TEFpad vs Pocket Lick
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
Read full descriptionHide 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
Pocket Lick
Learn banjo licks quickly with a curated library of over 50 bluegrass licks. Features include tablature, split-screen video, and audio playback. Perfect for improving your playing and improvisational skills.
- Over 50 bluegrass licks
- Tablature for each lick
- Split-screen video (right/left hand)
- Full-speed audio playback
- Lick usage suggestions
- Offline access
Read full descriptionHide full description
Have all the licks you need, right in your pocket! - "One of the finest banjo apps I've seen." - Steve Martin With Pocket Lick you can learn any lick in half the time of other methods. No need to comb through videos and mp3s looking for the new licks to learn. We’ve brought over 50 of the best licks in bluegrass and broken them down in our lick library so you have the best learning tools at your fingertips! Up your playing, fuel your improvising skills, and sound like the pros! Our lick library includes licks from legendary players like Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck, J.D. Crowe, Scott Vestal and many more! Make learning fun, fast and easy with Pocket Lick for your iPhone and iPad. Pocket Lick: Banjo includes: * Over 50 licks to use in different keys and songs * Tab for each lick * Right and left hand split screen video * Audio of each lick played at full speed * Information blurb for each lick, including suggestions for lick use * No wait time for your licks to load. No need for internet connection Take advantage of how simple it can be to pick like a pro with Pocket Lick!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pocket Lick at none against TEFpad's 1. Pocket Lick also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (94% vs 64%). On ratings volume, update cadence, 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
TEFpad costs $5.99 and Pocket Lick $2.99 up front. TEFpad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Pocket Lick asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pocket Lick holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 117 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of TEFpad's written reviews are positive against 94% of Pocket Lick's.
TEFpad ships an update every 5 months, Pocket Lick every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.
| Parameter | TEFpad | Pocket Lick |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | $2.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (47 ratings) | 4.7 (117 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.4% of reviews | 94.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 47 | 117 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #199 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 201 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | TablEdit | Tunefox s.r.o. |
Customer experience
TEFpad
Pocket Lick
User reviews
TEFpad
From 47 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Intuitive usability
- 🎵 Versatile for music notation
- 🎸 Excellent for tablature
- 📱 Mobile convenience
- 💡 Powerful features for price
Room to improve
- 👎 Manual difficult to use
- 🖱️ Clunky interface
- 🐞 Buggy performance
- 💸 Expensive Pro version
- 📚 Incomplete help files
Pocket Lick
From 117 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great for learning licks
- 👍 Useful for practice
- 👍 Good selection of licks
- 👍 Well-organized licks
- 👍 Clear video and tab
Room to improve
- 👎 Not for beginners
- 👎 Limited features
- 👎 Not worth the price (for some)
- 👎 No sort by difficulty
- 👎 Camera angle issues in videos
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 moreShow fewer
- 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 moreShow fewer
- 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
Pocket Lick
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes (rare)
- Login screen freezes (unconfirmed)
- Incompatible with older devices (unconfirmed)
Requested features
16 requests- Sort by difficulty
- Control video playback speed
- Add new licks periodically
- Fingering notation (right and left hand)
- More licks and rolls
Show 11 moreShow fewer
- Licks in different tunings (e.g., Gm)
- Zoom tab feature
- Looping feature for licks
- Request a lick section
- Community upload section
- More licks
- Sections for start licks, fills, and endings
- Make apps for Mandolin, Dobro, and Fiddle
- Classify licks by banjo player
- Improve video view angle on left hand
- Add historical context for licks
In-app purchases
TEFpad
- TEFpad Pro$19.99
Pocket Lick
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is TEFpad free?
Is Pocket Lick free?
Which has better reviews, TEFpad or Pocket Lick?
Do TEFpad or Pocket Lick have ads?
Which is updated more often, TEFpad or Pocket Lick?
Other comparisons















