Comparison

TEFpad vs Guitar Notepad

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

Head to head
About

TEFpad

This app is a tablature editor for iOS devices that allows users to open, display, print, and play TablEdit files. It supports importing various music file formats and offers editing capabilities for creating new arrangements or modifying existing ones. Advanced features and unlimited saving are available through an in-app purchase.

Highlights
  • Import various music file formats
  • Create new tablature arrangements
  • Edit and save tablature files
  • Display tablature and standard notation
  • MIDI playback with real-time control
  • Export to PDF, ABC, MIDI, WAV, and Music XML
Features
Read full description

TEFpad is a tablature editor designed for the iPad that implements most features available in the TablEdit desktop program. It is also compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch. Just like TEFview for iOS, our free file viewer, TEFpad opens, displays, prints and plays all TablEdit files (.tef format). It imports as well many types of music files (ASCII tablatures, ABC files, MusicXML, MIDI, Guitar Pro, PowerTab...). In addition to this, TEFpad opens TabRite files and lets you create new tablature arrangements from scratch. The files you have created on your device with TEFpad can be edited and saved without any limitation. Warning: You can edit files not created with TEFpad or imported into TEFpad, but only the first 16 measures can be saved. Likewise the app does not allow copying the contents of one of these files into another .tef file. To get rid of these limitations, you can upgrade to TEFpad Pro (available as an In-App purchase). The .tef files saved with TEFpad can be opened and modified in the TablEdit desktop program that offers advanced capabilities not completely available in TEFpad. Please submit your suggestions and bug reports to http://www.tabledit.com/contact/feedback/ Specifications: - Open/Import TablEdit, ASCII, ABC, MIDI, Music XML, PowerTab, TABrite and GuitarPro files - Optical recognition of tablatures and scores (PDF or image) - Extracts TablEdit files contained in a zip archive - Display tablature and/or standard notation - English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Chinese and Italian language support - Embedded Help (tap the info button in the top-right corner of the screen) - File manager with subdirectory management - Email files as attachment - PDF export. The PDF can be emailed or opened in a third party app - iTunes file sharing - WIFI file sharing - Integration with the Files app - MIDI Playback with full real time control (speed, pitch, volume and MIDI instrument) - Metronome and count down settings - Ability to change the soundfont and to access all the presets - Playlist - Customize background color for screen, special keyboard, palettes, - Print to an Air Printer - ABC, MIDI, ASCII, WAV file, Music XML export - Time and Key signature setup along with a transpose feature - Measures management (Add/Delete/Copy/Move/Pick-up measure) - Instrument setup (String number, Tuning, Capo, Clef...) - Quantize notes (after a MIDI import) - Enter notes and rests in the tablature or standard notation - Edit notes (duration, velocity, special effect, staccato...) - Create chord diagrams - Insert text, tempo changes, pick strokes and fingerings and format them - Create and edit lyrics - Reading guides (repeats and endings) - Fingerboard or keyboard view - External keyboard support - Support for Page turners - Print options dialog - Support drum tabs and pedal steel guitar tabs - Simple grace note management - iPad Pro support

About

Guitar Notepad

Easily create, edit, and share guitar tablature with a touch-screen fretboard interface. Add chords, lyrics, and advanced techniques, then export to PDF or text. Organize your songs and sync them to the cloud.

Highlights
  • Touch-screen fretboard input
  • Add chords, lyrics, and performance notes
  • Customizable strings and tunings
  • Advanced editing tools (cut, copy, paste, undo)
  • Export to PDF and text
  • Cloud saving and sharing
  • Tab playback
Features
Read full description

Guitar Notepad helps you easily and quickly jot down song ideas in guitar tab, save them to the cloud and email them to band mates. I created this app as I found that when playing around with ideas on my own, or after a jam session, I was still using paper to jot down ideas. I have tried some of the other tab writing apps out there but none of them used the touch screen like a guitar fret board which really speeds things up. I'm keen to make this app as useful as possible so please feel free to contact me if you want any new features added. Create and Edit Tab: - Edit song details like title, artist, transcribed by and tempo - Add time signatures, lyrics and performance notes - Add chords, strum patterns and lyrics above your tabbed notes (no other apps I've seen support this!) - Add any number of strings and custom tunings including 4,5,6 and 7 string guitars/bass guitars - Use touch screen to quickly add notes with a single tap - Choose from common chord patterns to save time - Add techniques likes slides, hammer ons, pull offs muted notes, harmonics, tremolo, vibrato, ghosts/ties, tapping and more - Backspace as well as delete button for faster editing - Cut, copy and paste sections of tab, even between different songs - Undo button - the last 10 actions are recorded and can be undone - Continuous chord mode - saves having to perform an extra tap to start adding chords - Option to view notes on the fret board - Supports repeated bar notation - Tab Playback (no note modulation for now) - Can change guitar neck to left handed view - Supports note lengths from whole notes to 1/64, dotted notes and triplets - Add a capo View, Export and Share: - Export to PDF or text - Transpose songs up and down - Organize songs by artists or use tags to create albums and setlists - Use autoscroll to view tabs and play along - Layout optimised for both tablets and phones - Zoom in and out depending on your screen size - Print from device - Save songs to file in your cloud storage like Dropbox, or export via email. - Ability to perform a full backup and restore - useful if you are switching devices - Import songs shared from other people's Guitar Notepad apps - View and search through your songs by title, artist name or last modified time

