# Basichords vs Banjo Chords Compass Lite

Basichords and Banjo Chords Compass Lite both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of Basichords's written reviews are positive against 20% of Banjo Chords Compass Lite's. Basichords also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 69 months) and iOS requirement (8.4 vs 15.0). Banjo Chords Compass Lite's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and ratings volume (92 vs 10). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Basichords against 4.0 for Banjo Chords Compass Lite. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Banjo Chords Compass Lite has 92 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Basichords's written reviews are positive against 20% of Banjo Chords Compass Lite's.

Basichords ships an update every 4 months, Banjo Chords Compass Lite every 69 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basichords | Banjo Chords Compass Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basichords/id384890606/reviews) | [4.0 (92 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/banjo-chords-compass-lite/id1121685348/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **92** |
| Positive reviews | **75.4% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 69 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 6 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.4** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tekartik](https://appshunter.io/developer/361656490) | [Max Schlee](https://appshunter.io/developer/429770420) |

## What reviewers say

### Basichords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basichords/id384890606)

Access chord diagrams for a variety of stringed instruments, including guitar, ukulele, and banjo. Features include auto-play, interactive diagrams, finger placement guides, and detailed chord/note information. Supports multiple tunings and left-handed players.

**Highlights:** Chord diagrams for multiple instruments, Auto-play chords, Interactive chord diagrams, Finger placement guidance, Chord and note information, Left-handed display option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean interface
- 🎸 Versatile for multiple instruments
- 💡 Shows alternate chord voicings
- 🆓 Great free app
- ⏱️ Fast chord lookup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes when switching instruments
- 📉 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔗 Broken links to paid version
- ⚠️ Some chord types missing (e.g., diminished triads)
- 🤔 Confusing interface for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when changing instruments
- Crashes when going to settings
- App crashes on startup
- App disappears on iPad 1
- Crashes after iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Baritone Ukulele chords
- FSus2 open voicing
- Alternate odd open chords
- Option to remove ads (paid version)
- Improve link to paid version


### Banjo Chords Compass Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/banjo-chords-compass-lite/id1121685348)

This app provides a comprehensive reference for banjo chords, offering thousands of chord tabs for both 4-string and 5-string banjos. It features authentic sound playback, supports various chord types and tunings, and includes options for both right and left-handed players.

**Highlights:** 8,000+ chord tabs, 4-string and 5-string support, Authentic banjo chord sounds, 56 chord types, Multiple common tunings, Right/Left-handed modes, Offline access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basichords free?

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

### Is Banjo Chords Compass Lite free?

Banjo Chords Compass Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Basichords or Banjo Chords Compass Lite?

Basichords and Banjo Chords Compass Lite are both rated 4.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 10 and 92 ratings respectively.

### Do Basichords or Banjo Chords Compass Lite have ads?

Neither Basichords nor Banjo Chords Compass Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Basichords or Banjo Chords Compass Lite?

Basichords ships an update every 4 months, and Banjo Chords Compass Lite every 69 months. Most recently, Basichords was updated on October 18, 2026 and Banjo Chords Compass Lite on October 20, 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.*