Comparison

Chords Explorer vs irio pro

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

Head to head
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.

About

irio pro

This app offers a modular effects canvas for musicians, allowing for flexible signal chain routing with studio-grade modules. It supports various instruments and DAWs, featuring advanced amp modeling and modulation capabilities.

Highlights
  • Modular effects canvas
  • Free signal chain routing
  • Studio-grade audio modules
  • Advanced amp modeling (NAM player)
  • Customizable modulation effects
  • AUv3 plugin support
  • Scene and preset switching
Features
Read full description

irio pro is a complete guitar rig / modular effects rig for iPhone, iPad and Apple Silicon Mac, built around a high-end NAM player. Add amps, cabinets, pedals and effects, connect them in any order, and play it all live from the perform page. It is easy to start with and as deep as you need it to be. It runs on its own or as an AUv3 plugin in your DAW, and it works just as well for bass, synths, vocals or any other audio. GUITAR / AMP - NAM (Neural Amp Modeler) player: A2, standard and nano models, one-tap input calibration to your interface, phase switch, dual mono - Cab section with IR loading, noise gate, 3-band EQ, high and low cut - Dual-cab IR blender with alignment scope - Drives and fuzzes - rosa: audio to MIDI converter - Chromatic tuner EFFECTS - 8 delays and 6 reverbs, among them a spring reverb with one to four springs and two classic digital reverbs of the 1980s in one module - Convolution for delays, reverbs and cabs - Chorus, flanger, pitch vibrato, photocell vibe, wah, ring modulator - Pitch shifting - Compressors - Noise gate - Parametric EQ with live analyzer - 8-voice synth - Analog guitar synthesizer after a classic 1980 unit, played from a normal guitar cable ROUTING / ENGINE - Free routing, any order - Multi-channel in and out - Instances limited only by CPU - Live metering on every connection - Patch-wide tempo - Hosts other AUv3 effects - Hosts AUv3 instruments - Block cards, 40+ DSP blocks - Engine blocks as modules on the main canvas - Folders: part of the rig in a card with a canvas, ports, shortcuts and memories of its own - Linked modules: modules of one kind that share every setting, with one badge colour per group - Any one-in one-out module can run as dual mono: a second pair of pins, one set of controls MODULATION - Three modifier types: LFO, envelope follower, hand-drawn LFO - Route a modifier to almost any control - One modifier to many targets, each with its own range - LFO rates and delay times lock to the tempo PERFORM - 8 scenes per preset - Perform page with multiple pad banks - Pads trigger presets, scenes, module memories, stomps, module switches (Stop, Freeze, Kill Dry), A/B, tap tempo, looper and player transport - Pads are momentary or latching, groupable, in 16 colors - Multi-pads: one pad controls several targets - XY pads - 4 assignable knobs - Shortcuts: switches and knobs assignable to any control - MIDI learn on every control - Host automation in AUv3 (AUTO slots) - Saveable perform layouts TOOLS - 4-track looper - Take recorder - Audio file player - Metronome with speed trainer - Whole-system backup - Mirror: a second iPhone or iPad shows and controls the device on your interface, canvas and perform page alike - Share a whole setup between your devices over Wi-Fi - Sync: both devices get every preset, memory and file either one has - Dark or light appearance Free version, no time limit: NAM player, morph drive, gyre mod, irio delay, irio verb, 3-band EQ, noise gate, audio player, metronome, global tempo. Free 5-day trial of everything, once per Apple ID, started when you choose. Pro Complete unlocks all modules. One purchase, no subscription, at any time. More at iriopro.com

Screenshots

Chords Explorer4 screens
irio pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

Chords Explorer and irio pro are too close to call on the numbers: across 10 compared parameters — price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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 and irio pro sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Chords Explorer against 4.9 for irio pro. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 16 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chords Explorer ships an update every 8 days, irio pro every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Chords Explorer versus irio pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChords Exploreririo pro
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better4.9 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings716 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB46 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLoup VuarnessonMads Rohde

Customer experience

Chords Explorer

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

irio pro

All ratings14 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Chords Explorer

One-time1
  • Unlock Exports2 variants$2.99
2 purchases

irio pro

One-time2
  • 5-day TrialFree
  • Pro Complete$29.99

Questions

Is Chords Explorer free?
Chords Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is irio pro free?
irio pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Chords Explorer or irio pro?
Chords Explorer is rated higher. Chords Explorer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while irio pro averages 4.9 from 16 ratings.
Do Chords Explorer or irio pro have ads?
Neither Chords Explorer nor irio pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chords Explorer or irio pro?
Chords Explorer ships an update every 8 days, and irio pro every 5 days. Most recently, Chords Explorer was updated on October 31, 2026 and irio pro on October 31, 2026.

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