Comparison

Tuning Note vs Drone Wheel

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

Head to head
About

Tuning Note

This app provides a sustained reference tone for a wide range of chromatic pitches, ideal for tuning string instruments by ear. Easily navigate between notes and adjust the reference frequency for precise tuning.

Highlights
  • Sustained reference tones
  • Chromatic pitch selection
  • Real-time tone updates
  • Configurable A4 frequency
  • Navigation by half steps or intervals
  • Light, dark, and system modes
Features
Read full description

Tuning Note plays a sustained reference tone for any chromatic pitch from G3 to A5—the full range of the violin, with headroom above and below. Select a pitch, tap Play, and tune by ear. The tone updates in real time as you navigate, so you can move between notes without stopping and restarting. Features: • Swipe, tap, or use navigation arrows to move between pitches • Configurable A4 reference frequency (415, 440, 442, 444 Hz, or custom) • Tap navigation by half steps or a fixed interval—default is a fifth • Light, dark, and system appearance modes

About

Drone Wheel

Create sustained tones and chords in any key for practice, meditation, or songwriting. Offers a variety of sounds and scales, with a free version and an optional Pro upgrade for more features.

Highlights
  • Hold pure drones in 12 keys
  • Play chords and inversions
  • Deep sound library with synth and instrument tones
  • Lock intonation against reference pitch
  • Set scales and modes
  • Build grooves with beat engine
  • Metronome for timekeeping
Features
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Drone Wheel is a looping studio built on a wheel. Hold a perfectly tuned drone, finger drum a beat, chop a sample, loop your voice, or mix a song. Five decks share one clock, so everything stays in time. • Drone in any key, with chords and scales • Drums with pitch and level on every pad • Chop any sound or video into twelve pads • Loop your mic right on the beat • Mix any song: sync it to your tempo and split out the vocals, drums or bass • Launch clips, mix, add effects, and record the session Your projects sync to your account and across your devices automatically. Free includes the drone, chords, a drum kit, the mic deck, SampleWheel with a starter library, and cloud backup. Pro adds every sound and kit, all scales and modes, your own samples and video, the Pro effects, and recording with export. Drone Wheel Pro: 3 day free trial, then $4.99 a month or $34.99 a year. Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store settings. Questions? support@wheelverseaudio.com Privacy Policy: https://dronewheelprivacy.netlify.app/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tuning Note4 screens
Drone Wheel4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tuning Note at 5.0 against Drone Wheel's 3.7. Tuning Note also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Drone Wheel's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.2). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Drone Wheel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Tuning Note asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tuning Note holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drone Wheel has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tuning Note ships an update every 8 days, Drone Wheel weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Tuning Note versus Drone Wheel: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTuning NoteDrone Wheel
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better3.7 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews—50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.215.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB300 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNATHANIEL GRANITTO SMITHJOSEPH LEE ALLEN

In-app purchases

None

Tuning Note

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Drone Wheel

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly3 Days trial$34.991 Year

Questions

Is Tuning Note free?
Tuning Note is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Drone Wheel free?
Drone Wheel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tuning Note or Drone Wheel?
Tuning Note is rated higher. Tuning Note averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Drone Wheel averages 3.7 from 6 ratings.
Do Tuning Note or Drone Wheel have ads?
Neither Tuning Note nor Drone Wheel shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tuning Note or Drone Wheel?
Tuning Note ships an update every 8 days, and Drone Wheel weekly. Most recently, Tuning Note was updated on October 2, 2026 and Drone Wheel on October 15, 2026.

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