Comparison

Fretboard Sessions vs Guitar Codex

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

Head to head
About

Fretboard Sessions

Visualize chord tones and scales on a guitar fretboard in various keys and tunings. Practice soloing and phrasing over a library of high-quality backing tracks that adapt to the music.

Highlights
  • Fretboard visualization for keys, scales, and chord tones
  • Customizable tunings and string focus
  • Library of high-quality backing tracks
  • Dynamic fretboard updates with backing tracks
  • Practice exercises for scales and arpeggios
  • Randomize backing tracks and exercises
  • One-time purchase for all content
Features
Read full description

Visualize chord tones and scales in different keys and tunings, and practice phrasing or soloing over a growing library of high-quality backing tracks. Fretboard Sessions is a companion app for guitarists focused on taking their playing to the next level, whether they are working with a teacher, taking a course, or studying on their own. Easily Visualize the Fretboard Instead of having to go through pages of charts and diagrams, you can quickly configure the fretboard to show you exactly what you want. Select a key, show chord tones, scales, or both, and choose to show notes or degrees on the fretboard. You can select from different tunings and even focus the fretboard on specific strings or scale degrees. Play Along With Backing Tracks
To help you get better at melodic phrasing and soloing, Fretboard Sessions comes with a library of high-quality backing tracks. There are single-chord grooves, two-chord vamps, common progressions, and more complex backing tracks with extended and non-diatonic chords. The fretboard automatically changes as the backing track plays, making it easy for you to try out different melodies and licks. Each backing track is available in all 12 keys. Practice With Exercises
When you want to review your scales, arpeggios, triads, or intervals, simply select an exercise from the Fretboard Sessions library. Each exercise has a specific focus; for example, there are separate exercises for each of the CAGED shapes. Exercises are also available in all 12 keys. Randomize Your Routine When it comes time to practice or just noodle around, it’s easy to get stuck in the rut. Touch the shuffle button or shake your iPhone to get a random backing track or exercise. You can shuffle between favorites and even get the backing track or exercise in a random key. Support Fretboard Sessions I created Fretboard Sessions to help me visualize the fretboard in different ways, practice over a variety of backing tracks, and use it as a reference when creating my own music. Fretboard Sessions is helping me become a better player, which is why I want to share it with others. All the app functions, along with a set of backing tracks and exercises, are completely free. For a single one-time purchase, you can unlock all current and future backing tracks and exercises. Your purchase will help support continued development of Fretboard Sessions . Thanks in advance! Feedback Appreciated The app is a work in progress, and I'm still learning, so if you have ideas for making it better, you can provide feedback right from within the app. Also, if Fretboard Sessions is helping you become a better player, consider submitting a review on the App Store.

About

Guitar Codex

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for guitarists of all levels, from beginners to experienced players. It includes a tuner, metronome, interactive chord and scale libraries, and a structured 140-lesson course covering theory, technique, and songwriting.

Highlights
  • Chromatic tuner with multiple presets
  • Metronome with tap tempo
  • Interactive circle of fifths
  • Extensive chord and scale libraries
  • 140 structured lessons
  • Fretboard diagrams with color-coded notes
Features
Read full description

Guitar Codex is the app you reach for every time you pick up a guitar. Find a chord, run a scale, tune up, or sit down for a proper lesson. It works for total beginners and for players twenty years in. THE TOOLS - Chord Finder: tap the frets on a blank fretboard and watch the chord names appear. Play a shape you can't name and find out what it is, or build a chord note by note and see how it's made. - Chromatic tuner with a smooth needle and presets for Standard, Drop D, Open G, DADGAD, and more. Reference pitch is adjustable from 432 to 445 Hz. - Metronome with tap tempo, time signatures, and a visual beat indicator. - An interactive circle of fifths: tap any key and see its seven chords, its key signature, and its relative key. THE LIBRARIES Every chord, scale, arpeggio, and triad renders on the same big, high-contrast fretboard diagram, with each note color-coded by its job in the shape: root, 3rd, 5th, and so on. You learn why a shape works, not just where your fingers go. - Chords: every common type and voicing, with CAGED positions up the whole neck - Scales: five boxes per scale, a full-neck view, and advice on when to use each one - Triads: three string sets, three inversions each, all on one page - Arpeggios: chord tones mapped across the neck for every quality THE COURSE 140 lessons in 12 modules take you from holding the guitar for the first time through chords, scales, theory, the CAGED system, progressions, modes, songwriting, technique, genre studies, and fretboard and ear mastery. Lessons teach with diagrams and real songs, and every one ends with a short Try It exercise you can do with the guitar in your hands. All of Module 1 is free. PAY ONCE, OWN IT FOREVER Guitar Codex has no subscription and never will. The free version includes the Chord Finder, the full tuner, the metronome, and a real taste of everything else. Two optional one-time purchases unlock the rest: Pro, the complete reference toolkit, and Complete, which adds all 140 lessons plus every lesson added in the future. Buy it once and it is yours for good.

Screenshots

Fretboard Sessions4 screens
Guitar Codex4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Guitar Codex at 3 against Fretboard Sessions's 1. Guitar Codex also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Fretboard Sessions sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Guitar Codex sells 3 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 Fretboard Sessions against 5.0 for Guitar Codex. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Fretboard Sessions versus Guitar Codex: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretboard SessionsGuitar Codex
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings23 — better
Update frequency—Every 2 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFretboard Buddy LLCCampCheck Interactive LLC

Customer experience

Fretboard Sessions

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Guitar Codex

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Fretboard Sessions

One-time1
  • All Backing Tracks and Exercises$1.99
3 purchases

Guitar Codex

One-time3
  • Guitar Codex Pro$9.99
  • Pro to Complete Upgrade$9.99
  • Guitar Codex Complete$19.99

Questions

Is Fretboard Sessions free?
Fretboard Sessions is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Guitar Codex free?
Guitar Codex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Fretboard Sessions or Guitar Codex?
Fretboard Sessions and Guitar Codex are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do Fretboard Sessions or Guitar Codex have ads?
Neither Fretboard Sessions nor Guitar Codex shows ads.

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