Comparison

FretboardIQ vs Hive

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

Head to head
About

FretboardIQ

Features
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FretboardIQ is the ultimate tool for guitarists to master the fretboard. Visualize scales, shapes, and patterns across all 24 frets with an intuitive, interactive interface. FEATURES: • Interactive fretboard with all 24 frets • Major and Minor scales • Minor Pentatonic patterns • 5 CAGED shape positions for scales • Major Scale positions (7-note patterns) • Custom tuning support • Dark and light themes • Root note highlighting • Shape visualization with color coding Perfect for: - Learning guitar scales - Understanding the CAGED system - Practicing scale positions - Visualizing note relationships - Improving fretboard knowledge Whether you're a beginner learning your first scales or an advanced player mastering the fretboard, FretboardIQ provides a clear, visual way to understand guitar theory.

About

Hive

Features
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Hive is a honeycomb loop mixer. Pick a hive, tap a hex, and the loop locks to the beat. Every loop in a pack lives in the same key and tempo, so whatever you light up plays together. No timeline. No tracks. No menus. Just a wall of glowing hexes and a heartbeat that keeps the jam honest. Tap mid-cycle and the loop waits for the next downbeat, then drops in on time. Seven hives, seven moods. Tape Haze and Break Slice are free, forever. Pocket Groove, Stingray, Warehouse Pulse, Neon Current, and Crate Digger unlock with Hive Pro. Light up a mix you love and share it as a hive code. Anyone with Hive opens the same loops, on the same downbeat. Hive Pro is $4.99/month or $39.99/year. It unlocks every hive, all future packs, unlimited downloads, and mix recording. Cancel anytime in Settings. Works on iPhone and iPad, portrait or landscape. Pinch to zoom the bigger hives.

Screenshots

FretboardIQ3 screens
Hive4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FretboardIQ at none against Hive's 2. FretboardIQ also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Hive sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. FretboardIQ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
FretboardIQ versus Hive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretboardIQHive
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCameron RodriquezENAMIC (PTY) LTD

In-app purchases

None

FretboardIQ

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Hive

Subscriptions2
  • Hive Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Hive Pro Yearly$39.991 Year

Questions

Is FretboardIQ free?
FretboardIQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hive free?
Hive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do FretboardIQ or Hive have ads?
Neither FretboardIQ nor Hive shows ads.

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