- 💰 Free and not collecting data
- ✨ Rich and full sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💥 App crashes
- 🤔 App won't open
- 🗑️ Custom tunings lost on reinstall
- 📱 Chord buttons too hard to control
- 📏 Chord buttons too small

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes
- App won't open
- Custom tunings lost on reinstall
- Chord buttons too hard to control
- Chord buttons too small

**Requested features**

- More stability
- Integration with GarageBand/Audiobus
- Larger chord keys
- Major and minor chords in all 12 keys
- Record audio in GarageBand


### Harp Real

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harp-real/id1481348599)

This app simulates a 27-string lever harp, offering a realistic playing experience with a wide frequency range. Practice songs with adjustable speed and transposition, or play in real-time. Record and share your music.

**Highlights:** 27-string lever harp simulation, Frequency range C3 to A6#, Offline and online song practice, Adjustable song speed and transposition, Reverb effect, Normal and RealTime play modes, Autoplay option, Record, playback, and share functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Realistic harp sound quality
- 💰 Free app with premium features
- 🎛️ Adjustable parameters (reverb, room size, tuning levers)
- 🎼 Built-in songs included
- 😌 Relaxing and enjoyable to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Unexpected ads during gameplay
- 📖 Lack of instruction manual/documentation
- 🔊 Sound issues for some users
- 🎵 Pitch accuracy problems reported
- ❌ Missing second hand notes for some songs

**Reported bugs**

- No sound output for some users
- Volume control not easily accessible
- Incorrect pitches in some instances
- App not functioning properly on some devices

**Requested features**

- Background play functionality
- Transpose button
- Second hand notes for all songs
- Better documentation/tutorial


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Autoharp free?

Autoharp costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Harp Real free?

Harp Real is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Autoharp or Harp Real?

Harp Real is rated higher. Autoharp averages 3.8 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Harp Real averages 4.7 from 649 ratings.

### Do Autoharp or Harp Real have ads?

Harp Real shows ads; Autoharp does not.

### Which is updated more often, Autoharp or Harp Real?

Autoharp ships an update every 2 months, and Harp Real every 15 months. Most recently, Autoharp was updated on November 10, 2026 and Harp Real on November 3, 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.*