# FretBuilder vs Smartronom

The clearest difference is update cadence: Smartronom at every 3 weeks against FretBuilder's every 15 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FretBuilder sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Smartronom sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FretBuilder ships an update every 15 months, Smartronom every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FretBuilder | Smartronom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Size | 16 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brandon Fraune](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662190391) | [Damien Vauchel](https://appshunter.io/developer/6819995619) |

## What reviewers say

### FretBuilder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretbuilder/id6505123345)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly premium | $19.99 | per year |


### Smartronom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartronom/id6819995617)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Smartronom Pro | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FretBuilder free?

FretBuilder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Smartronom free?

Smartronom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do FretBuilder or Smartronom have ads?

Neither FretBuilder nor Smartronom shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FretBuilder or Smartronom?

FretBuilder ships an update every 15 months, and Smartronom every 3 weeks. Most recently, FretBuilder was updated on November 8, 2026 and Smartronom on November 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*