# String Ledger vs Bander

The clearest difference is ads: Bander at none against String Ledger's shown. Bander also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). String Ledger's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.5). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. String Ledger sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Bander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bander holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bander has 84 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of String Ledger's written reviews are positive against 78% of Bander's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

String Ledger ships an update fortnightly, Bander every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | String Ledger | Bander |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/string-ledger/id6773358381/reviews) | **[4.8 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bander-jam-anytime/id6785421077/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **84** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 77.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 61 MB | 156 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.5 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Larry Riker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1059278226) | [WT PUBLISHING LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1495728112) |

## What reviewers say

### String Ledger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/string-ledger/id6773358381)

Organize your music instruments and gear with detailed logging, maintenance tracking, and gig list creation. Generate insurance-ready reports and assign beneficiaries for your collection.

**Highlights:** Catalog instruments and gear, Track strings and maintenance, Create gig lists, Generate insurance reports, Assign beneficiaries, Log purchase and current value

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| String Ledger Collector | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly (Loyalty) | $2.99 | per month |
| String Ledger Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Collector Annual | $24.99 | per year |
| Pro Annual (Loyalty) | $29.99 | per year |
| String Ledger Pro Annual | $39.99 | per year |


### Bander

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bander-jam-anytime/id6785421077)

This app transforms solo guitar playing into a dynamic jam session. It listens to your rhythm and feel, joining in organically without a fixed backing track. Explore riffs and rehearse with a responsive virtual bandmate.

**Highlights:** AI-powered bandmate, Listens to rhythm and feel, Follows tempo and dynamics, Organic jam sessions, Solo practice tool

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bander Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Bander Yearly | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is String Ledger free?

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

### Is Bander free?

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

### Which has better reviews, String Ledger or Bander?

Bander is rated higher. String Ledger averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Bander averages 4.8 from 84 ratings.

### Do String Ledger or Bander have ads?

String Ledger shows ads; Bander does not.

### Which is updated more often, String Ledger or Bander?

String Ledger ships an update fortnightly, and Bander every 2 weeks. Most recently, String Ledger was updated on October 15, 2026 and Bander on October 15, 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.*