Comparison

D'Tools vs BTS for KATANA Gen 3

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

Head to head
About

D'Tools

This app is a comprehensive toolkit for guitarists, offering features like a chord library, scale explorer, digital tuner, and metronome. It provides professional-grade utilities to help players of all levels improve their technique and explore musical possibilities.

Highlights
  • Chord library with 7,000+ chords
  • Scale and arpeggio explorer
  • Professional-grade digital tuner
  • Hyper-accurate digital metronome
  • Chord finder by fret selection
  • Lefty mode for chords
Read full description

Newly updated to support the latest iPhones and iOS 12, D'Tools (formerly Guitar Tools) is the ultimate hand-held utility kit for guitar players of any style or skill level, brought to you by D'Addario & Company, Inc., the world's largest designer, manufacturer and distributor of musical instrument accessories. Enjoy the full functionality of the Chordmaster and Scale Wizard apps, the core features of ProTune and ProTempo. Developed exclusively for iOS by the minds at Audiofile Engineering, D'Tools packs a wealth of easy-to-use, professional-grade guitar utilities into one elegant application for your iPhone or iPod touch. FEATURES: CHORDS Explore a library of more than 7,000 guitar chords by simply tapping and strumming the touch screen. View chords in every position up and down the guitar neck and hear each one played back in pristine audio. There's even a "lefty" mode for the oft-neglected southpaw. CHORD FINDER You know how to play it, but what do you call it? Select frets and finger positions to discover the proper name for your chord. SCALES Improve your technique by choosing from thousands of scales, modes and arpeggios to practice. Try multiple positions and alternate tunings to boost your versatility. Use "big stretches" for unique, challenging fingerings. TUNER Keep your instrument in tune with a professional-grade digital tuner, powered by Audiofile Engineering's precise AETune™ pitch detection technology. Choose between strobe or needle interface and access dozens of presets. METRONOME Keep in time with a hyper-accurate and visually stunning digital metronome. Set tempos numerically or by tapping the touch screen. Choose from multiple sounds and time signatures. --- D'Tools was developed by Audiofile Engineering, a leading developer of audio software for OS X and iOS.

About

BTS for KATANA Gen 3

This app allows you to wirelessly edit and organize amplifier and effect settings for your guitar amplifier. It also provides access to a community platform for sharing and downloading custom sound presets from users worldwide.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth amp and effects editing
  • Tone Librarian for sound organization
  • Access to BOSS TONE EXCHANGE
  • Share and download user Livesets
  • Integrated community platform
Read full description

BOSS TONE STUDIO for KATANA Gen 3 ●To use this app, pair the BOSS KATANA Gen 3 and your iPhone/iPad via Bluetooth®. *Set up the Bluetooth connection in the Connection window displayed after the app is launched. *Connection requires KATANA Gen 3 (Version 1.06 or later) and BOSS Bluetooth® Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor (BT-DUAL). ●BOSS TONE STUDIO for KATANA Gen 3 includes a Tone Edit function for editing amps and effects and a Tone Librarian function for organizing sounds. ●This app provides an integrated access to the BOSS TONE EXCHANGE. Support share your original Livesets and download users Livesets around the world. *An active internet connection is required to access the Boss Tone Exchange.

Screenshots

D'Tools3 screens
BTS for KATANA Gen 32 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: D'Tools at 3.7 against BTS for KATANA Gen 3's 1.9. D'Tools also leads on review sentiment (49% vs 17%). BTS for KATANA Gen 3's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and 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

Both are free to download. D'Tools sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BTS for KATANA Gen 3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

D'Tools holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 1.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 36 and 66 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of D'Tools's written reviews are positive against 17% of BTS for KATANA Gen 3's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

D'Tools ships an update every 4 months, BTS for KATANA Gen 3 every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
D'Tools versus BTS for KATANA Gen 3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterD'ToolsBTS for KATANA Gen 3
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (36 ratings) — better1.9 (66 ratings)
Positive reviews49.0% of reviews — better16.7% of reviews
Number of ratings3666 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperD'Addario & Company, Inc.Roland Corporation

Customer experience

D'Tools

All ratings30 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews151 reviews
Positive49.0%
Neutral16.6%
Negative34.4%

BTS for KATANA Gen 3

All ratings65 ratings
Positive13.8%
Neutral7.7%
Negative78.5%
Written reviews72 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative70.8%

