Comparison

FretMachine vs Reel2

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Fretboard chord input
  • Strumming pattern sequencer
  • Chord library with advanced chords
  • Real-time chord analysis
  • MIDI export for DAWs
  • Timeline arrangement
Read full description

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.

About

Reel2

This audio effect app adds warm, musical echoes to your music using tape delay emulation. Shape your repeats with controls for saturation, tone, and tape age, and choose from free-time, tap tempo, or host sync modes. Save your favorite echo settings with custom presets.

Highlights
  • AUv3 effect for compatible hosts
  • Free-time, tap-tempo, and host-tempo modes
  • Tape age, tone, saturation, wow and flutter
  • Stereo width and dry/wet mix
  • Factory and user presets
  • Saturated self-oscillation feedback
Features
Read full description

Reel2 is a characterful AUv3 tape delay for iPhone and iPad. Add warm, musical echoes inside compatible Audio Unit hosts, then shape the repeats with tape-inspired controls for saturation, tone, age, wow and flutter, feedback, width, and dry/wet mix. Use free-time mode for manual delay times, tap tempo when you want to play the delay in by feel, or host sync when your session tempo should drive the repeats. Factory presets make it quick to start, and user presets let you save your own favorite echo settings. Reel2 includes a five-minute trial for audio processing. The Full Version unlock is a one-time non-consumable in-app purchase. Features: - AUv3 effect for compatible hosts - Free-time, tap-tempo, and host-tempo modes - Natural feedback through saturated self-oscillation - Tape age, tone, saturation, wow and flutter - Stereo width and equal-power dry/wet mix - Factory presets and saveable user presets - One-time Full Version unlock with restore support

Screenshots

FretMachine4 screens
Reel21 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: FretMachine at free against Reel2's free with in-app purchases. FretMachine also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ratings volume 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FretMachine sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Reel2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 FretMachine against 5.0 for Reel2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
FretMachine versus Reel2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFretMachineReel2
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyDaily—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size227 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKyuhwa ChoiJoshua David Aquino

Customer experience

FretMachine

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Reel2

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

FretMachine

One-time1
  • Pro Unlock$4.99
1 purchases

Reel2

One-time1
  • Reel2 Full$1.99

Questions

Is FretMachine free?
FretMachine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Reel2 free?
Reel2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FretMachine or Reel2?
FretMachine and Reel2 are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do FretMachine or Reel2 have ads?
Neither FretMachine nor Reel2 shows ads.

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