Comparison

FretTools vs Visual Metronome

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

Head to head
About

FretTools

This app offers a precision tuner, an extensive chord library with interactive playback, and a gear tracker for instruments and equipment. It's designed for musicians to streamline their practice and documentation needs.

Highlights
  • Real-time chromatic tuner for multiple instruments
  • 2,500+ chords with 3,200+ voicings
  • Interactive chord playback
  • Instrument and equipment gear tracking
  • Maintenance logging and PDF export
  • Offline functionality
Read full description

FretTools Gear Tracker. String Diagnostics. Tuner. Chord Library. GEAR TRACKER Your gear documented and accessible when it matters. • Track guitars, basses, amps, pedals, and more • Store serial numbers, specs, purchase details, values, and notes • Attach photos to each item • Record string changes with brand, model, gauge, and date • Log maintenance, repairs, setups, and modifications • Export a formatted PDF with gear details for insurance or resale STRING DIAGNOSTICS Know what's happening inside your strings, not just what note they're on. FretTools analyzes six harmonics in real time using phase-shift detection — the same moment you'd normally just tune to also tells you whether a string is going dead, sitting out of intonation, or due for a change. • String Health evaluates tuning stability and harmonic agreement • Intonation analysis helps reveal possible setup inconsistencies • Harmonic Lanes for detailed pitch analysis • Save diagnostic history to a selected instrument • Compare readings across the life of the current string set • Start a new session when you log a string change String Diagnostics is a Pro feature. It runs on the same pitch engine as the free tuner below, but it's a separate capability — most tuners tell you a note. None of them tell you your string is dying. String Diagnostics provide guidance and do not replace a full instrument inspection or professional setup. TUNER — FREE. ALWAYS. Responsive, accurate tuning for guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, violin, and more. • Real-time note and cents display • Strobe-inspired ring for clear sharp/flat feedback • Instrument-specific tuning presets CHORD LIBRARY Find chords quickly across multiple guitar tunings, ukulele, and mandolin. • 2,500+ chords with 3,200+ voicings • Clean diagrams with finger positions • Open chords, barre chords, inversions, and alternate voicings • Slash chords with alternate bass notes • Browse by root, chord type, category, or key • Diatonic chords grouped by harmonic function • Play full chord strums • Tap individual notes to hear them in isolation WHY FRETTOOLS • Four practical tools in one app • Works offline • No account required to get started • Clean, focused interface • Built for working musicians and hobbyists alike FREE → PRO The Tuner is unlimited and always free. Upgrade to Pro for: String Diagnostics • String Health and intonation analysis • Harmonic Lanes for detailed pitch analysis • Diagnostic history, saved and compared per instrument Gear • Unlimited gear items • Up to 8 photos per item • Maintenance and string-change tracking • PDF export Chords • Additional voicings and inversions • Slash chords • Full key-based browsing Additional • Removes ads THE BOTTOM LINE Track your gear. Know when your strings need attention. Find the chords you need. Privacy Policy: https://frettools.com/privacy Terms & EULA: https://frettools.com/terms

About

Visual Metronome

Features
Read full description

See the beat while you practice. Visual Metronome pairs a clear tempo control with 19 animated rhythm scenes, from a classic pendulum to ripples, rings and a pulse orb. PRACTICE AT YOUR PACE Set a tempo from 30 to 300 BPM using the tempo ruler, plus and minus controls, direct number entry, or tap tempo. Choose 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 or 6/8, with quarter notes, eighths, triplets or sixteenths. MAKE THE BEAT YOURS Choose a click sound, adjust volume, and set individual beats to normal, accented or silent. Build a rhythm in the multi-track pattern editor. Mute the click while keeping the visual beat, or enable a haptic pulse on supported devices. BUILD A PRACTICE ROUTINE Use the tempo trainer to move toward a target BPM and the gap trainer to alternate audible and silent bars. Save tempo, meter, accents and sound as presets for your next session. FOCUS ON THE RHYTHM Open a visualizer fullscreen and keep the display awake during playback. Adjust audio delay compensation for your listening setup. No account is required. Settings and presets are stored on your device.

Screenshots

FretTools4 screens
Visual Metronome4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Visual Metronome at none against FretTools's 3. Visual Metronome also leads on device support (3 vs 1). FretTools's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads 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. FretTools sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Visual Metronome asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FretTools ships an update every 6 days, Visual Metronome every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
FretTools versus Visual Metronome: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretToolsVisual Metronome
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (8 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB29 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperwebLuthier, LLCMinhyung Kim

In-app purchases

3 purchases

FretTools

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Pro7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$49.99
None

Visual Metronome

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FretTools free?
FretTools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Visual Metronome free?
Visual Metronome is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FretTools or Visual Metronome have ads?
Neither FretTools nor Visual Metronome shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FretTools or Visual Metronome?
FretTools ships an update every 6 days, and Visual Metronome every 2 weeks. Most recently, FretTools was updated on October 14, 2026 and Visual Metronome on October 12, 2026.

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