Chordbot vs Hammerhead Rhythm Station
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chordbot
Easily create and play chord progressions with various instrument tracks. Experiment with complex arrangements without needing music theory knowledge. Ideal for songwriting or generating backing tracks for practice.
- Create and play chord progressions
- Hundreds of instrument tracks
- Experiment with complex arrangements
- Songwriting and practice backing tracks
- MIDI/WAV export
- Automatic song generation
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Chordbot lets you create and play chord progressions in different styles easily. Just add chords, select instrument tracks and hit play. Experiment with complex chord progressions without having to master an instrument or music theory first. Great for songwriting experiments or to create your own backing tracks for instrument practice. Easily create arrangements and mixes by selecting from hundreds of piano, guitar, synth, bass and drum tracks. This is the full version of Chordbot with all features enabled. There is also a free evaluation version (Chordbot Lite) with disabled save/export features that you could/should try before buying the paid version. Features: * 60+ chord types Including classics like AugAdd2 and Min7(#11), in all inversions. * 70+ comping style presets Simple but usable arrangements that won't get in your way. * 400+ instrument tracks Individually mixable dynamic instrument tracks that can be combined to form unique comping styles. * Inversion control / slash chords Manually select chord inversions, or let Chordbot select the smoothest inversion automatically. * Song sections Songs can be structured into repeatable sections (verse, chorus, etc). Each section can have its own comping style/arrangement. * MIDI/WAV export and background playback Refine your compositions in a DAW/MIDI sequencer or play along with a virtual instrument * Song-O-Matic Automatic song generator with pop, jazz and experimental profiles. See chordbot.com for more information and audio demos. Please report all bugs to: support@chordbot.com
Hammerhead Rhythm Station
This mobile app is a modern take on a classic software drum computer, offering a playful and intuitive way to create rhythms. It features a built-in drum synth, extensive sound options, and the ability to import custom audio, all within a pocket-sized groovebox experience.
- Import custom WAV sounds
- Built-in drum synthesizer
- Standalone and AUv3 plugin support
- MIDI input and output
- One-click compression and distortion
- Random pattern generator
- Create polyrhythms
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The little shark is back. After 25 years, the new Hammerhead is a fresh, mobile reinterpretation of the classic software drum computer that started it all. Hammerhead is still simple, fun and playful. It still feels like a little 90s groovebox. Except this time it fits in your pocket, it integrates in your plugin ecosystem and comes with a lot more creative possibilities... - Pick from dozens of classic sounds and loops, or import your own WAVs - Use the built-in drum synth to design your own kicks, bobs, tocks and thwacks - Runs standalone and as a state-of-the art AUv3 Audio Unit plugin (e.g. in Garageband) - AU plugin supports individual outputs per channel, MIDI output and fullscreen modes - Trigger sounds and patterns using MIDI (when hosted as an AU plugin) - One-click compression and distortion, with several sound models - Let the universe decide: random pattern generator, mutation, glitch and much more - Easily create complex evolving polyrhythms - Designed for creative fun: no menu diving or arcane expert settings. Just dive in and create Find the manual on Ruismaker.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Hammerhead Rhythm Station at every 2 weeks against Chordbot's every 7 months. Hammerhead Rhythm Station also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (98% vs 82%). Chordbot's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $7.99). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Chordbot costs $4.99 and Hammerhead Rhythm Station $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Hammerhead Rhythm Station holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 111 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Chordbot's written reviews are positive against 98% of Hammerhead Rhythm Station's.
Chordbot ships an update every 7 months, Hammerhead Rhythm Station every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chordbot | Hammerhead Rhythm Station |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $7.99 |
| Rating | 4.6 (39 ratings) | 4.9 (111 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 82.1% of reviews | 98.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 39 | 111 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 172 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Contrasonic AB | Bram Bos |
Customer experience
Chordbot
Hammerhead Rhythm Station
User reviews
Chordbot
From 39 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💻 Excellent for composing and sketching song ideas
- 🎼 Wide range of chord types and styles
- 🎛️ Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔊 High-quality instrument sounds
- 🔄 Ability to experiment with chord progressions
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
- 🔀 Difficulty rearranging or deleting chords
- 🔊 Limited sound selection compared to other apps
- 🔀 Lack of customization options for styles and sounds
- 🔀 Unintuitive menu navigation in some cases
Hammerhead Rhythm Station
From 111 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive workflow
- 💡 Great for improvisational music making
- 🎶 Excellent sound quality and presets
- 🚀 Quick to use with amazing results
- 💾 Ability to import own audio samples
Room to improve
- ❓ Some users want more features
- 🎛️ Limited effects per voice
- 🎚️ MIDI mapping could be more extensive
- 🎛️ Drum synth engine could be deeper
- 🎚️ User folder for voices in-app needed
Bugs and requests
Chordbot
Reported bugs
3 issues- Crashes when exporting MIDI files
- Inability to save or name songs consistently
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
Requested features
7 requests- Ability to create and save custom chord progressions
- More diverse selection of musical styles and genres
- Option to mute or adjust individual instrument tracks
- Improved MIDI export functionality
- Integration with other music apps and DAWs
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Dark mode and visual customization options
- Undo/redo functionality for editing
Hammerhead Rhythm Station
Reported bugs
4 issues- AUv3 starts playing in sequence mode on pattern 2 instead of pattern 1
- Mute buttons are somewhat hard to tap reliably
- Upper knobs are somewhat hard to tune
- Chan. Config button makes pattern settings disappear
Requested features
18 requests- Deeper drum synth engine
- More extensive MIDI mapping (solo per voice)
- User folder for voices in-app
- Ability to send presets into user storage
- Effects per voice
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Solo/mutes for MIDI mapping
- Ableton Link support
- At least 32-step sequences
- 16 steps per page formatted option
- Control over setting locking randomization parameters on each sound individually
- Show note designation under pitch control
- Export loops to .wav files
- MIDI export function
- Repeat patterns like in Rozeta Cells
- Basic EQ for each sound (high pass/low pass)
- Option to alter the attack of sounds
- Reverse option
- Allow usage on M1 Mac
In-app purchases
Chordbot
No in-app purchases
Hammerhead Rhythm Station
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Chordbot free?
Is Hammerhead Rhythm Station free?
Which has better reviews, Chordbot or Hammerhead Rhythm Station?
Do Chordbot or Hammerhead Rhythm Station have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chordbot or Hammerhead Rhythm Station?
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