Comparison

Simple Chords vs VoltaStage

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

Head to head
About

Simple Chords

Features
Read full description

Simple Chords is an easy-to-use song and chord editor designed for musicians, singers, and songwriters. Whether you are practicing, performing, or composing, this app provides the essential tools to manage your song sheets and enhance your music experience. Key Features: Song Library: Keep all your custom song sheets organized and accessible in one portable place. Multi-Column View: Optimize your screen layout to see more of your song sheet at once. (Optimized for iPad and larger screens). Auto-Scroll: Play hands-free without dropping a single beat during practice or live sets. Instant Transposition: Seamlessly shift keys. Font Size & Custom Layouts: Adjust text sizes and spacing for perfect readability on stage or in the studio. Flexible Display Modes: Toggle easily between "Lyrics with Chords" or a clean "Lyrics Only" view. Whether you are performing live, jamming with friends, or writing your next song, Simple Chords keeps your music organized. Download Simple Chords today! Terms and Conditions (EULA): https://www.simplechords.app/terms-and-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.simplechords.app/privacy-policy

About

VoltaStage

This app helps musicians organize lyrics and setlists for live performances. It features automatic setlist generation based on song energy and desired duration, with clear, readable lyrics and performance-enhancing tools. It also supports hands-free navigation and custom notes for each song.

Highlights
  • Auto Flow setlist generation
  • Performance Mode with live clock
  • Set Duration Designer
  • Smart Bluetooth pedal navigation
  • Moments and per-song notes
  • Offline-first performance
  • PDF setlist export
Features
Read full description

VoltaStage is the setlist app built for one thing: getting you through your gig. Big readable lyrics, drag-to-reorder setlists, smart Bluetooth pedal page-turn, and rock-solid offline performance. No ads. No surprise paywalls. No bloat. Built by a working musician for working musicians. AUTO FLOW BUILDS YOUR SETLIST FOR YOU The first setlist app that actually plans your gig. Tag your library and rate each song's energy from one to five. Pick an energy curve template. Set your target time. Hit build. Auto Flow picks songs from your catalog, sequences them so the energy flows the way you want, and lands on your target down to the minute. The math that takes 45 minutes at soundcheck takes Auto Flow about two seconds. PERFORMANCE MODE THAT'S ACTUALLY PERFORMABLE Lyrics big enough to read from the back line. Section-by-section pedal scroll that lands on the next verse, not three lines into it. Live clock, set timer, next-song hint, key, capo, and BPM at a glance. The screen never sleeps mid-song. Optional hands-free auto-scroll at the rate you set. THE SET DURATION DESIGNER Drop songs in and watch your estimated time tick up against your target. Color-coded so you know instantly if you're over, under, or right on target. Add a banter buffer for between-song talking. Drop an "Extras" moment and your safety pool stops counting toward duration, so 30 backup songs don't blow up your 90-minute estimate. SMART BLUETOOTH PEDAL NAVIGATION Works with any HID-compatible Bluetooth pedal or keyboard (tested with AirTurn). Section-by-section scroll for verse-by-verse advance. Long-press the pedal to jump entire songs. Smart skip at song boundaries so phantom presses don't send you to the wrong tune. MOMENTS AND PER-SLOT NOTES Drop in moments (Break, Talking Point, Intro, Encore, Tuning, custom) alongside your songs. They render in amber in Performance Mode so they're impossible to miss. Add a per-song note ("Capo 2," "Wait for MC intro," "Key change") that shows on the row. Your setlist becomes a real running order, not just a list of titles. EVERYTHING ELSE A WORKING MUSICIAN NEEDS - One-to-five energy ratings on every song - Multi-select tag filtering across hundreds of tags - Lyric search across your entire library - Sort by title, artist, key, duration, energy, last updated - Section parsing with *Verse* or [Verse] syntax - PDF setlist export to share with bandmates - Offline-first: full app at a venue with no signal - Multi-device sync (Pro) - Full backup export and import - Plain text import from any other lyrics app - No ads, no popups, no "rate us" mid-show HONEST PRICING Free covers a real gig at 15 songs and 2 setlists, with every feature unlocked. Pro is $4.99 per month, $49.99 per year, or $99.99 lifetime. No feature locked behind another tier you don't need. BUILT BY A WORKING MUSICIAN "I gigged for years using setlist apps built by people who'd never been on stage with one. I knew exactly what I wanted, and nobody was making it. So I built it for myself, and now I'm putting it in your hands." Try VoltaStage at your next gig. The free tier covers a real show. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Simple Chords4 screens
VoltaStage4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Simple Chords at every 5 days against VoltaStage's every 3 months. Simple Chords also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Simple Chords sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and VoltaStage sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simple Chords ships an update every 5 days, VoltaStage every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Simple Chords versus VoltaStage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimple ChordsVoltaStage
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size67 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMARLON MESTICADALLAS DWIGHT BALL

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Simple Chords

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$2.99
3 purchases

VoltaStage

Subscriptions2
  • VoltaStage Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • VoltaStage Pro Annual$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • VoltaStage Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Simple Chords free?
Simple Chords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VoltaStage free?
VoltaStage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Simple Chords or VoltaStage have ads?
Neither Simple Chords nor VoltaStage shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simple Chords or VoltaStage?
Simple Chords ships an update every 5 days, and VoltaStage every 3 months. Most recently, Simple Chords was updated on September 29, 2026 and VoltaStage on September 14, 2026.

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