# FretMachine vs Open

The clearest difference is update cadence: FretMachine at daily against Open's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

FretMachine ships an update daily, Open every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FretMachine | Open |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretmachine-guitar-sequencer/id6772944355/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 227 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kyuhwa Choi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772944357) | [michael Hix](https://appshunter.io/developer/6793281843) |

## 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 |


### Open

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openshape/id6793281841)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Open—Shape Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FretMachine free?

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

### Is Open free?

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

### Do FretMachine or Open have ads?

Neither FretMachine nor Open shows ads.

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

FretMachine ships an update daily, and Open every 3 weeks. Most recently, FretMachine was updated on October 24, 2026 and Open on October 8, 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.*