Chords Explorer vs ChordPond
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
ChordPond
This music creation tool lets you visualize chord progressions as paths on a canvas. Connect chord tiles, experiment with various modes, and instantly hear your compositions through a built-in synth or by routing MIDI to other instruments and DAWs.
- Visual chord tiles on a freeform canvas
- Built-in AUv3 Synth
- Load and play AUv3 instruments
- Scale-aware chords and inversions
- Chord modes (Hold, Stutter, Arp, etc.)
- Scene Automation for song arrangements
- MIDI export and Ableton Link sync
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CHORDPOND - Visual Chord-Tile Sequencer CHORDPOND is a visual MIDI composition tool for iPad and iPhone where chord progressions become paths through chord tiles. Drop chords onto a canvas, connect them with paths, hit play, and hear them instantly through the built-in Frog Synth - or route MIDI to your favorite AUv3 instruments, external synths, or DAW. Built for songwriters, producers, performers, and curious explorers, ChordPond turns harmony into something you can see, touch, and rearrange in seconds. Key Features: - Visual chord tiles on a freeform canvas - Built-in AUv3 Synth for instant sound - Load and play AUv3 instruments directly inside ChordPond - Scale-aware chords, tensions, inversions, and bass control - Hold, Stutter, Arp, Roll, Motif, and Random chord modes - Draw paths between chords with per-node duration, gate, and ratchet settings - Scene Automation for building complete song arrangements - Multiple scenes per project - 20+ scales including modal, jazz, world, and experimental scales - Per-note probability, velocity, micro-timing, and ratchets - MIDI export - Ableton Link sync - AUv3 MIDI plugin for Logic Pro, AUM, Cubasis, Loopy Pro, and more - CoreMIDI support for external instruments - Shared projects between standalone and AUv3 versions - Designed for iPhone, iPad, and Mac (Catalyst) Designed for ideas. Built for progression.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Chords Explorer at Free against ChordPond's $3.99. Chords Explorer also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). ChordPond's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
Chords Explorer is free to download; ChordPond costs $3.99 up front. Chords Explorer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ChordPond asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Chords Explorer against 4.9 for ChordPond. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 7 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Chords Explorer's written reviews are positive against 67% of ChordPond's.
Chords Explorer ships an update weekly, ChordPond every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chords Explorer | ChordPond |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (7 ratings) — better | 4.9 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 7 | 7 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 10 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 49 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Loup Vuarnesson | Steffen Mølgaard Larsen |
Customer experience
Chords Explorer
ChordPond
In-app purchases
Chords Explorer
- Unlock Exports2 variants$2.99
ChordPond
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Chords Explorer free?
Is ChordPond free?
Which has better reviews, Chords Explorer or ChordPond?
Do Chords Explorer or ChordPond have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chords Explorer or ChordPond?
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