# Chord Studio vs WhatChord MIDI

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WhatChord MIDI at none against Chord Studio's 2. WhatChord MIDI also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chord Studio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. WhatChord MIDI asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Chord Studio against 5.0 for WhatChord MIDI. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Chord Studio ships an update every 8 days, WhatChord MIDI weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chord Studio | WhatChord MIDI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chord-studio/id6749439732/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatchord-midi/id6758409779/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 198 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jin Zhang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830436291) | [Aaron Bull Schaefer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1872791906) |

## What reviewers say

### Chord Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chord-studio/id6749439732)

This app helps musicians play, recognize, and create chord progressions. It offers real-time chord recognition, MIDI keyboard support, and tools to craft and export custom musical arrangements. Enjoy a distraction-free experience with a clean interface and regular updates.

**Highlights:** Real-time chord recognition, Custom chord progression creation, MIDI keyboard support, Chord lookup and voicings, Built-in metronome, Export progressions to MIDI

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chord Studio Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Chord Studio Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


### WhatChord MIDI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatchord-midi/id6758409779)

Identify chords from live MIDI input or manual note entry. Explore harmony, build chords, and browse scales with musically informed analysis. Learn and understand music theory with real-time feedback.

**Highlights:** Real-time chord recognition, Manual chord lookup, Explore chords and scales, Musically informed analysis, Alternative chord interpretations, MIDI compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chord Studio free?

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

### Is WhatChord MIDI free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chord Studio or WhatChord MIDI?

Chord Studio and WhatChord MIDI are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Chord Studio or WhatChord MIDI have ads?

Neither Chord Studio nor WhatChord MIDI shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chord Studio or WhatChord MIDI?

Chord Studio ships an update every 8 days, and WhatChord MIDI weekly. Most recently, Chord Studio was updated on October 13, 2026 and WhatChord MIDI on October 22, 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.*