Fretwise vs Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Fretwise
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Fretwise is the ultimate guitar companion app with everything you need to learn, practice, and play better guitar. GUITAR TUNER • Accurate pitch detection with visual gauge • See how sharp or flat you are in real-time • Clean, intuitive analog-style display • Works with acoustic and electric guitars METRONOME • Adjustable tempo from 20 to 300 BPM • Multiple beat patterns (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 beats) • Visual beat indicator • Tap tempo support CHORD LIBRARY • Extensive chord voicing collection • Multiple fingering positions for each chord • Clear fretboard diagrams with finger positions • Barre chord indicators • Major, minor, 7th chords and more VISUALIZE ANY SCALE • Over 40 scales including major, minor, pentatonic, blues, modes, and exotic scales • See notes displayed across the entire fretboard • Choose between note names or scale degrees • Overlay two scales to compare — see shared and unique notes at a glance CAGED SYSTEM • Learn the 5 CAGED positions for any scale • Navigate between positions with ease • Understand how patterns connect across the neck 3 NOTES PER STRING • Practice efficient picking patterns • 7 positions covering the entire fretboard • Perfect for speed and technique development DIATONIC TRIADS • See all triads within any scale • Roman numeral notation (I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii°) • Understand chord-scale relationships FEATURES • Clean, intuitive interface • Light and dark mode support • Left-handed mode • Full VoiceOver accessibility • Works offline Whether you're a beginner learning your first chord or an advanced player exploring exotic modes, Fretwise is your complete guitar practice companion.
Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools
This app offers a comprehensive suite of free guitar tools, including a tuner, chord library, and metronome. Unlock advanced features like ear training and jam tracks with an optional subscription.
- Chromatic tuner
- Extensive chord library
- Scale explorer
- Metronome with tap tempo
- Chord progression playback
- Ear training modules
- Practice streak tracker
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Guitar Shark is the guitar toolkit with beautiful design, zero ads, and every core tool is free — forever. We built this because every guitar app we tried was either buried in ads, locked behind a paywall, or designed in 2012. Guitar Shark feels like it belongs on your iPhone. ◆ FREE TOOLS — NO ADS, NO CATCH • Chromatic Tuner — Fast, accurate, beautiful. See your note, cents offset, and pitch bar in real time. • Chord Library — 166 chords with interactive fretboard diagrams and multiple voicings. • Scale Explorer — 15 scales across all 12 keys with full CAGED position boxes. • Metronome — 30–300 BPM, tap tempo, 9 time signatures, plus Speed Trainer mode. • Chord Progressions — 12 common progressions in every key with audio playback. • Practice Streaks — Build your daily habit with a visual streak tracker. • Ear Training: Note ID — Free structured lessons from natural notes to all 12 chromatic tones. • Daily Challenge — A fresh practice prompt every day. ◆ SHARK MODE — UNLOCK EVERYTHING Ready to go deeper? Shark Mode takes your playing to the next level: • The Tank — 89 scale patterns and lick exercises across genres and difficulty levels. • Ear Training: Intervals & Chords — Recognize intervals and identify chord qualities by ear. • Jam Tracks — Backing tracks to practice improvisation over real progressions. • 6 Structured Courses — Ear Training, Circle of Fifths, Nashville Numbers, Intervals, Chord Construction, and Modes. Progress tracking with sequential lesson unlocks. ◆ BUILT BY GUITARISTS Every feature exists because we needed it ourselves. The tuner that’s actually fast. The chord library that doesn’t bury what you need. The pattern trainer that makes repetition feel like progress. No ads. No data collection. No account required. Works completely offline. ◆ SUBSCRIPTION Guitar Shark’s core tools are completely free. Shark Mode unlocks all premium features: • Monthly: $9.99/month • Yearly: $59.99/year (7-day free trial included) Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. Subscription auto-renews unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Terms of Use: https://guitarshark.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://guitarshark.app/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Fretwise at 17.4 against Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools's 26.2. 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
Both are free to download. Fretwise sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Fretwise ships an update fortnightly, Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Fretwise | Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 — better | 26.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | Sebastian Bolling | Zane Benton |
In-app purchases
Fretwise
- Lifetime Unlock$2.99
Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools
- Shark Mode Monthly$9.991 Month
- Shark Mode Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
Questions
Is Fretwise free?
Is Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools free?
Do Fretwise or Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools have ads?
Which is updated more often, Fretwise or Guitar Shark Tuner + Tools?
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