Retro Tuner vs WTJU
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Retro Tuner
This app provides accurate and fast pitch detection for musical instruments with a retro-inspired analog interface. It supports a wide range of instruments and features adjustable reference pitches for precise tuning.
- Analog panel meter UI
- Nixie tube note display
- Digital signal processing
- Supports 88-key piano range
- Adjustable reference pitch (A=440 Hz)
- Detune factor in cents
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Retro Tuner is a musical instrument tuner for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It features a user interface in the style of an analog panel meter and Nixie tube note display, but below this retro surface are all-new digital signal processing algorithms that determine the pitch of your instrument quickly and accurately. Retro Tuner was written by the owner of several crappy guitars and a 1920s player piano that is constantly going out of tune, with the idea that if it can tune those, it can tune anything. Retro Tuner tunes in equal temperament and can handle the full 88-key piano range. The reference pitch defaults to A=440 Hz and can be adjusted via Settings either as a frequency in Hz or as a detune factor in cents.
WTJU
Tune into live and on-demand radio streams from WTJU, WXTJ, and Charlottesville Classical. Explore archived shows, view playlists, watch performance videos, and read news articles. Engage with DJs via live chat and connect to the WTJU store.
- Live streaming of multiple radio stations
- On-demand listening to archived shows
- View recent songs and playlists
- Watch videos of live performances
- Read news and articles
- Live chat with DJs
- Sleep timer and alarm clock
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The WTJU app is the place to tune in and listen live to WTJU, WXTJ, and Charlottesville Classical. Beyond the live stream, listen on-demand to archived shows, view recent songs, playlists, and program schedules, check out videos of live performances, stay up-to-date on our most recent news and articles, and more! Live chat with your favorite DJs, share stories with your friends, and tune into your community all in the palm of your hand. Live Streaming * Listen to live music from all genres on WTJU, 91.1 FM * Enjoy all-student radio on WXTJ, 100.1 FM * Stream 24/7 classical music from Charlottesville Classical Recent Shows * You'll never miss a show: listen to the past two-weeks of archived programs from WTJU and WXTJ Recent Songs and Playlists * View the current show's playlist and DJ notes for each song * Search years' worth of playlists through the "Search Playlists" option in the side menu App Features * Pause and rewind the live stream * Watch videos of live performances at WTJU * View program schedules * Read the latest news, music reviews, performance info, and articles * Sleep timer and alarm clock * Live chat with DJs * Connect to the WTJU Store The WTJU App is brought to you by the Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia and Public Media Apps. https://www.wtju.net/ http://www.publicmediaapps.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: WTJU at Free against Retro Tuner's $2.99. WTJU also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.5) and review sentiment (100% vs 63%). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
WTJU is free to download; Retro Tuner costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
WTJU holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WTJU has 38 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Retro Tuner's written reviews are positive against 100% of WTJU's.
Retro Tuner ships an update every 9 months, WTJU every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.
| Parameter | Retro Tuner | WTJU |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.5 (2 ratings) | 4.9 (38 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 38 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Waxing Wave | Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia |
Customer experience
Retro Tuner
WTJU
In-app purchases
Retro Tuner
No in-app purchases
WTJU
No in-app purchases
