Comparison

Scalewise vs KnowYourNeck

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

Head to head
About

Scalewise

Features
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Scalewise puts every guitar scale on your fretboard — clean, clear, and instantly interactive. Pick any scale (pentatonic, major, minor, modes, and more), select your key, and choose your tuning. Scalewise maps every note across all six strings so you can see exactly where to play. LIVE NOTE DETECTION Use your microphone to detect the notes you're playing in real time. Notes light up on the fretboard as you play, showing exactly how your playing maps to the scale. ANY SCALE, ANY KEY, ANY TUNING Standard, drop D, open G — Scalewise handles dozens of common and alternate tunings. Switch keys and scales in seconds. Perfect for songwriting, improvising, or learning the neck. SCALE POSITIONS View scales in individual positions or see the full map across every position at once. Build muscle memory and learn the whole fretboard. PRINT YOUR SCALES Print the current scale directly from the app — handy for practice sheets and lesson prep. (Included in the full purchased version.) AD-FREE OPTION Remove ads with a one-time purchase and enjoy Scalewise without interruption, forever.

About

KnowYourNeck

Explore the interconnectedness of musical scales and arpeggios on a guitar fretboard. Visualize chord tones, target notes, and practice with visual overlays for backing tracks. Offers tools for learning intervals, scales, and chords, with advanced features for Pro users.

Highlights
  • Overlay multiple arpeggios
  • Identify target notes between chords
  • Play along with visual fretboard overlay
  • Visualize intervals and scales
  • Display chord voicings and inversions
  • Real-time pitch detection
Features
Read full description

Most guitar apps show you one scale or arpeggio at a time. KnowYourNeck shows you how everything connects. WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT • Multi Arp — Overlay up to three arpeggios simultaneously. See the chord tones for an entire progression on the neck at once, so you can practice connecting lines and navigating changes instead of just memorizing isolated shapes. • Target Notes — Identify which notes are safe landing points between chord changes. Overlaying a scale against an arpeggio shows you exactly which degrees work as target notes when you land on a new chord — the key to sounding musical instead of mechanical. • Play Along with Visual Overlay — Practice with backing tracks while the fretboard changes with every chord in your progression. A preview shows the upcoming scale or arpeggio before the change hits, so you can prepare your line in advance. Available in Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk, Bossa, and Drone styles. EVERYTHING ELSE YOU GET • Intervals — Visualize the distance between any two notes across all six strings. • Scales — Every common scale and mode mapped across the full neck with color-coded degrees. • Chords — Triads, Drop 2, Drop 3, and Shell voicings with every inversion drawn as a grip across the neck. • Lick Builder (Pro) — Tap out note sequences on the fretboard and save your lines. • Quiz Mode (Pro) — Test intervals, chord tones, and scale mastery with detailed accuracy and speed stats. • Pitch Detection — Play a note and the app identifies it on the neck in real time. • Zen Mode — Full-screen fretboard with no chrome, for focused practice. BUILT FOR LEARNING Toggle note names or scale degrees. Switch sharps and flats. Show or hide open strings. Chromatic color mode to spot patterns fast. Whether you're working on your first pentatonic or learning to navigate a jazz progression, KnowYourNeck shows you the neck the way it actually works — as a connected system, not a collection of boxes. Free to explore. Upgrade to Pro for the Lick Builder, Quiz Mode, and Play Along.

Screenshots

Scalewise4 screens
KnowYourNeck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: KnowYourNeck at none against Scalewise's shown. Scalewise's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Scalewise sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and KnowYourNeck sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Scalewise versus KnowYourNeck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScalewiseKnowYourNeck
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequency—Every 11 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB79 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlorian MuellerAdam Rhodes

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Scalewise

One-time1
  • Scalewise Pro$5.99
2 purchases

KnowYourNeck

Subscriptions2
  • KnowYourNeck Pro$4.991 Month
  • KnowYourNeck Pro$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Scalewise free?
Scalewise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is KnowYourNeck free?
KnowYourNeck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Scalewise or KnowYourNeck have ads?
Scalewise shows ads; KnowYourNeck does not.

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