FretMachine vs NuSaw
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FretMachine
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.
- Fretboard chord input
- Strumming pattern sequencer
- Chord library with advanced chords
- Real-time chord analysis
- MIDI export for DAWs
- Timeline arrangement
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Place chords on the fretboard. Sketch guitar parts with strumming patterns. FretMachine is a guitar chord and strumming sequencer for musicians, producers, songwriters, and DAW users. Unlike traditional tab-based workflows, FretMachine provides a more intuitive way to create guitar parts. Place chords on a fretboard-style interface, create strumming patterns in the rhythm sequencer, and arrange your ideas on the timeline. When you place notes on the fretboard, FretMachine analyzes the shape in real time and shows you the chord name. You can also choose chords directly from the chord library and quickly build chord progressions. Once your chords are ready, create strumming patterns on the rhythm grid, arrange them on the timeline, and export your ideas as MIDI files for further production in your DAW. KEY FEATURES • Strum-Based Sequencing Create guitar ideas around chords and strumming rhythms instead of entering notes one by one. • Pattern-Based Sequencer Arrange strumming and rhythm patterns freely on the timeline to structure your song ideas. • Chord Library Supports Basic Triads, 7th chords, tension chords such as 9th/11th/13th, sus/add chords, Altered chords, and a variety of guitar voicings. • Reverse Chord Finder Place notes on the fretboard and see the chord name analyzed in real time. • Fretboard Input Enter and sequence chord shapes while viewing a visual guitar fretboard interface. • Rhythm & Strumming Pattern Editor Design strumming rhythms on a grid using downstrokes and upstrokes. • MIDI Export Export completed guitar parts as MIDI files and bring them into your DAW. FretMachine helps you quickly build guitar-focused ideas, from chord sketches to pattern-based song drafts.
NuSaw
Create massive, detuned '90s dance sounds with this polyphonic synthesizer. Features a stack of sawtooth oscillators, a resonant filter, and a full effects chain. Generate dynamic patches with LFOs, a modulation matrix, and an arpeggiator.
- Polyphonic SuperSaw engine
- Detuned sawtooth oscillators
- Resonant low-pass filter
- Full effects chain (chorus, delay, reverb, drive)
- Multiple LFOs and modulation matrix
- Sequenced gate and arpeggiator
- AUv3 plugin and standalone app
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NuSaw is a polyphonic SuperSaw synthesizer: the huge, detuned '90s dance sound, built for accuracy and tuned to fill the room. At its heart is a stack of 3 to 25 detuned sawtooth oscillators with a sine sub, a resonant lowpass filter, and dual ADSR envelopes for amp and filter. On top sits a full effects chain: an accurately modeled chorus, a tempo-syncable stereo ping-pong delay, plate reverb, and drive. Motion is built in: three LFOs, a flexible modulation matrix, a sequenced gate, and an arpeggiator, so patches breathe, wobble, all on their own. • 50+ factory presets: leads, basses, stabs, pads, strings, arps, and keys • Authentically modeled SuperSaw engine with accurate drift and stereo spread • FX rack with authentic chorus + ping-pong delay + reverb + drive • 3 LFOs, mod matrix, sequenced gate, and arpeggiator • Resonant switchable filter, with slope control and key tracking • Save and share your own patches • AUv3 plug-in for AUM, Logic, GarageBand, Cubasis, and more, plus a full standalone app with an on-screen keyboard Whether you're chasing a festival trance lead, a snarling Reese bass, or a wide evolving pad, NuSaw gets you there fast. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Roland Corporation. Roland, JP-8000 and JP-8080 are trademarks of Roland Corporation, used for reference only.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: FretMachine at Free against NuSaw's $6.99. NuSaw's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
FretMachine is free to download; NuSaw costs $6.99 up front. FretMachine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NuSaw 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 NuSaw. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.
FretMachine ships an update daily, NuSaw every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on August 25, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FretMachine | NuSaw |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $6.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Every 2 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 227 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kyuhwa Choi | Charles Vestal |
Customer experience
FretMachine
NuSaw
In-app purchases
FretMachine
- Pro Unlock$9.99
NuSaw
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FretMachine free?
Is NuSaw free?
Which has better reviews, FretMachine or NuSaw?
Do FretMachine or NuSaw have ads?
Which is updated more often, FretMachine or NuSaw?
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