FretMachine vs Reel2
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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
| Parameter | FretMachine | Reel2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Daily | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 227 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kyuhwa Choi | Joshua David Aquino |
Customer experience
FretMachine
Reel2
In-app purchases
FretMachine
- Pro Unlock$4.99
Reel2
- Reel2 Full$1.99
Questions
Is FretMachine free?
Is Reel2 free?
Which has better reviews, FretMachine or Reel2?
Do FretMachine or Reel2 have ads?
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