User reviews

D'Tools

From 36 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎸 Comprehensive all-in-one guitar tool (tuner, metronome, chord finder, scales)
  • 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
  • 💰 Free or affordable pricing
  • 🎯 Accurate tuner (when working properly)
  • 📚 Extensive chord and scale library

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes, especially with chord finder
  • 🔊 Audio/sound issues after app closure or phone reboot
  • 📱 Microphone access problems on newer iOS versions
  • 🎵 Tuner accuracy issues (reads sharp or flat)
  • ⚠️ Poor app support and unresponsive developers

BTS for KATANA Gen 3

From 66 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great for deep editing
  • 👍 Enhances amp usability
  • 👍 Functionality is great
  • 👍 Makes amp a better product
  • 👍 Endless possibilities

Room to improve

  • 👎 Terrible user experience
  • 👎 Clunky and unintuitive UI
  • 👎 Frequently loses connection
  • 👎 Forgets library/sign-out issues
  • 👎 Outdated interface

Bugs and requests

D'Tools

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • Chord finder crashes app repeatedly
  • Tuner stops working after iOS updates
  • Microphone access not granted or requested properly
  • Audio/sound stops working after app closure
  • Metronome has no sound intermittently
Show 9 more
  • App crashes when accessing 'Find Stores' or 'Find Teachers' features
  • Chord finder displays 'no chord' for valid chords
  • Tuner reads notes sharp or flat (off by semitones)
  • App crashes after receiving phone calls
  • Chord finder cannot recognize bar chords
  • Cannot select open strings in chord finder
  • App requires internet connection to function
  • Incompatibility with iOS 7, 8, 11, and 12.5.7
  • Tuner frequency range too limited (doesn't go below A1)

Requested features

13 requests
  • Mute button for metronome
  • Bluetooth audio output for metronome
  • Dark mode/dark background for tuner visibility
  • Ability to change tuning in chord dictionary
  • Auto-play feature for continuous chord/scale playback
Show 8 more
  • Poly-rhythm metronome
  • 3 notes per string scale display option
  • Bass-specific scale options
  • Ability to play pitch reference tone (440Hz, etc.)
  • Support for alternate tunings
  • Background metronome playback during multitasking
  • Restore previous purchases button
  • Microphone access request on app launch

BTS for KATANA Gen 3

Reported bugs

31 issues
  • Does not connect
  • Black screen when scanning
  • Takes 30-60 seconds to load presets
  • LEDs out of sync
  • Has to sign back in every time
Show 26 more
  • Rarely works as supposed to
  • Discard effect settings
  • Loses connection with MIDI adapter
  • Forgets library
  • Yeets all memory
  • Search filters don't work
  • Library disappears entirely
  • Get signed out completely randomly
  • Buttons are invisible but functional
  • Can't scroll on chain layout
  • Edit doesn't work
  • Sign in multiple times
  • Constantly logged out
  • No landscape view
  • Chain gets cut off
  • Cannot connect
  • Error with old version
  • Says outdated version
  • No update available
  • Audio connects, editor doesn't
  • Frequently disconnects
  • Cannot access tones from Boss Tone Exchange
  • Import feature doesn't see files
  • Software version too old
  • No update for software
  • App doesn't work off the jump without computer update

Requested features

14 requests
  • Landscape mode for iPad
  • Landscape view
  • Integrated Bluetooth into amp
  • Simplified interface
  • Overhaul the UI
Show 9 more
  • Landscape mode on iPad
  • Add options for delay note values
  • Landscape view for editor screen
  • Tuner missing
  • Easier saving and writing presets
  • Make desktop app work with Bluetooth
  • Specific iPad version or landscape support
  • Pay for a real app instead of expensive adapter
  • Dark mode

In-app purchases

1 purchases

D'Tools

One-time1
  • Buzz Feiten Tuning System$19.99
None

BTS for KATANA Gen 3

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is D'Tools free?
D'Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BTS for KATANA Gen 3 free?
BTS for KATANA Gen 3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, D'Tools or BTS for KATANA Gen 3?
D'Tools is rated higher. D'Tools averages 3.7 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while BTS for KATANA Gen 3 averages 1.9 from 66 ratings.
Do D'Tools or BTS for KATANA Gen 3 have ads?
Neither D'Tools nor BTS for KATANA Gen 3 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, D'Tools or BTS for KATANA Gen 3?
D'Tools ships an update every 4 months, and BTS for KATANA Gen 3 every 3 months. Most recently, D'Tools was updated on November 1, 2026 and BTS for KATANA Gen 3 on November 5, 2026.

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