Comparison

TEFpad vs Bright Star

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

Bright Star

Learn banjo parts for the musical "Bright Star" with interactive tabs and split-screen video lessons. Explore songs written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.

Highlights
  • Interactive banjo tabs
  • Split-screen video lessons
  • Learn songs from "Bright Star" musical
  • Songs by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
  • Multiple banjo playing styles
Features
Read full description

Learn 3-finger and clawhammer style banjo parts for the musical, “Bright Star,” written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell with the Bright Star banjo app! You get tab (that plays along with you!) and split-screen video to clearly demonstrate the banjo parts for “Bright Star.” Song list: If You Knew My Story She’s Gone Bright Star Whoa Mama Firmer Hand Do Right Man’s Gotta Do Asheville Picnic Dance Don’t Take Him Entre’Act Sun Is Gonna Shine Always Will So Familiar * All songs written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell

Screenshots

TEFpad4 screens
Bright Star2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Bright Star at Free against TEFpad's $5.99. Bright Star also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (80% vs 64%). On rating, 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

Bright Star is free to download; TEFpad costs $5.99 up front. TEFpad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bright Star asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bright Star holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of TEFpad's written reviews are positive against 80% of Bright Star's.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TEFpad versus Bright Star: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTEFpadBright Star
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (47 ratings)4.4 (18 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.4% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings47 — better18
Update frequencyEvery 5 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB139 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTablEditJiri Markalous

Customer experience

TEFpad

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

Bright Star

All ratings18 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

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

Bright Star

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TEFpad

One-time1
  • TEFpad Pro$19.99
None

Bright Star

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TEFpad free?
TEFpad costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Bright Star free?
Bright Star is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TEFpad or Bright Star?
Bright Star is rated higher. TEFpad averages 4.2 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Bright Star averages 4.4 from 18 ratings.
Do TEFpad or Bright Star have ads?
Neither TEFpad nor Bright Star shows ads.

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