Comparison

Polychord vs Street Organ

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

Head to head
About

Polychord

Create music with an intuitive interface that makes playing chords easy for everyone. Explore songwriting, strum and solo with confidence, and even add auto-accompaniment. Advanced MIDI features allow integration with popular music production software.

Highlights
  • Play chords from diverse palettes
  • Strum and solo in key
  • Auto-accompaniment band feature
  • MIDI control for DAWs
  • Songwriting tools
Features
Read full description

Polychord turns your iPad into a chord instrument — a full band at your fingertips. Nine chord circles hold every chord in your key — arranged so the right one is always under your fingers. Tap a circle to hear it, and the ring around it offers the colors: sevenths, sixths, suspensions. Strum across the keys like a harp. You can't hit a wrong note, and you never have to stop and think. Flip on Auto Accompany and a rhythm section falls in behind you: bass and drums that follow every chord change you make, in styles from folk to funk to krautrock. One finger becomes a band. When something good happens, hit record. Loop, layer, and bounce it to audio, or export multi-track MIDI with chords, strum, bass, arpeggiator, and drums on separate tracks, ready for your DAW. In the studio, Polychord comes with you. The AUv3 MIDI-effect plugin puts the chord grid inside DAWs like Logic Pro that support MIDI effects, and MIDI in and out means it can play — or be played by — everything else you own. Whether you've played for twenty years or never learned an instrument, Polychord closes the gap between imagining music and making it. FEATURES • Nine chord circles covering the full harmony of any major or minor key • Chord palettes for folk, jazz, gospel, bossa nova, soul, cinematic, and more • Strum keys with pitch bend • Auto Accompany: bass lines and drum patterns that follow your chords • Arpeggiator with adjustable direction, rate, and octave span • Built-in wavetable synth with ADSR envelopes, filter, delay, and bitcrusher • Record performances and bounce to audio • Multi-track MIDI export: chords, strum, bass, arpeggiator, and drums on separate tracks • MIDI out to any app or hardware; MIDI in to trigger chords from a keyboard • You can even split your MIDI output to trigger multiple instruments at once in DAWs like Logic • AUv3 MIDI-effect plugin: play the chord grid inside your favorite host • AUv3 works in DAWs like Logic Pro that support MIDI effect plug-ins Polychord is a one-time purchase. No subscription, no in-app purchases, no account. Your music stays yours.

About

Street Organ

Experience the authentic sounds of a traditional mechanical street organ on your device. This app offers a customizable interface and multiple play modes for creating and recording nostalgic melodies. Share your musical creations with others.

Highlights
  • Authentic street organ sounds
  • Customizable interface
  • Free Play Mode
  • Single Note Mode
  • Soft Release Mode
  • Built-in recorder
  • Share performances
Features
Read full description

Dive into the magical world of the street organ, a beloved instrument known for its nostalgic melodies and timeless appeal. Street Organ brings the authentic sound of this traditional mechanical instrument to your fingertips, offering a unique and engaging experience for musicians, learners, and enthusiasts. About the Street Organ The street organ, also known as a barrel organ, is a hand-cranked mechanical instrument that produces music using pinned barrels or perforated cards. Originating in the 18th century, street organs were popular in fairs, town squares, and on bustling city streets, filling the air with cheerful melodies. With their distinct sound and rich cultural heritage, they remain a symbol of joy and community spirit. Why You’ll Love Street Organ Authentic Street Organ Sounds Enjoy meticulously sampled street organ tones that capture the cheerful, bright, and nostalgic character of this instrument. Perfect for recreating traditional tunes or experimenting with modern arrangements. Customizable Interface Adjust the layout and functionality to suit your playing style. Whether you’re replicating historical melodies or crafting your own music, Street Organ adapts effortlessly to your preferences. Three Dynamic Play Modes Free Play Mode: Combine notes and chords freely to create rich and dynamic street organ melodies. Single Note Mode: Focus on individual notes, ideal for learning and mastering the nuances of this mechanical instrument. Soft Release Mode: Add a natural fade-out effect for smooth and authentic performances. Record Your Performances Capture your street organ music effortlessly with the built-in recorder. Perfect for refining your technique, composing new tunes, or sharing your artistry. Share Your Music Easily share your street organ performances with friends, family, or a global audience, spreading the charm of this unique instrument. Record and Share Your Screen Effortlessly capture your screen with the built-in recorder and easily share content directly to your social media platforms.Record and Share Your Screen What Makes Street Organ Unique? True-to-Life Sound: Every note replicates the joyful and resonant tones of a real street organ. Nostalgic Appeal: Relive the charm of city streets and fairs with the authentic sound of this historic instrument. Elegant Design: A sleek and intuitive interface ensures a seamless experience for musicians of all levels. Creative Freedom: Whether performing classic melodies or exploring modern styles, Street Organ offers endless possibilities for musical expression. Download Street Organ today and let the delightful tones of the street organ inspire your music!

Screenshots

Street Organ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Street Organ at Free against Polychord's $9.99. Street Organ also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and device support (3 vs 1). Polychord's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown).

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

Street Organ is free to download; Polychord costs $9.99 up front. Street Organ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Polychord asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Street Organ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Polychord has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Polychord ships an update every 2 months, Street Organ every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
Polychord versus Street Organ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPolychordStreet Organ
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (39 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.8% of reviews
Number of ratings39 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB124 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAppositeAlper Kahriman

Customer experience

Polychord

All ratings39 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews147 reviews
Positive74.8%
Neutral11.6%
Negative13.6%

Street Organ

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Polychord

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • App crashes during recording
  • Incompatible with iOS 8+ on older devices
  • MIDI off messages not sent properly
  • Sporadic glitches with Logic Pro and GarageBand
  • Sound occasionally disappears until app restart
Show 5 more
  • Strum keys disappear or become unresponsive
  • Record button resets project
  • Chord release affects all sustained chords
  • Visual glitches on Retina display
  • App not receiving updates for compatibility

Requested features

20 requests
  • Custom chord creation and palette selection
  • Copy and paste functionality
  • Save and load configurations/presets
  • Additional instrument sounds and drum kits
  • Retina display support
Show 15 more
  • Metronome and click track
  • Recording improvements (overdub, undo)
  • Visual chord progression tracker
  • Velocity control via accelerometer
  • Chord builder for custom chords
  • Master tune control
  • Extended chord types (M9, m9, M13, etc.)
  • Slash chords support
  • More scales (bebop, mixolydian, etc.)
  • Strum keys with note labels
  • Full iPad width strum section
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • Inverted chord options
  • MIDI channel routing
  • Audio copy/paste support

Street Organ

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Polychord

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Street Organ

One-time1
  • Get Premium$7.99

Questions

Is Polychord free?
Polychord costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Street Organ free?
Street Organ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Polychord or Street Organ?
Street Organ is rated higher. Polychord averages 4.4 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while Street Organ averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Polychord or Street Organ have ads?
Street Organ shows ads; Polychord does not.
Which is updated more often, Polychord or Street Organ?
Polychord ships an update every 2 months, and Street Organ every 4 months. Most recently, Polychord was updated on September 23, 2026 and Street Organ on September 12, 2026.

Other comparisons