# FretMachine vs ARPJAM Studio

The clearest difference is price: FretMachine at Free against ARPJAM Studio's $12.99. ARPJAM Studio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). On rating, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

FretMachine is free to download; ARPJAM Studio costs $12.99 up front. FretMachine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ARPJAM Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for FretMachine against 5.0 for ARPJAM Studio. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ARPJAM Studio has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

FretMachine ships an update daily, ARPJAM Studio every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FretMachine | ARPJAM Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $12.99 |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretmachine-guitar-sequencer/id6772944355/reviews) | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arpjam-studio/id6775859535/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 2 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 227 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kyuhwa Choi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772944357) | [Takashi Tsunoda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884742586) |

## What reviewers say

### FretMachine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretmachine-guitar-sequencer/id6772944355)

This app allows musicians to sketch guitar parts by placing chords on a fretboard and creating strumming patterns. It offers an intuitive alternative to traditional tab workflows, enabling users to build chord progressions and export ideas as MIDI files for DAWs.

**Highlights:** Fretboard chord input, Strumming pattern sequencer, Chord library with advanced chords, Real-time chord analysis, MIDI export for DAWs, Timeline arrangement

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Unlock | $9.99 | one-time |


### ARPJAM Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arpjam-studio/id6775859535)

This app offers a generative synthesizer experience focused on sound design without requiring keyboard skills. It allows users to shape waveforms, filters, and effects in real-time as music plays, offering a unique approach to music creation for those who enjoy sound sculpting.

**Highlights:** Generative arpeggios with multiple waveforms, Probability-based drum generation, Chord progression locking, Real-time XY pad parameter control, Assignable LFOs for dynamic sound shaping, Play pad for layering live input, Preset saving and sharing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FretMachine free?

FretMachine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ARPJAM Studio free?

ARPJAM Studio costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, FretMachine or ARPJAM Studio?

FretMachine and ARPJAM Studio are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do FretMachine or ARPJAM Studio have ads?

Neither FretMachine nor ARPJAM Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FretMachine or ARPJAM Studio?

FretMachine ships an update daily, and ARPJAM Studio every 2 days. Most recently, FretMachine was updated on September 23, 2026 and ARPJAM Studio on October 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*