# the Craic vs BlueKeyDetect

The clearest difference is rating: BlueKeyDetect at 5.0 against the Craic's 4.3. BlueKeyDetect also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and price ($0.99 vs $4.99). the Craic's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (13 vs 1). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

the Craic costs $4.99 and BlueKeyDetect $0.99 up front. the Craic sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.39 per month. BlueKeyDetect asks for nothing beyond the download.

BlueKeyDetect holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: the Craic has 13 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

the Craic ships an update every 2 months, BlueKeyDetect every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | the Craic | BlueKeyDetect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | [4.3 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-craic/id586009292/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluekeydetect/id1493584771/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Paid** |
| Size | 60 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wil Macaulay](https://appshunter.io/developer/301735019) | [Stefan Arnhold](https://appshunter.io/developer/432185706) |

## What reviewers say

### the Craic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-craic/id586009292)

This app transforms your device into a portable digital tunebook, offering thousands of traditional tunes in ABC notation. Easily search, play, and organize music for various instruments, with options to create custom sets and collections. Import tunes from multiple sources and share them as ABC or PDF.

**Highlights:** Searchable tune library, Create and play tune sets, Organize favorite tunes, Import ABC notation, Playback with tempo control, Edit ABC notation, Print and share tunes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly supporter | $1.39 | per month |
| Yearly supporter | $12.99 | per year |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Huge Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🎵 Great for learning tunes
- 🗂️ Good for managing tune libraries
- 🌐 Easy online searching and downloading
- 🎶 Ability to alter and add notes/bowings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Won't read past errors in older ABC spec
- 🐛 Doesn't report ABC spec errors
- 🎚️ No support for multi-voice (e.g., SATB grandstaff)
- 🎼 Small note heads
- 🎚️ Does not cover concertinas

**Reported bugs**

- Won't read past errors in older ABC spec
- Doesn't report ABC spec errors
- No support for multi-voice (e.g., SATB grandstaff)
- Small note heads
- Does not cover concertinas

**Requested features**

- Support for multi-voice ABC notation
- Larger note heads
- Support for concertinas (especially CG Anglo)
- Option to select tunes only from Favourites list
- Option to rearrange items within a set


### BlueKeyDetect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bluekeydetect/id1493584771)

Instantly identify the musical key and tempo of songs by recording short audio clips. Ideal for musicians in jam sessions needing quick key information.

**Highlights:** Record audio clips, Detect musical key, Display beats per minute (BPM), Supports guitar and bass jam sessions, Multiple recording options for accuracy

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is the Craic free?

the Craic costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is BlueKeyDetect free?

BlueKeyDetect costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, the Craic or BlueKeyDetect?

BlueKeyDetect is rated higher. the Craic averages 4.3 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while BlueKeyDetect averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do the Craic or BlueKeyDetect have ads?

Neither the Craic nor BlueKeyDetect shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, the Craic or BlueKeyDetect?

the Craic ships an update every 2 months, and BlueKeyDetect every 8 months. Most recently, the Craic was updated on October 15, 2026 and BlueKeyDetect on October 13, 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.*