# FretMachine vs PocketTone

The clearest difference is rating: FretMachine at 5.0 against PocketTone's 2.0. FretMachine also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 2 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FretMachine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PocketTone sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

FretMachine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

FretMachine ships an update daily, PocketTone every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FretMachine | PocketTone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretmachine-guitar-sequencer/id6772944355/reviews)** | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pockettone-retro-synth/id6777734137/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 227 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kyuhwa Choi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772944357) | [Chih Han Lin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1800248325) |

## 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 | $4.99 | one-time |


### PocketTone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pockettone-retro-synth/id6777734137)

This app recreates the experience of a hand-drawn, retro pocket synthesizer. It features a vintage LCD display, slide switches, and chunky buttons, allowing users to play various retro voices, program custom sounds, and jam along to built-in rhythms. Users can also record and share their musical creations.

**Highlights:** Five retro voices (Piano, Flute, Violin, Fantasy, Guitar), Program custom synth voices, Ten built-in rhythms, Sound shaping controls (octave, volume, balance), Tape-style Delay and lo-fi Crush effects, Record and share audio, Melody memory (Auto-Play, One-Key play)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PocketTone Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FretMachine free?

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

### Is PocketTone free?

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

### Which has better reviews, FretMachine or PocketTone?

FretMachine is rated higher. FretMachine averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while PocketTone averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do FretMachine or PocketTone have ads?

Neither FretMachine nor PocketTone shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FretMachine or PocketTone?

FretMachine ships an update daily, and PocketTone every 2 months. Most recently, FretMachine was updated on November 5, 2026 and PocketTone on October 31, 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.*