Comparison

REF vs Tuner · Baro

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

Head to head
About

REF

Features
Read full description

REF-440: The tuner that disappears when you need to play. REF-440 is designed for musicians who demand precision and clarity. Inspired by Dieter Rams and Teenage Engineering, every pixel serves a purpose. No ads. No clutter. Just a precision instrument that helps you tune and get back to making music. Precision You Can Feel REF-440 uses the McLeod Pitch Method (MPM) algorithm, optimized for real-time guitar tuning. With ±2¢ accuracy, adaptive smoothing, and intelligent note locking, you get stable readings that don't jump around — even in noisy environments. Designed Like an Instrument The interface mimics a hardware tuner: a dark "faceplate" display panel, needle meter with ghost trails, and LED indicator. The 135-point note display is readable from across the room. Orange means action, neutral means success. Context-Aware Instructions Forget "flat" and "sharp." REF-440 tells you what to do: TIGHTEN or LOOSEN for strings, TUNE UP or TUNE DOWN for chromatic mode. Physical actions for physical instruments. Every Guitar Player's Needs Guitar — 12 tuning presets including Standard, Drop D/C/B, Open G/D, DADGAD, and more Bass — Standard, Drop D, Half-Step Down, 5-String Ukulele — Standard (High-G), Low-G, Baritone Chromatic — Detect any pitch across the full frequency spectrum Thoughtful Customization Reference pitch from 415 Hz (Baroque) to 466 Hz (bright orchestral) Capo support (0-12 frets) Sharp/flat display preference (A# vs Bb) Adjustable noise gate for any environment Optional in-tune chime (customizable sound) Keep screen on while tuning Premium Details Standby mode saves battery — tap to resume Home screen and Control Center widgets (iOS 18+) Siri Shortcuts for reference tones Live Activity during tuning sessions VoiceOver accessible with meaningful labels Respects Dynamic Type and Reduce Motion settings Built for Musicians, by Musicians REF-440 is a single-purpose tool that does one thing exceptionally well. No subscriptions, no premium upgrades, no feature gates. Just a tuner that works.

About

Tuner · Baro

This offline chromatic tuner analyzes your microphone's audio in real-time to display the exact note and frequency you're playing. It prioritizes user privacy by processing all audio analysis on-device without any internet connection, tracking, or data collection.

Highlights
  • Real-time pitch detection
  • Offline functionality
  • On-device audio analysis
  • Clear note name and frequency display
  • Visual tuning indicator
  • Adjustable concert-pitch reference
  • Screen stays awake during use
Features
Read full description

Your audio never leaves your phone. Tuner is a chromatic tuner that listens through your microphone and tells you the exact note you're playing — entirely on your device. No internet, no account, no tracking. Don't trust it? Turn on airplane mode: turn off Wi-Fi and cellular, and it keeps working. Nothing is ever recorded, and nothing is ever uploaded. Play a string, press a key, or sing a note. A big, clear note name fills the center (like A4), with the live frequency in Hz and a smooth 180-degree needle that swings with every cent. The moment you land in tune, the whole note glows yellow — you tune by feel, not by squinting at numbers. WHY OMITTUNER IS DIFFERENT Most tuners pay their bills with ads, accounts, or tracking of mic-adjacent data — or gate real accuracy behind a monthly subscription. Tuner does neither. No ads. No subscriptions. No accounts. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Microphone audio is analyzed in memory and discarded instantly — never written to disk, never uploaded. • Pitch detection runs 100% on device with pure-DSP YIN math. No machine-learning model, no cloud, nothing sent to any server. • Zero analytics, zero telemetry, zero third-party SDKs. Privacy label: Data Not Collected. WHAT IT DOES • Real-time pitch detection, fast enough to follow your tuning peg as you turn it. • A huge, readable note name plus the live frequency in Hz — legible across a music stand. • A 180-degree needle that leans flat or sharp, and glows when you're within 5 cents. • Adjustable concert-pitch reference — 432, 438, 440, 442, or 444 Hz, one tap, remembered next time. • The screen stays awake mid-session so you can keep both hands on the instrument. GREAT FOR Guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, cello, bağlama / saz and other strings; brass and woodwind intonation checks; singers and choirs warming up; piano reference checks; students and teachers in any room. HONEST ABOUT WHAT IT IS Tuner reads what your microphone hears using 12-tone equal temperament to within about 5 cents, across 25–4500 Hz. It's an excellent everyday and practice-room tuner — it isn't a studio strobe and doesn't claim that precision. NO SUBSCRIPTIONS, NO ADS No subscriptions, no in-app purchases, no ads. That's the whole deal. Part of the Baro family — The tools you reach for first.

Screenshots

REF4 screens
Tuner · Baro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Tuner · Baro at 13.0 against REF's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
REF versus Tuner · Baro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterREFTuner · Baro
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAmr RashedEuiseok Kim

In-app purchases

None

REF

No in-app purchases

None

Tuner · Baro

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is REF free?
REF is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tuner · Baro free?
Tuner · Baro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do REF or Tuner · Baro have ads?
Neither REF nor Tuner · Baro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, REF or Tuner · Baro?
REF ships an update every 3 days, and Tuner · Baro every 3 days. Most recently, REF was updated on October 5, 2026 and Tuner · Baro on October 25, 2026.

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