# ToneDetector vs Mandolin Chords by Ear

The clearest difference is rating: ToneDetector at 5.0 against Mandolin Chords by Ear's 1.0. ToneDetector also leads on price ($9.99 vs $12.99). Mandolin Chords by Ear's advantage is update cadence (every 5 months vs every 29 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

ToneDetector costs $9.99 and Mandolin Chords by Ear $12.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ToneDetector holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

ToneDetector ships an update every 29 months, Mandolin Chords by Ear every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ToneDetector | Mandolin Chords by Ear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$9.99** | $12.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonedetector/id495002820/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-chords-by-ear/id1670468335/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 28 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jian Cheng](https://appshunter.io/developer/495002823) | [Oleg Sokolov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628122395) |

## What reviewers say

### ToneDetector

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonedetector/id495002820)

Master Mandarin tones with this intuitive app. Practice pronunciation, compare your pitch contours to samples, and receive immediate visual feedback to improve your speaking accuracy without a tutor. Covers all Mandarin tonal syllables for effective self-assessment.

**Highlights:** Instant tone judgment, Visual pitch contour comparison, Practice all Mandarin tonal syllables, Self-assessment of tone perception, Sample sounds for comparison, Intuitive practice interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mandolin Chords by Ear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandolin-chords-by-ear/id1670468335)

Master mandolin chords and progressions quickly with a unique learning method. Learn to play songs in days or weeks, not years, with realistic musical context and a rich, inspiring mandolin sound.

**Highlights:** Unique learning method, Learn chords and progressions, Realistic musical context, Fast learning curve, Inspiring traditional sound

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ToneDetector free?

ToneDetector costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mandolin Chords by Ear free?

Mandolin Chords by Ear costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ToneDetector or Mandolin Chords by Ear?

ToneDetector is rated higher. ToneDetector averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Mandolin Chords by Ear averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ToneDetector or Mandolin Chords by Ear have ads?

Neither ToneDetector nor Mandolin Chords by Ear shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ToneDetector or Mandolin Chords by Ear?

ToneDetector ships an update every 29 months, and Mandolin Chords by Ear every 5 months. Most recently, ToneDetector was updated on October 23, 2026 and Mandolin Chords by Ear on October 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.*