# Tones vs Chords Pad

The clearest difference is rating: Chords Pad at 4.8 against Tones's 3.5. Chords Pad also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 26 months) and ratings volume (93 vs 4). Tones's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chords Pad sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Tones asks for nothing beyond the download.

Chords Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chords Pad has 93 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Tones's written reviews are positive against 77% of Chords Pad's.

Tones ships an update every 26 months, Chords Pad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tones | Chords Pad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tones/id458315373/reviews) | **[4.8 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-pad/id1462256877/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **93** |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | **77.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 26 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 61 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ben Walker](https://appshunter.io/developer/385443776) | [Loop-Sessions.LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/414215366) |

## What reviewers say

### Tones

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tones/id458315373)

Create music easily with simple tap controls. This app offers a range of high-quality sounds and tempo adjustments, making it accessible for all ages and musical experience levels. Shake your device to clear the sound pads.

**Highlights:** Tap to create music, High-quality sound selection, Adjustable tempo, Add columns for longer tunes, Shake to clear sound pads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Chords Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-pad/id1462256877)

Explore musical chords with an interactive keyboard display and customizable pads. Visualize chord tones, experiment with progressions, and play notes via MIDI. Unlock advanced features and sounds through in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Chord tone display on keyboard, Customizable chord pads, Chord progression builder, MIDI Bluetooth support, Multiple chord list layouts, Adjustable keyboard range

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All sounds are available | $0.99 | one-time |
| Available sending MIDI message | $0.99 | one-time |
| All chords are available | $2.49 | one-time |
| Always remove ads. | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tones free?

Tones is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Chords Pad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tones or Chords Pad?

Chords Pad is rated higher. Tones averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Chords Pad averages 4.8 from 93 ratings.

### Do Tones or Chords Pad have ads?

Both Tones and Chords Pad show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tones or Chords Pad?

Tones ships an update every 26 months, and Chords Pad every 6 weeks. Most recently, Tones was updated on October 7, 2026 and Chords Pad on October 18, 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.*