# Strumlight vs Fret Theory

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Strumlight at none against Fret Theory's 2. Strumlight also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fret Theory sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Strumlight asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Strumlight against 5.0 for Fret Theory. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

Strumlight ships an update every 4 days, Fret Theory fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strumlight | Fret Theory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strumlight/id6744329689/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fret-theory/id6746726238/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 30 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Austin Ketola](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807113519) | [Notewize LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1723102474) |

## What reviewers say

### Strumlight

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strumlight/id6744329689)

This app guides your finger placement on a guitar fretboard with real-time LED lights. Learn chords and scales effortlessly with a built-in song library and lesson plans. Track your progress and receive practice reminders to improve your playing.

**Highlights:** Real-time LED finger guidance, Chord and scale learning, Built-in song library, Lesson plans, Progress tracking, Practice reminders

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Fret Theory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fret-theory/id6746726238)

Learn guitar theory, notes, scales, and chords through fun, gamified lessons and interactive quizzes. Track your progress and unlock rewards as you build real guitar skills.

**Highlights:** Gamified guitar theory lessons, Learn notes, scales, and chords, Interactive quizzes and games, Progress tracking and streaks, Unlock new levels and badges, Structured learning modules

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fret Theory Pro - Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Fret Theory Pro - Yearly | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strumlight free?

Strumlight is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Fret Theory free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Strumlight or Fret Theory?

Strumlight and Fret Theory are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Strumlight or Fret Theory have ads?

Fret Theory shows ads; Strumlight does not.

### Which is updated more often, Strumlight or Fret Theory?

Strumlight ships an update every 4 days, and Fret Theory fortnightly. Most recently, Strumlight was updated on November 5, 2026 and Fret Theory on October 30, 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.*