Comparison

Chordial vs Mandolin Chords Compass Lite

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

Head to head
About

Chordial

Access thousands of chord diagrams for guitar, ukulele, banjo, and mandolin. Learn fingerings, hear how chords sound, and view diagrams in right or left-handed formats. New instruments and tunings are added regularly.

Highlights
  • Thousands of chord diagrams
  • Multi-instrument support
  • Audio playback for chords
  • Right/left-handed diagrams
  • Fingerings and variations
  • Downloadable chord packs
Features
Read full description

Guitar Chords, Ukulele Chords, Banjo Chords and Mandolin Chord Chart Library. Lookup and learn chords for your instrument by accessing thousands of chord diagrams across multiple instruments using Chordial's unique and simple interface. Using the three tiered wheel simply dial up the chord diagram you want to see. Chord diagrams are complete with fingerings and multiple variations for each chord are provided. Click on the chord to hear what it should sound like on your selected instrument. Chords diagrams are presented in right or left handed form Chordial currently supports the following instruments: Guitar: EADGBE Ukulele: GCEA Banjo: GDGBD Mandolin: GDAE More instruments and tunings are being introduced all the time via automatic downloadable chord packs. If you want to see a particular instrument or tuning covered just contact us from with the app or email us at feedback@chord-detector.com and we will get straight onto it.

About

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite

Instantly discover over 8,000 mandolin chord voicings across all fretboard positions. Hear how each chord sounds and find the perfect fit for your music without needing a music theory degree. Supports mandolin, mandola, and mandocello.

Highlights
  • 8,000+ chord voicings
  • Instant visual chord diagrams
  • Audio playback for each chord
  • 56 chord types supported
  • Supports Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello
  • Left-handed friendly
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

Stop Struggling to Find the Perfect Mandolin Chord — Discover 8,000+ Voicings Instantly! Tired of Playing the Same Basic Chords? You know the feeling. You're writing a song or learning a new piece, and you need that perfect chord voicing — the one that makes your music sing. But where is it on the fretboard? Which position sounds best? Hours spent searching online chord charts. Flipping through dusty chord books. Watching endless YouTube tutorials. And still, you're stuck playing the same predictable voicings everyone else uses. What if you could unlock EVERY possible chord voicing across the entire mandolin fretboard in seconds? Your Complete Chord Library — At Your Fingertips Mandolin Chords Compass Lite puts a professional-grade chord encyclopedia in your pocket. Using our specially developed algorithm, this app instantly shows you every playable voicing for any chord across all 11 fretboard positions. No music theory degree required. No guesswork. Just tap and play. Why Mandolin Players Love This App: + 8,000 Chord Voicings — From basic triads to complex jazz extensions, find exactly what your music needs + Instant Visual Clarity — See clear, easy-to-read chord diagrams for every position on the neck + Hear Before You Play — Listen to authentic mandolin sound for each chord to choose the perfect voicing + 56 Chord Types — Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented, Sus2, Sus4, 5th chords, plus 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, Maj7, and Add9 variations for each + 3 Instruments Supported — Mandolin, Mandola, AND Mandocello with standard tunings for each + GarageBand Compatible — Chord notation perfectly matches GarageBand smart instruments for seamless integration + Left-Handed Friendly — Full support for left-handed players + Play Anywhere — No internet connection needed once installed How It Works (It's Ridiculously Simple): 1. Select your chord root (4 Notes) 2. Choose your chord type (Major, Minor, Diminished, etc.) 3. Pick your addition (6th, 7th, 9th, or none) 4. Explore every possible voicing instantly! Tap any diagram to hear how it sounds. Swipe through positions. Find the perfect chord for your song in seconds instead of hours. Perfect For: + Songwriters seeking fresh, unique voicings + Students expanding their chord vocabulary + Session players who need quick reference + Teachers demonstrating multiple voicing options + Anyone tired of playing the same old chords What Makes This Different? Unlike static chord books or limited online charts, our intelligent algorithm calculates EVERY playable voicing across the entire fretboard. You're not just learning chords — you're discovering the full sonic palette of your instrument. Try It Risk-Free! The Lite Version gives you full access to chords in 4 notes — perfect for exploring the app's power and seeing if it's right for you. Ready to expand your musical horizons? Download Mandolin Chords Compass Lite today and discover chord voicings you never knew existed. Your next favorite chord is waiting. --- Note: Lite Version includes chords for 4 notes. For the complete 12-note chromatic scale, upgrade to the Full Version anytime! --- Download now and transform your mandolin playing today!

Screenshots

Chordial3 screens
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Chordial at 72% against Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's 0%. Chordial also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 69 months) and ratings volume (56 vs 12). Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and rating (4.4 vs 4.1). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Chordial sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Mandolin Chords Compass Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 56 and 12 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Chordial's written reviews are positive against 0% of Mandolin Chords Compass Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chordial ships an update every 2 months, Mandolin Chords Compass Lite every 69 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Chordial versus Mandolin Chords Compass Lite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChordialMandolin Chords Compass Lite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (56 ratings)4.4 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings56 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 69 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSimon HopkinMax Schlee

Customer experience

Chordial

All ratings56 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral10.7%
Negative17.9%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive71.7%
Neutral7.5%
Negative20.8%

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Chordial

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Black screen and returns to dashboard
  • Fatal crash when attempting to open
  • Doesn't work on iOS 14
  • Doesn't work on iOS 11
Show 4 more
  • No longer works after iOS upgrade
  • Incorrect fret locations for some chords
  • App doesn't open when clicked, shuts down immediately
  • Crashes immediately upon load (iOS 13.1.1)

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add support for more banjo tunings (eg. double C, drop d, sawmill)
  • Add Bass Guitar support
  • Show notes of chords on each string
  • Add chords for different tunes on banjo
  • Add more chords
Show 5 more
  • Add a tuner
  • Lay out chords in the 'circle of 5th'
  • Choose to play notes of each chord together or individually
  • Add better themes or color schemes
  • Add dark mode option

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Chordial

One-time5
  • Remove Advert Tier 1$0.99
  • Remove Advert Tier 2$1.99
  • Remove Advert Tier 3$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Remove Advert Tier 4$4.99
  • Remove Advert Tier 5$9.99
None

Mandolin Chords Compass Lite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chordial free?
Chordial is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mandolin Chords Compass Lite free?
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Chordial or Mandolin Chords Compass Lite?
Mandolin Chords Compass Lite is rated higher. Chordial averages 4.1 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while Mandolin Chords Compass Lite averages 4.4 from 12 ratings.
Do Chordial or Mandolin Chords Compass Lite have ads?
Neither Chordial nor Mandolin Chords Compass Lite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chordial or Mandolin Chords Compass Lite?
Chordial ships an update every 2 months, and Mandolin Chords Compass Lite every 69 months. Most recently, Chordial was updated on November 1, 2026 and Mandolin Chords Compass Lite on November 6, 2026.

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