# TEFview vs Strum Machine

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TEFview at none against Strum Machine's 1. TEFview also leads on iOS requirement (11.1 vs 15.4). Strum Machine's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months) and chart position (#158 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Strum Machine sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. TEFview asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for TEFview against 4.7 for Strum Machine. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 303 and 118 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of TEFview's written reviews are positive against 89% of Strum Machine's.

TEFview ships an update every 5 months, Strum Machine fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TEFview | Strum Machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (303 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tefview/id492060413/reviews) | [4.7 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strum-machine-backing-tracks/id1509158553/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **303** | 118 |
| Positive reviews | **91.1% of reviews** | 88.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#158** |
| Size | 7 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.1** | 15.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TablEdit](https://appshunter.io/developer/492060416) | [Luke Abbott LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509158552) |

## What reviewers say

### TEFview

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tefview/id492060413)

This app lets you view, print, and play musical tablatures and various music file formats on your iOS device. It supports MIDI playback with speed control, metronome, and file management features for easy organization and sharing.

**Highlights:** View tablatures and standard notation, MIDI playback with speed control, Assign volume and MIDI instrument per track, Metronome and countdown timer, File manager with WIFI sharing, PDF export for printing and sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Plays all tef files flawlessly
- 🎶 Can change tempo for learning
- 👍 Amazing free resource
- 🎹 Brilliant for MIDI to Notation
- 🎸 Great for learning new songs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔧 Settings for print not user-friendly
- 🤖 Synth sounds could be improved
- 🔍 Scrolling can be too sensitive

**Reported bugs**

- Doesn't work with files in iCloud Drive
- Crashes when opening MIDI files

**Requested features**

- Left-handed fretboard view
- Chord name display
- Ability to delete downloaded files


### Strum Machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strum-machine-backing-tracks/id1509158553)

**Currently charting:** #158 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Generate realistic backing tracks for practice with real instrument audio. Customize chord progressions, keys, and tempo. Features a large song library, song editor, and band customization options. Works offline and syncs across devices.

**Highlights:** Realistic instrument audio backing tracks, Customizable chord progressions, keys, and tempo, Extensive song library, Simple song editor, Band and instrument customization, Cross-platform syncing and offline mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TEFview free?

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

### Is Strum Machine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TEFview or Strum Machine?

TEFview and Strum Machine are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 303 and 118 ratings respectively.

### Do TEFview or Strum Machine have ads?

Neither TEFview nor Strum Machine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TEFview or Strum Machine?

TEFview ships an update every 5 months, and Strum Machine fortnightly. Most recently, TEFview was updated on September 22, 2026 and Strum Machine on September 24, 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.*