Comparison

Chord Progression Visualizer vs By Ear PRO

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

Head to head
About

Chord Progression Visualizer

Visually build and audition chord progressions with color-coded guidance. Sketch, record, and refine your musical ideas, then export them as MIDI to your DAW. Explore harmony and arrangements without needing extensive music theory knowledge.

Highlights
  • Visual chord progression builder
  • Color-coded harmony guidance
  • Sketch, record, and loop ideas
  • Adjust BPM and key
  • MIDI export to DAW
  • 19 chord types (premium)
Features
Read full description

“Audition every chord and craft progressions — all with two thumbs, under the covers.” Build chord progressions visually. Visual Chord Planner makes harmony clear. Stop guessing your next chord. Visual Chord Planner color-codes your chord progression so you can hear and see your music come together — fast. ■ Design chord progressions your way Every chord type across all 12 keys, on one screen. Circle of Fifths color-coding shows which chord sounds right next in your progression — no theory degree needed. ■ Sketch, record, and refine Tap to audition → add to sequencer → loop. Turn chord progression ideas into structured arrangements instantly. Adjust BPM and key to explore new variations. ■ MIDI export to your DAW Finalize your chord progression, then export MIDI directly to any DAW. Keep your creative flow going from idea to finished track. --- Premium unlocks: · 19 chord types · 19 timbres (2 free) · Unlimited project saves · MIDI export · Ad-free --- Built for: · Songwriters who want to try out chord progressions fast · Producers and beatmakers looking for fresh harmonic ideas · Guitarists and pianists building a chord progression vocabulary · Anyone bridging ideas to arrangement without hitting theory walls - Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ - Privacy Policy: https://honorable-income-bde.notion.site/Visual-Chord-Planner-31b0dbff99c280b3a614f1ed74bd0f0c

About

By Ear PRO

This app helps musicians transcribe songs by automatically analyzing chords from audio. It allows for slow playback of difficult phrases and visualizes chords on a piano roll for accurate copying. Users can also create their own transcriptions from scratch.

Highlights
  • AI chord analysis from audio
  • Pitch-preserving slow playback
  • Piano roll visualization of chords
  • Freehand transcription with chord insertion
  • Project saving and loading
  • MIDI export
Read full description

"How do they play that part?" — this app answers it. Every musician hits the same wall sooner or later: working a song out by ear. A song with no sheet music. A phrase you love. That intro. By Ear PRO takes that wall down with four tools. 1. A head start on the chords Import a track and you get a first reading of the chord progression. Your ears still decide — you just don't have to start from nothing. 2. Slow playback that keeps the pitch Play a fast phrase slowly without it dropping in pitch. Combine it with AB repeat and you can loop the hard part as long as you like. 3. Work it out while you watch the piano roll The chords sit on a piano roll in front of you. See it, hear it, and correct it until it matches what you heard. 4. Start from a blank roll and write it yourself Enter notes at your own pace from nothing at all. Insert chords as you go and build the structure while you work. ABOUT THE PRO PLAN A one-time purchase with a permanent licence. Buy it once and there is nothing more to pay. No subscription and no renewal. PRO unlocks: - Saving and opening projects (.csp) - MIDI export (.mid) - Everything added to PRO in the future RESTORING AFTER A NEW DEVICE OR REINSTALL If you bought it before, tap "Restore purchase" in the app to get it back at no cost. As long as you are signed in with the same Apple ID, PRO works on the new device with nothing more to pay. PAYMENT - Charges are billed to your Apple ID. - PRO is enabled as soon as the purchase is confirmed. - Payment is handled through Apple's In-App Purchase. PRIVACY AND TERMS Privacy policy: https://tenmais.jp/privacy.php?lang=en Terms of use (Apple standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ This app does not sell or pass your personal information to anyone. See the privacy policy above for details. SUPPORT Questions and requests are welcome: https://tenmais.jp/contact/?lang=en Working a song out by ear is the best training there is for understanding music. We hope this app makes your musical life richer.

Screenshots

Chord Progression Visualizer4 screens
By Ear PRO4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: By Ear PRO at 100% against Chord Progression Visualizer's 0%. By Ear PRO also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Chord Progression Visualizer's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Chord Progression Visualizer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. By Ear PRO asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chord Progression Visualizer ships an update every 3 weeks, By Ear PRO every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Chord Progression Visualizer versus By Ear PRO: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChord Progression VisualizerBy Ear PRO
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWABI PLANTKenichi Ando

Customer experience

Chord Progression Visualizer

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

By Ear PRO

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Chord Progression Visualizer

Subscriptions2
  • PremiumPlna$2.991 Month
  • Premium1Year$29.991 Year
None

By Ear PRO

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chord Progression Visualizer free?
Chord Progression Visualizer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is By Ear PRO free?
By Ear PRO is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chord Progression Visualizer or By Ear PRO have ads?
Both Chord Progression Visualizer and By Ear PRO show ads.
Which is updated more often, Chord Progression Visualizer or By Ear PRO?
Chord Progression Visualizer ships an update every 3 weeks, and By Ear PRO every 3 months. Most recently, Chord Progression Visualizer was updated on October 20, 2026 and By Ear PRO on October 24, 2026.

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