Comparison

TonePrint vs StringSmith Instrument Tuner

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

Head to head
About

TonePrint

Access and beam custom sound profiles to compatible effects pedals. Explore artist-created tones, personalize settings, and save favorites for quick access. Works offline and requires no extra cables.

Highlights
  • Beam TonePrints to pedals
  • Bluetooth support for Plethora X5
  • Deep edit TonePrints
  • Browse by pedal or artist
  • Collect favorite TonePrints
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

The TonePrint app is your golden ticket to the glorious world of TC Electronic TonePrints! With this app in hand you’ve got unlimited access to the farthest corners of your TonePrint effects. You might stumble across your new signature sound while you’re at it – Only one way to find out! With Bluetooth support added for Plethora X5, X3 and X1, use the TonePrint app to deep edit your unique TonePrints to your heart’s delight. Enjoy! The TonePrint Concept Welcome to the TonePrint app – home of tone tinkerers and sound hounds alike. TC Electronic’s ‘TonePrint®’ app lets you use your phone’s speakers to beam TonePrints directly into your guitar pickup to drastically change your TonePrint pedal. Reassign knob functions, tweak parameters, adjust EQ responses – instant inspiration at your fingertips. The app will even work offline if you should happen to be in international waters so you can shred with total impunity. TonePrint App Main Features - Beam any TonePrint in seconds - Bluetooth support for Plethora X5 - Fast. Flexible. Intuitive. - Completely free of charge – Not based on in-app purchases - Cached files – No internet access required - No extra cables required - Browse TonePrints by pedal or artist - Collect favorite TonePrints for super-fast access - Constantly updated with new, amazing TonePrints Please note that your pedal may require a firmware update to receive TonePrints as beams. Check www.tcelectronic.com/toneprints for details.

About

StringSmith Instrument Tuner

Features
Read full description

Your guitar left standard tuning years ago. Your tuner should keep up. Most tuner apps assume six strings and E standard, and treat everything else as an afterthought. StringSmith starts where they stop: you build the string sets, and the tuner follows you. YOUR STRINGS, YOUR RULES Create and save your own string sets: 7- and 8-string guitars, 5- and 6-string basses, baritone, Drop C, Drop G#, Eb standard, open tunings — or something nobody has named yet. Every string gets exactly the note you choose, so you tune the instrument you actually own, not the one the app expects. ACCURACY YOU CAN SEE A strobe-style LED needle driven by a native audio engine tracks your pitch in real time — fast enough to catch the attack, steady enough to trust the sustain. No lag, no jumpy needle, no guessing. ANY REFERENCE PITCH A4 is yours to set, anywhere from 410 to 480 Hz, with named presets along the way — including 432 Hz for players who tune natural. Change it once and your whole string set moves with it. BUILT LIKE STAGE GEAR A black, glare-free rack-unit interface with machined-metal controls. It looks at home on a dark stage and reads instantly on a bright one. TUNE, DON'T TAP StringSmith opens straight onto the tuner. No splash screens, no menus, no account. Play a string, watch it land. YOUR SOUND STAYS YOURS Pitch detection runs entirely on your device. Your audio is never recorded, stored, or sent anywhere. For metal players eight strings deep, bassists dropping past B, blues players a half-step down, and anyone who has ever fought a tuner just to reach Drop A — this one was built for you. Download StringSmith free and put your tuning in your own hands.

Screenshots

TonePrint4 screens
StringSmith Instrument Tuner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TonePrint at none against StringSmith Instrument Tuner's 1. TonePrint also leads on ads (none vs shown). StringSmith Instrument Tuner's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. StringSmith Instrument Tuner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. TonePrint asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TonePrint ships an update every 3 months, StringSmith Instrument Tuner every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TonePrint versus StringSmith Instrument Tuner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTonePrintStringSmith Instrument Tuner
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.6 (180 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews22.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings180 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTC ElectronicTom Robert

Bugs and requests

TonePrint

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes on startup
  • Beaming tones doesn't work consistently
  • Tones not saving properly
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Allow editing and saving of custom tones
  • Sync tones between devices and platforms
  • Improve stability and performance
  • Add support for more TC pedal models

StringSmith Instrument Tuner

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

TonePrint

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

StringSmith Instrument Tuner

One-time1
  • StringSmith Ad Free$3.99

Questions

Is TonePrint free?
TonePrint is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is StringSmith Instrument Tuner free?
StringSmith Instrument Tuner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TonePrint or StringSmith Instrument Tuner have ads?
StringSmith Instrument Tuner shows ads; TonePrint does not.
Which is updated more often, TonePrint or StringSmith Instrument Tuner?
TonePrint ships an update every 3 months, and StringSmith Instrument Tuner every 2 days. Most recently, TonePrint was updated on October 23, 2026 and StringSmith Instrument Tuner on October 24, 2026.

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