Comparison

SMD vs Tab Buddy

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

Head to head
About

SMD

This tool for Apple Watch detects magnetic fields, offering detailed sensor views and customizable notifications. It provides polarity-specific haptic feedback and is recommended for Series 6 and later models for optimal performance.

Highlights
  • Magnetic field component monitoring (X, Y, Z)
  • Customizable sensitivity
  • Notification interval settings
  • Significant change detection alerts
  • Polarity-specific haptic feedback
  • Analog Watch Mode for optimal performance
Features
Read full description

SMD is a watchOS app that turns Apple Watch into a magnetic detector and provides haptic alerts for nearby magnetic field changes. You can switch between the analog clock screen and the Settings screen with a swipe. SMD offers two operating modes: Manual Mode and Motion Mode. In Manual Mode, detection starts and stops with a tap. In Motion Mode, raising the wrist starts the sensor, and briefly holding still completes the set process and makes the app ready to use. Lowering the wrist stops sensing. Motion Mode also supports tap-based OFF and re-set actions. Detection and alerts become active only after baseline acquisition is complete. Sensitivity can be adjusted from the Settings screen using the Digital Crown. The Settings screen shows ON / OFF status, X / Y / Z values, mode switching, sensitivity, and version information. When magnetic reference is inactive, X / Y / Z values are shown as -.--. Key Features - Magnetic detector functionality using Apple Watch - Haptic alerts - Manual Mode and Motion Mode - Sensitivity adjustment with the Digital Crown - X / Y / Z value display - Automatic polarity detection - Stable single-trigger alert behavior Important Notes - Do not use magnetic watch bands - Strong magnets may temporarily affect sensor readings - Apple Watch Series 10 or later is recommended

About

Tab Buddy

This app helps musicians practice songs by displaying text-based or PDF tab files. Users can adjust scrolling speed, zoom, and font size for an optimal practice experience. It supports various instruments and offers a clean interface for easy file import and playback.

Highlights
  • Open .txt or .pdf tab files
  • Adjustable scroll speed
  • Pinch-to-zoom for font size
  • Clean, easy-to-read interface
  • Simple file importer
  • Support for monospaced text and PDF
Features
Read full description

Tab Buddy makes practicing your favorite songs easier than ever. Open text-based or PDF tab files, set your ideal scrolling speed, and focus on playing. Whether you're practicing guitar, bass, or other instruments, Tab Buddy keeps your sheet music moving smoothly in front of you. Features: - Open .txt or .pdf tab files instantly - Adjustable scroll speed for perfect practice tempo - Pinch-to-zoom to adjust font size dynamically - Clean, easy-to-read interface - Simple file importer — pick and play - Support for both monospaced text tabs and PDF sheet music - Designed for both iPhone and iPad

Screenshots

Tab Buddy2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tab Buddy at 100% against SMD's 50%. Tab Buddy also leads on price (Free vs $19.99) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). SMD's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On ads, in-app purchases 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

Tab Buddy is free to download; SMD costs $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SMD ships an update weekly, Tab Buddy every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SMD versus Tab Buddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSMDTab Buddy
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating—3.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYOSHINOBU HONGOGamic Arts LLC

Customer experience

SMD

Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Tab Buddy

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

SMD

No in-app purchases

None

Tab Buddy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SMD free?
SMD costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tab Buddy free?
Tab Buddy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SMD or Tab Buddy have ads?
Neither SMD nor Tab Buddy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SMD or Tab Buddy?
SMD ships an update weekly, and Tab Buddy every 3 months. Most recently, SMD was updated on October 15, 2026 and Tab Buddy on October 24, 2026.

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