# GUITAR CHORD (Basic) vs ChordShapes

The clearest difference is ads: ChordShapes at none against GUITAR CHORD (Basic)'s shown. ChordShapes also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (79% vs 69%). GUITAR CHORD (Basic)'s advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GUITAR CHORD (Basic) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ChordShapes sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for GUITAR CHORD (Basic) against 4.7 for ChordShapes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 69 and 141 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of GUITAR CHORD (Basic)'s written reviews are positive against 79% of ChordShapes's.

GUITAR CHORD (Basic) ships an update every 4 months, ChordShapes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GUITAR CHORD (Basic) | ChordShapes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (69 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitar-chord-basic/id400172082/reviews) | **[4.7 (141 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordshapes-guitar-chords/id1570684582/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 69 | **141** |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews | **79.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 41 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AMGAMES, INC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1028926825) | [Mathieu Routhier](https://appshunter.io/developer/369283978) |

## What reviewers say

### GUITAR CHORD (Basic)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitar-chord-basic/id400172082)

Access a comprehensive library of guitar chords with sound playback. Explore over 1100 diagrams across 12 keys and 32 chords, with multiple fingering positions. Supports left-handed players and is ideal for improving practice routines.

**Highlights:** 1152 guitar chord diagrams, 12 keys x 32 chords, 3 fingering positions per chord, Chord sound playback, Left-handed guitar support, Automatic stroke tone playback

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to understand
- 👍 Simple chord display
- 👍 Useful for beginners
- 👍 Handy reference tool
- 👍 Good for practice

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Lots of ads
- ⚠️ Ads cover buttons/screen
- ⚠️ Horizontal orientation issues
- ⚠️ Upside down display
- ⚠️ Clunky navigation for versions

**Reported bugs**

- Horizontal orientation only works in one direction
- App appears upside down and won't re-orient
- Shifts from the first fret unnecessarily
- Need to hit Back button for different versions
- Ads cover buttons

**Requested features**

- Include more variables of each chord
- Identify chords based on user input (e.g., fret numbers)


### ChordShapes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chordshapes-guitar-chords/id1570684582)

Explore countless ways to play chords on stringed instruments. Discover variations, strum chords with touch gestures, and find chord names using reverse lookup. Create and export chord sheets, and explore alternate tunings.

**Highlights:** Extensive chord library with variations, Interactive strumming with touch gestures, Reverse chord lookup, Diatonic chord finder for scales, Chord sheet creation and PDF export, Support for alternate and custom tunings

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| macOS Key | $12.99 | one-time |
| iOS Key | $12.99 | one-time |
| Universal Key | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GUITAR CHORD (Basic) free?

GUITAR CHORD (Basic) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ChordShapes free?

ChordShapes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, GUITAR CHORD (Basic) or ChordShapes?

ChordShapes is rated higher. GUITAR CHORD (Basic) averages 4.6 out of 5 from 69 ratings, while ChordShapes averages 4.7 from 141 ratings.

### Do GUITAR CHORD (Basic) or ChordShapes have ads?

GUITAR CHORD (Basic) shows ads; ChordShapes does not.

### Which is updated more often, GUITAR CHORD (Basic) or ChordShapes?

GUITAR CHORD (Basic) ships an update every 4 months, and ChordShapes every 3 weeks. Most recently, GUITAR CHORD (Basic) was updated on November 1, 2026 and ChordShapes on November 7, 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.*