Autoharp vs Simple Transposer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Autoharp
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.
- 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
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This app works like a real autoharp: just push one of the chord buttons and strum! Autoharp uses high-quality audio samples and matches its volume to your strumming speed for the most realistic sound available. If you want to expand your sonic palette, Autoharp includes built-in chorus, delay and reverb effects. You can configure each effect and enable them in any combination. With an in-app purchase, you can save multiple effects programs and switch between your saved programs. If you have any MIDI equipment, you can also use Autoharp as a MIDI controller. Strum its strings and send note-on commands to another device to generate virtually any sound. The MIDI commands include velocity values determined by your strumming speed for expressive playing. Advanced players can even customize Autoharp's string and chord layout, to optimize the sound for a given song or test a new setup before modifying a real autoharp. With an in-app purchase, you can set the note assigned to each string (from a total of 53 available notes) and set the strings assigned to each chord bar (either 15 or 21), then switch between any of your saved layouts. Before buying this app, I recommend watching the demo video at autoharpapp.com to see how it works. If you need help after your purchase, please contact me before writing a bad review. I have no way to respond or help you if you publish your complaints in a review, but I respond promptly to all emails.
Simple Transposer
This music utility allows musicians to quickly transpose between C, Bb, and Eb instruments. It's designed for immediate response in performance, learning, or teaching scenarios, serving as a simple study tool for all ages.
- Transpose between C, Bb, and Eb instruments
- Supports saxophones, clarinets, guitars, trumpets, and pianos
- Switch between sharps and flats
- Designed for immediate response
- Study tool for musicians of all ages
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Simple Transposer is a musical utility allowing quick transposition between C, Bb & Eb instruments. Designed for immediate response in any musical situation: performing, learning, teaching, etc. A simple study tool to help educate musicians of all ages. Easily transpose between all the basic instruments such as saxophones, clarinets, guitars, trumpets and pianos. Use the top-left control to choose which instrument type to transpose from and use the top-right control to choose which instrument type to transpose to. Tap Letters to change from Sharps to Flats.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Autoharp at 3.8 against Simple Transposer's 2.7. Autoharp also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months) and review sentiment (64% vs 50%). Simple Transposer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and price ($0.99 vs $1.99). 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
Autoharp costs $1.99 and Simple Transposer $0.99 up front. Autoharp sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Simple Transposer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Autoharp holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Autoharp's written reviews are positive against 50% of Simple Transposer's.
Autoharp ships an update every 2 months, Simple Transposer every 14 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Autoharp | Simple Transposer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | $0.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.8 (9 ratings) — better | 2.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 9 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 14 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | Arlo Leach | Jeff Taboloff |
Customer experience
Autoharp
Simple Transposer
Bugs and requests
Autoharp
Reported bugs
61 issues- App crashes
- App won't open
- Custom tunings lost on reinstall
- Chord buttons too hard to control
- Chord buttons too small
Show 56 moreShow fewer
- No audio integration
- Drains batteries significantly
- Buttons too small for iPhone
- Buttons could be easier to hit
- Needs easier chord button reconfiguration
- Strings seem backwards on iPad
- Unwanted loud volume blasts
- Volume has a mind of its own
- Full of bugs
- Choppy performance
- Annoying to strum for sound
- Strings not completely responsive
- Does not respond to simple touch
- Hindering application
- Difficult to keep tune going
- Doesn't work
- Strings are NOT working
- Program doesn't work
- Não funciona!
- Rubbish
- Volume issue
- Stuck on loud volume
- Too many sound 'cutouts'
- Polyphony not sufficient
- New chord doesn't always cut out previous
- Sound level sometimes drops suddenly
- Zoomed-in mode doesn't detect off-screen swipes
- Too random related to what you play
- Slightly cheesy graphics
- Eb still odd sounding
- Chord keys small even when enlarged
- Not enough room to pluck strings
- Random increase and decrease of volume
- Sound 'cutouts' when played fast
- Chord transition issues
- Zoomed-in mode issues
- Randomness in playing
- Latency problems
- Does not work most of the time
- Broken on iPad 2
- Almost painful to play
- Sound cutouts
- New chord doesn't always dampen previous
- Needs ability to damp individual strings
- Needs ability to pluck or strum above keyboard area
- Fix Eb tuning
- Fix chord transition dampening
- Fix zoomed-in mode swipes
- Fix randomness in playing
- Fix volume adjustment on iPad 2
- Fix sound cutouts
- Improve polyphony
- New chord automatically cuts out previous
- Model strings individually
- Add ability to pluck strings
- Add ability to strum above keyboard
Requested features
40 requests- More stability
- Integration with GarageBand/Audiobus
- Larger chord keys
- Major and minor chords in all 12 keys
- Record audio in GarageBand
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- Audio unit or Audiobus integration
- Make chord keys bigger
- List note names for selected chords on enlarged screen
- Ability to transpose chords
- Full 21 chord implementation
- Ability to pluck individual strings
- Ability to play like a real autoharp
- Add ability to pluck or strum in area above keyboard
- Fix Eb tuning
- When transitioning chords, new chord should dampen previous
- Ability to damp individual strings
- Ability to pluck or strum above keyboard area
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Connectivity and additional MIDI and audio connectivity
- Save audio as mp4 or wav
- Wifimidi support
- Audio copy paste
- Record functionality
- Soundcloud integration
- Make strings responsive to touch
- Allow simple touch response
- Fix non-responsive strings
- Fix volume adjustment on iPad 2
- Fix sound cutouts
- Improve polyphony
- New chord automatically cuts out previous
- Model strings individually
- Fix zoomed-in mode swipes
- Fix randomness in playing
- Tidy up cheesy graphics
- Fix odd sounding Eb
- Fix chord transition dampening
- Add ability to pluck strings
- Add ability to strum above keyboard
Simple Transposer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Autoharp
- Save Multiple Effects Programs$0.99
- Set Up Custom Chord Layouts$3.99
Simple Transposer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Autoharp free?
Is Simple Transposer free?
Which has better reviews, Autoharp or Simple Transposer?
Do Autoharp or Simple Transposer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Autoharp or Simple Transposer?
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