Comparison

FretBuilder vs CDEFGAB Music Toolkit

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

Head to head
About

FretBuilder

Features
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Grow as a musician by visualizing notes on your instrument's fretboard. With this app, you can view some (or all) of your instrument's fretboard, tap to hear pitches at any string/fret, and use overlays to help you quickly identify pitches. The app supports multiple fretted string instruments, including guitar, bass guitar, and ukulele. It also features some of the most common preset tunings. Some advanced features of the app are enabled with a subscription, including custom fretboard designs (via photo library selection), custom instrument tunings, and a special overlay mode that lets you tap any position on the fretboard to see the individual pitch! More features are planned, so keep your eyes peeled and your instruments tuned! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

CDEFGAB Music Toolkit

Features
Read full description

CDEFGAB Music Toolkit turns scales, modes and chords into something you can see and play — on guitar, bass and piano keys, in one app. Tap notes on the neck and the app names the mode you just built and the chords hiding inside it. SEE EVERY SCALE AND MODE Tap notes directly on the fretboard to build any scale or mode. Set the tonic, read the intervals at a glance, and transpose the whole pattern to any key without losing the shape. Switch the same scale between guitar, bass and piano keys instantly — the relationships stay the same, only the layout changes. FIND THE MODE, AND THE CHORDS INSIDE IT Not sure what you just played? Matching Scales finds every scale and mode that contains the notes you selected, with suggested tonics and closest matches from the built-in library. In chord mode every note shows which chords it belongs to, so theory stops being abstract. LEARN CHORDS — THE APP LISTENS A step-by-step chord course teaches shapes one at a time. Play the chord and the microphone checks it: each note lights up green as it rings, and the lesson moves on by itself once the chord sounds clean. Chord changes are graded the same way, at a tempo you set. THEORY THAT CONNECTS 17 harmony lessons with quizzes, a Circle of Fifths view, a chord builder with alternate voicings, progression tools, and a chord reference you can browse from A to Z. MICROTONAL TUNER A microphone tuner with chromatic and microtonal modes. Tune to any target note, hear the reference tone, and save custom string tunings for alternate setups. PRACTICE AND TIMING Guided fretboard exercises for accuracy and speed across the neck. A rhythm sequencer and metronome with accents, polyrhythms and polymeters, plus a tap trainer that grades how tightly you play. PLAY YOUR WAY UP Career mode takes you from bedroom to stadium. Perform the real exercise at each venue while the mic grades your timing, earn Riffs, and watch your skill profile fill in. MORE • Guitar, bass and piano keyboard modes • Interval strip you can show or hide • Scale Library to browse and apply scales and modes • Scale 2 mode to compare two selections • Left-handed mode (mirrored fretboard) • Interactive guided tours in every module • Landscape, distraction-free interface • Works offline, no account required NEED HELP? Open Info in the app and tap "User Guide" for the full documentation.

Screenshots

FretBuilder4 screens
CDEFGAB Music Toolkit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CDEFGAB Music Toolkit at none against FretBuilder's 2. CDEFGAB Music Toolkit also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 15 months) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. FretBuilder sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. CDEFGAB Music Toolkit asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FretBuilder ships an update every 15 months, CDEFGAB Music Toolkit every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Ā· 3 level
FretBuilder versus CDEFGAB Music Toolkit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretBuilderCDEFGAB Music Toolkit
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 15 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBrandon FrauneOleksandr Korniev

In-app purchases

2 purchases

FretBuilder

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly premium$1.991 Month
  • Yearly premium$19.991 Year
None

CDEFGAB Music Toolkit

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FretBuilder free?
FretBuilder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CDEFGAB Music Toolkit free?
CDEFGAB Music Toolkit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FretBuilder or CDEFGAB Music Toolkit have ads?
Neither FretBuilder nor CDEFGAB Music Toolkit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FretBuilder or CDEFGAB Music Toolkit?
FretBuilder ships an update every 15 months, and CDEFGAB Music Toolkit every 4 months. Most recently, FretBuilder was updated on October 27, 2026 and CDEFGAB Music Toolkit on October 12, 2026.

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