Screenshots

TEFpad4 screens
Guitar Notepad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TEFpad at 4.2 against Guitar Notepad's 3.6. Guitar Notepad's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and price ($1.99 vs $5.99). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads 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

TEFpad costs $5.99 and Guitar Notepad $1.99 up front. TEFpad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Guitar Notepad asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TEFpad holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of TEFpad's written reviews are positive against 59% of Guitar Notepad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TEFpad ships an update every 5 months, Guitar Notepad every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TEFpad versus Guitar Notepad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTEFpadGuitar Notepad
Price$5.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.2 (46 ratings) — better3.6 (27 ratings)
Positive reviews64.4% of reviews — better59.2% of reviews
Number of ratings46 — better27
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.011.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTablEditCodefad

Customer experience

TEFpad

All ratings46 ratings
Positive80.4%
Neutral6.5%
Negative13.0%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive64.4%
Neutral11.9%
Negative23.8%

Guitar Notepad

All ratings27 ratings
Positive70.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative29.6%
Written reviews49 reviews
Positive59.2%
Neutral6.1%
Negative34.7%

Bugs and requests

TEFpad

Reported bugs

42 issues
  • Rating pop-ups ignore iOS settings
  • Pro version disappeared after purchase
  • App crashes when printing
  • Audio quits playing
  • Adding pull-offs creates ties across bars
Show 37 more
  • Imported Guitar Pro files have errors (triplets, repeat barlines)
  • Triplet button inconsistency
  • App crashes
  • Work not saved when app crashes
  • Song title not saved
  • Dulcimer TAB not working
  • Tab won't switch to dulcimer DAD TAB
  • Highlighting and repeating passages is difficult
  • Vertical highlighter does not work
  • Notes muted during playback due to highlighter issues
  • File corruption
  • PTB files corrupt
  • 1/8 beat time signature issues
  • Cannot save as a different name (overwrites original)
  • Inserting double bar that cannot be removed
  • Reversing tablature issues
  • Changing instrument destroys file
  • Automatic rests not working correctly
  • Saving files beyond 16th measure is lost
  • Unable to close options popup
  • Notes and playback are 1 octave apart
  • Triplets not entering correctly
  • Saving a tab deleted it
  • Spontaneously closes without saving
  • Cannot view bar being edited
  • Cannot delete bars without tempo/key dialog
  • Cannot delete notes without undo/select/cut
  • Cannot save more than 16 bars of a file
  • Sudden crashes after update
  • Cannot close options popup
  • Cannot add bars after Pro upgrade
  • Cannot change instrument after import
  • Cannot find how to change tempo
  • Cannot change instrument assignment and volume
  • Deleting past 16th measure on import
  • Pages reflow on zoom
  • Cannot select multiple measures/notes

Requested features

21 requests
  • Search function for manual
  • Support for Apple Magic Keyboard
  • Simultaneous input of text, chords, and TAB numbers
  • Ability to change instrument display on sidebar
  • Ability to make font larger
Show 16 more
  • Add title on first page
  • Add D.S. al Coda and Fine
  • Add lyrics and chord notation
  • Files app support (iOS 11 folder support)
  • Open in functionality
  • Custom instrument input (number of strings, string notes)
  • Solfege notation conversion
  • Ability to change pedal steel pedal assignments
  • Ability to customize button placement and size
  • Swing eighth notes setting
  • Better scrolling
  • Custom tuning transpose functionality
  • Cut-and-paste between files/tunings
  • Easier to delete bars/notes
  • Delete notes without undoing/cutting
  • Double tap to open file

Guitar Notepad

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TEFpad

One-time1
  • TEFpad Pro$19.99
None

Guitar Notepad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TEFpad free?
TEFpad costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Guitar Notepad free?
Guitar Notepad costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TEFpad or Guitar Notepad?
TEFpad is rated higher. TEFpad averages 4.2 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Guitar Notepad averages 3.6 from 27 ratings.
Do TEFpad or Guitar Notepad have ads?
Neither TEFpad nor Guitar Notepad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TEFpad or Guitar Notepad?
TEFpad ships an update every 5 months, and Guitar Notepad every 2 months. Most recently, TEFpad was updated on October 15, 2026 and Guitar Notepad on September 29, 2026.

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