Comparison

Scale Navigator Dashboard vs Chords Explorer

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

Head to head
About

Scale Navigator Dashboard

Explore musical harmony by navigating scales and chords. Save interesting progressions, build songs step-by-step, and sync with other musicians or DAWs in real-time. Visualize the interconnected network of scales in 2D or 3D.

Highlights
  • Navigate interconnected scales
  • Explore and save chord progressions
  • Build songs step-by-step
  • Real-time ensemble syncing
  • DAW integration
  • 3D scale network visualization
  • Instrument tablature display
Features
Read full description

What key are we in, what’s the chord right now, and what comes next? Scale Navigator answers that question by giving you a way to explore harmony and keep what you find. You can move through scales and chords, try things, and hear how they connect. Stay in one area or move somewhere new. When you come across something you like, you can save it. Build sequences of harmonic states and chain them into a progression or a full song. Whether you’re exploring or building, the foundation stays the same: a shared harmonic state. Once it’s set, everything can follow it. Your playing, your instruments, your DAW, or other musicians in the room. THE SCALE NETWORK Scales are arranged in a connected network: think of it like the circle of fifths on steroids. Each scale sits next to neighbors that are related, so moving between them feels smooth. Move locally for subtle changes, or jump across the network for contrast. CHORD PROGRESSIONS Every scale contains its own set of chords. You can adjust chord quality, control how roots move, and shape the voice leading. This gives you a structured way to explore chords, try ideas, and keep what works as you move through different harmonic areas. SKETCHPAD When you land on something you like, you can save it. Each saved state keeps the scale and chord together, so you can return to it, compare it, and build from it. Write music step by step by chaining together the moments you want to keep. ENSEMBLE Create an ensemble and share a link. The host controls the harmonic state. Anyone who joins stays in sync with the same scale and chord in real time. Each person or instrument can use it differently. Play directly, improvise, read notation or tablature, or route it into MIDI. It works just as well for coordinating multiple instruments on your own as it does for playing with other people. TABLATURE View scales and chords on piano, guitar, bass, mandolin, and other instruments, along with standard notation. 3D VIEW The network can also be explored in 3D, with zooming and rotation control. DAW INTEGRATION Connects to your DAW, so your session stays in sync with the current harmonic state.

About

Chords Explorer

This app helps musicians, producers, and songwriters generate and refine chord progressions. It offers various tools like a piano keyboard, guitar fretboard, and random chord generator to spark creativity. Progressions can be exported in multiple formats.

Highlights
  • Piano keyboard and guitar fretboard views
  • Random chord generator
  • Real-time audio playback
  • Smart chord suggestions
  • Drag and reorder chords
  • Custom Chord Builder
  • Export to MIDI, WAV, or TXT
Features
Read full description

Spark your next chord progression. Select a chord or roll the dice → build and refine → export to MIDI, WAV or TXT. Chords Explorer is a chord progression builder designed for musicians, producers and songwriters who want to quickly find and explore new ideas. Features Piano keyboard and guitar fretboard views Random chord generator to break creative blocks Real-time audio playback with adjustable tempo and sustain Smart chord suggestions based on music theory Drag and reorder chords in the timeline Inversions and voicing options Custom Chord Builder — define your own chord types with any interval combination Export to MIDI, WAV or TXT Community progressions — vote and discover Sharp / flat / auto notation that follows the detected key Available in English, Français, Español, Русский, 日本語 ABC and solfège notation Export, custom chords and real-time MIDI output are a one-time unlock — no subscription.

Screenshots

Scale Navigator Dashboard4 screens
Chords Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Scale Navigator Dashboard at none against Chords Explorer's 2. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Chords Explorer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Scale Navigator Dashboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Scale Navigator Dashboard against 5.0 for Chords Explorer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 7 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on July 17, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Scale Navigator Dashboard versus Chords Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScale Navigator DashboardChords Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (8 ratings)5.0 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings8 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNathan TurczanLoup Vuarnesson

Customer experience

Scale Navigator Dashboard

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Chords Explorer

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Scale Navigator Dashboard

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Chords Explorer

One-time1
  • Unlock Exports2 variants$2.99

Questions

Is Scale Navigator Dashboard free?
Scale Navigator Dashboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chords Explorer free?
Chords Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Scale Navigator Dashboard or Chords Explorer?
Scale Navigator Dashboard and Chords Explorer are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 8 and 7 ratings respectively.
Do Scale Navigator Dashboard or Chords Explorer have ads?
Neither Scale Navigator Dashboard nor Chords Explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Scale Navigator Dashboard or Chords Explorer?
Scale Navigator Dashboard ships an update every 5 days, and Chords Explorer every 5 days. Most recently, Scale Navigator Dashboard was updated on July 17, 2026 and Chords Explorer on September 19, 2026.

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