Comparison

Pentatonics vs Thelonious

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

Head to head
About

Pentatonics

This app visualizes five-note scales and their connection to chords, offering a unique way to explore musical expression. It helps musicians improvise, compose, and understand harmony with clear visual aids and smart filtering options.

Highlights
  • Pentagon scale-chord visualizer
  • Six curated pentatonic scales
  • Smart chord filtering
  • Two-way transposition
  • Layered interval insight
  • Highlight chord tones
  • Save favorite combinations
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Pentatonics - Take Five Less notes. More music. Visualized. Step back. Level up. Unlock a new world of musical expression with Pentatonics, the visually driven music theory tool that transforms five-note scales into endless creative possibilities. Whether you’re improvising, composing, or exploring harmony, Pentatonics shows you how to say more with less. What Makes It Different Visualize the Scale-Chord Connection A one-of-a-kind pentagon visualizer shows exactly how a scale maps onto a chord, highlighting chord tones, extensions, tensions, and color with instant clarity. Six Curated Pentatonics These aren’t basic box patterns. Each scale is chosen for its harmonic purpose: • Minor 7 (1, b3, 4, 5, b7) • Minor 6 (1, b3, 4, 5, 6) • Minor 7b5 (1, b3, 4, b5, b7) • Major b6 (1, 2, 3, 5, b6) • Major b2 (1, b2, 3, 5, 6) • Whole-Tone (1, 3, #4, #5, b7) Smart Chord Filtering Choose from 14 chord filters to match the sound you want: Major, Minor, Dominant — plus altered, sus, and extended voicings like #11, b9, b13, and more. Two-Way Transposition Transpose chord and scale roots independently. Practice in any key. Compose in any context. Teach with full flexibility. Layered Interval Insight Switch between note names and scale degrees to understand how each note functions inside the harmony. Highlight Chord Tones Color-coded overlays show you roots, thirds, sevenths, and more — helping you target the strongest notes in your lines. Smart Starting Points Pentatonics finds 47 unique entry points where each scale fits the chord best — based on harmonic fit, not guesswork. Across all keys and chords, that’s 7,896 ways to explore expressive sounds. Stay in the Flow • Save your favorite combinations for fast recall • History tracking keeps your recent choices just a tap away • Built-in suggestions point you to the most musical options Who It’s For • Musicians breaking out of tired scale shapes • Improvisers searching for expressive new ideas • Composers seeking color and clarity • Teachers looking to simplify complex harmony • Students learning how theory works in real music Explore. Visualize. Improvise. Pentatonics isn’t just a scale reference. It’s a launchpad for creative growth. Built for modern iOS with a clean, fast interface powered by SwiftUI, it’s designed to keep you thinking less about theory — and more about sound. Take five — and play like never before!

About

Thelonious

Features
Read full description

Thelonious is a music theory app designed to help you understand keys, chords, scales, and harmony through clear, visual layouts. Explore major keys, review scale notes, and study diatonic chords in a format built for both learning and quick reference. Thelonious connects theory to real playing with chord progressions, guitar mode charts, and CAGED system material. Use Thelonious to: • Explore major keys and their scale notes • Understand diatonic chords and key relationships • Learn relative minor and dominant chords • Study chord progressions and harmonic movement • View guitar modes and CAGED chord charts Whether you’re learning the fundamentals or deepening your understanding of harmony, Thelonious makes music theory easier to read, understand, and apply.

Screenshots

Pentatonics4 screens
Thelonious4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Thelonious at Free against Pentatonics's $0.99. Thelonious also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Pentatonics's advantage is chart position (#179 vs unranked). On 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

Thelonious is free to download; Pentatonics costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Pentatonics versus Thelonious: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPentatonicsThelonious
Price$0.99Free — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#179 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOliver Richard Erich NaumannRobert Natale

In-app purchases

None

Pentatonics

No in-app purchases

None

Thelonious

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pentatonics free?
Pentatonics costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Thelonious free?
Thelonious is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pentatonics or Thelonious have ads?
Neither Pentatonics nor Thelonious shows ads.

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