Basichords vs Mandolin Chords Compass Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Basichords
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.
- Chord diagrams for multiple instruments
- Auto-play chords
- Interactive chord diagrams
- Finger placement guidance
- Chord and note information
- Left-handed display option
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Chord positions for Guitar, Ukulele, Bouzouki, Cavaquinho, Mandolin, Mandola & Banjo: - auto play of the chords when selected - ability to play the chord by tapping on its diagram - finger position, to tell which finger goes where in the easiest manner - chord information (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th...) or note information (C, G, E...) for each string - option for left-handed display and disabling the autoplay feature - ad supported Supported tunings: - Guitar E-A-D-G-B-E (more than 2100 positions) - Ukulele G-C-E-A/A-D-F#-B (900+) - Cavaquinho D-G-B-D (1100+) - Mandolin/Bouzouki G-D-A-E (900+) - Mandola C-G-D-A (900+) - Banjo C-G-B-D (700+) / D-G-B-D (1100+)
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite
Instantly discover over 8,000 mandolin chord voicings across all fretboard positions. Hear how each chord sounds and find the perfect fit for your music without needing a music theory degree. Supports mandolin, mandola, and mandocello.
- 8,000+ chord voicings
- Instant visual chord diagrams
- Audio playback for each chord
- 56 chord types supported
- Supports Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello
- Left-handed friendly
- Offline access
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Stop Struggling to Find the Perfect Mandolin Chord — Discover 8,000+ Voicings Instantly! Tired of Playing the Same Basic Chords? You know the feeling. You're writing a song or learning a new piece, and you need that perfect chord voicing — the one that makes your music sing. But where is it on the fretboard? Which position sounds best? Hours spent searching online chord charts. Flipping through dusty chord books. Watching endless YouTube tutorials. And still, you're stuck playing the same predictable voicings everyone else uses. What if you could unlock EVERY possible chord voicing across the entire mandolin fretboard in seconds? Your Complete Chord Library — At Your Fingertips Mandolin Chords Compass Lite puts a professional-grade chord encyclopedia in your pocket. Using our specially developed algorithm, this app instantly shows you every playable voicing for any chord across all 11 fretboard positions. No music theory degree required. No guesswork. Just tap and play. Why Mandolin Players Love This App: + 8,000 Chord Voicings — From basic triads to complex jazz extensions, find exactly what your music needs + Instant Visual Clarity — See clear, easy-to-read chord diagrams for every position on the neck + Hear Before You Play — Listen to authentic mandolin sound for each chord to choose the perfect voicing + 56 Chord Types — Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented, Sus2, Sus4, 5th chords, plus 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, Maj7, and Add9 variations for each + 3 Instruments Supported — Mandolin, Mandola, AND Mandocello with standard tunings for each + GarageBand Compatible — Chord notation perfectly matches GarageBand smart instruments for seamless integration + Left-Handed Friendly — Full support for left-handed players + Play Anywhere — No internet connection needed once installed How It Works (It's Ridiculously Simple): 1. Select your chord root (4 Notes) 2. Choose your chord type (Major, Minor, Diminished, etc.) 3. Pick your addition (6th, 7th, 9th, or none) 4. Explore every possible voicing instantly! Tap any diagram to hear how it sounds. Swipe through positions. Find the perfect chord for your song in seconds instead of hours. Perfect For: + Songwriters seeking fresh, unique voicings + Students expanding their chord vocabulary + Session players who need quick reference + Teachers demonstrating multiple voicing options + Anyone tired of playing the same old chords What Makes This Different? Unlike static chord books or limited online charts, our intelligent algorithm calculates EVERY playable voicing across the entire fretboard. You're not just learning chords — you're discovering the full sonic palette of your instrument. Try It Risk-Free! The Lite Version gives you full access to chords in 4 notes — perfect for exploring the app's power and seeing if it's right for you. Ready to expand your musical horizons? Download Mandolin Chords Compass Lite today and discover chord voicings you never knew existed. Your next favorite chord is waiting. --- Note: Lite Version includes chords for 4 notes. For the complete 12-note chromatic scale, upgrade to the Full Version anytime! --- Download now and transform your mandolin playing today!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Basichords at 75% against Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's 0%. Basichords also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 69 months) and iOS requirement (8.4 vs 15.0). Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 9 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Basichords's written reviews are positive against 0% of Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Basichords ships an update every 4 months, Mandolin Chords Compass Lite every 69 months. Both last shipped on October 8, 2026.
| Parameter | Basichords | Mandolin Chords Compass Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (10 ratings) | 4.4 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.4% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 69 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.4 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tekartik | Max Schlee |
Customer experience
Basichords
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite
Bugs and requests
Basichords
Reported bugs
7 issues- Crashes when changing instruments
- Crashes when going to settings
- App crashes on startup
- App disappears on iPad 1
- Crashes after iOS updates
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- Link to paid version not working
- Ads taking over the app
Requested features
12 requests- Baritone Ukulele chords
- FSus2 open voicing
- Alternate odd open chords
- Option to remove ads (paid version)
- Improve link to paid version
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- Add diminished triads
- Add / chords (e.g., d/f# and g/d)
- Add C#m chord
- Add drop D ukulele tuning (DGBE)
- Add bass guitar chords
- Add C2 chord
- Left-handed view option
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Basichords
No in-app purchases
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Basichords free?
Is Mandolin Chords Compass Lite free?
Which has better reviews, Basichords or Mandolin Chords Compass Lite?
Do Basichords or Mandolin Chords Compass Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, Basichords or Mandolin Chords Compass Lite?
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