StrumForge vs SetMate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StrumForge
Instantly generate countless guitar chord progressions and practice with built-in scales, tempo, and grooves. Explore various chord types and fingerings, and play along with integrated drum patterns. Designed for musicians to focus on playing and songwriting.
- Generate over 425,000 chord progressions
- Play along with chord diagrams in tempo
- Solo over progressions with scale diagrams
- Lock or randomize key
- Choose chord types (open, barre, triads, power)
- Built-in drum groove and tempo control
- Left-handed chord diagram support
Read full descriptionHide full description
StrumForge instantly generates over 1 million unique, theory-based chord progressions across every key. Automatically create progressions, customize them, or create your own from scratch. Learn & practice scales, triads, and arpeggios in every key with built-in playback features. Whether you're learning guitar fundamentals, writing songs, practicing improvisation, or exploring music theory, StrumForge helps you discover new ideas and practice more effectively. No ads. No account required. Perfect for: • Daily guitar practice • Learning new guitar chords and voicings • Improving rhythm, timing, & chord changes • Songwriting and improvisation • Understanding triads and arpeggios • Scale and fretboard training • Learning guitar theory • Exploring modes and pentatonic scales Chord Progressions • Generate over 1 million unique theory-based chord progressions instantly • Create 4, 8, or 12-chord progressions based on musical style or mood • Choose a key, mode, chord type, groove, tempo, and guitar sound • Lock or manually override individual chords in the progression • Choose from open chords, barre chords, triads, or power chords • Add sevenths, suspended, and add9 chords for more flavor • Explore new voicings and chord combinations Practice Tools • Play along with interactive chord diagrams in real time • Use the Triad Trainer view to explore every triad inversion, play along in time, and see how they connect across the fretboard • Learn moveable arpeggios across the fretboard with built in playback and tempo controls • Customize rhythm, groove, tempo, and playback controls • Solo over progressions with matching scale diagrams • Practice timing, chord changes, and improvisation all in one place • Use portrait or landscape orientation • Left-handed diagram support Scales & Fretboard • Explore matching mode and pentatonic scale diagrams • View intervals, notes, and finger position labels • Interval and modal flavor note color options to visualize and emphasize chord tones • Learn scales visually across the fretboard • Move diagrams to your preferred fretboard position • Cycle through different chord shapes and fingerings • See chord interval and shape labels Unlock Pro Features • Unlimited chord progression generation • Triad Trainer view for mastering triads in every root note across the fretboard • Arpeggio trainer mode for learning moveable shapes across the neck • Save, revisit, and share favorite progressions • Sync favorites and preferences across devices • Automatic practice session tracker with stats & streaks • Styles for mood-based progressions • Built-in guitar tuner, includes popular alternate tunings • Full-featured metronome with tap tempo, subdivisions, and additional customizations • Dark mode • Advanced scale tools and individual scale shapes • Additional grooves and rhythm options • Additional 12-string, overdrive, and arpeggiated guitar voices • Default app preference settings Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
SetMate
Organize your music library, practice effectively, and perform with confidence using this comprehensive toolkit for musicians. Import or create chord charts, customize song layouts with various widgets, and utilize practice modes for scales, chords, and more. Seamlessly build setlists and perform on stage with a dedicated full-screen view and hands-free scrolling.
- Import and create chord/lyric charts
- Customizable song layout with widgets
- Practice mode for scales, chords, and tabs
- Setlist builder and full-screen performance view
- Hands-free auto-scroll for lyrics
- Nashville Number System toolkit
- Guitar tab editor
Read full descriptionHide full description
SetMate is the all-in-one guitar toolkit built for gigging musicians. Build setlists, organize chord charts, transpose songs, use Nashville numbers, explore the fretboard, and take everything you need on stage. From learning a song at home to playing it live, SetMate keeps your charts, setlists, tabs, notes, and guitar tools together in one place. SETLISTS & PERFORM MODE Turn every song into a stage-ready workspace with the tools you need while you perform. • Build setlists and arrange songs in any order • Add venue, set time, and performance notes • Set each song's key for the gig — SetMate remembers it as you move through the set • Full-screen stage view for lyrics and chords • Portrait and landscape layouts • Hands-free auto-scroll with adjustable speed • Tap lyrics to pause or resume auto-scroll • One-tap transpose and capo display • Large, stage-friendly controls to move between songs • Screen stays awake throughout your set SONG LIBRARY • Import chords and lyrics or ChordPro • Create and edit chord charts • Edit lyrics, chords, key, BPM, and capo • Transpose any song with one tap • Duplicate songs for alternate arrangements • Browse charts shared by other musicians • Keep your library available offline GUITAR TOOLS Customize each song with the tools you need: • Lyrics & Chords — chords or Nashville numbers above lyrics • Chord Shapes — visualize every chord in the song • Scales — explore 20+ scales and modes across the fretboard • Triads — find diatonic triad shapes across the neck • Nashville Numbers — convert and create number charts • Note Finder — find any note across the fretboard • Guitar Tabs — create tabs for riffs, solos, and parts • Tuner — reference tones for each string • Notes — save cues and performance reminders • Images — attach chord sheets, tabs, or handwritten notes TABS & NASHVILLE NUMBERS • Build tabs or paste existing tablature • Add hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, bends, vibrato, and muted notes • Convert song chords to Nashville numbers instantly • Build number charts with a dedicated keyboard • Save tabs and number charts to your library • Share them with bandmates WORKSHOP Practice without creating a song. Pick any key and explore scales, modes, triads, chord shapes, Nashville numbers, arpeggios, strumming patterns, and fretboard relationships. LEARN 49 interactive guitar lessons designed to help you understand what you're playing — not just memorize shapes. Explore: • Fretboard fundamentals and the major scale • Pentatonic vocabulary • Chord construction and chord tones • Major, minor, sus, diminished, augmented, and 7th chords • Diatonic harmony and chord function • ii–V–I progressions, secondary dominants, and borrowed chords • Rhythm, phrasing, and articulation • Triads, arpeggios, and playing over changes • Modes, improvisation, and tension & release • Group improvisation and building jams Interactive fretboards, chord diagrams, Nashville numbers, arpeggio explorers, and ChordMorph let you see concepts in any key. SHARING & COMMUNITY • Export clean chord charts • Publish charts and share them with a link • Browse charts shared by other musicians • Share tabs and Nashville charts with bandmates SETMATE PRO Unlock unlimited songs and setlists, all 49 lessons, every scale and mode, and cloud sync across your devices. Choose monthly, annual, or lifetime access. SetMate is free to download with up to 3 songs, 2 setlists, and 11 interactive guitar lessons. Build your library. Make the setlist. Hit the stage. Privacy Policy: https://setmateapp.com/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://setmateapp.com/terms.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: StrumForge at free against SetMate's free with in-app purchases. StrumForge also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (50 vs 1). On price, rating, 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. StrumForge sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and SetMate sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for StrumForge against 5.0 for SetMate. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StrumForge has 50 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
StrumForge ships an update every 2 days, SetMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | StrumForge | SetMate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (50 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 50 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Adam Spain | Noah Davison |
Customer experience
StrumForge
SetMate
In-app purchases
StrumForge
- StrumForge Pro Weekly7 Days trial$2.997 Days
- StrumForge Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- StrumForge Pro Annual$24.991 Year
- Lifetime Pro$49.99
SetMate
- SetMate: Gig Sheets Pro Monthly14 Days trial$4.991 Month
- SetMate: Gig Sheets Pro Annual14 Days trial$39.991 Year
- SetMate Pro — Lifetime$99.99








