Comparison

Cadence Chords vs Guitar Codex

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

Head to head
About

Cadence Chords

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Cadence trains your musical ear. Learn to recognise, name and play back chords in short, addictive practice rounds that make you a little better every day. Whether you're just starting with music theory or sharpening skills you already have, Cadence builds the ability that matters most: hearing and understanding chords. PRACTICE MODES • By ear — hear a chord and name its root and quality. • By sight — watch the keys light up on the keyboard and identify the chord. • Root key — listen to a chord progression with a groove and work out the key. (Premium) • Play back — replay the chord you're shown using your microphone or the on-screen keyboard. (Premium) PIANO AND GUITAR Pick your instrument. Cadence plays real piano and guitar sounds and shows the correct shape on the keyboard or guitar diagram. AT YOUR LEVEL Choose which chord qualities you practise and whether sharps and flats appear. From simple major/minor to seventh and extended chords — you set the difficulty. STAY MOTIVATED Keep a daily streak going, earn XP for every correct answer and watch yourself improve. Set a daily reminder to turn practice into a habit. FREE & PREMIUM Practise every day for free. Cadence Premium (€4.99/month) removes the daily limit, unlocks every practice mode, removes ads, and gives you access to all upcoming features. New practice modes are always on the way. Start training today and build an ear you can rely on. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Guitar Codex

This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for guitarists of all levels, from beginners to experienced players. It includes a tuner, metronome, interactive chord and scale libraries, and a structured 140-lesson course covering theory, technique, and songwriting.

Highlights
  • Chromatic tuner with multiple presets
  • Metronome with tap tempo
  • Interactive circle of fifths
  • Extensive chord and scale libraries
  • 140 structured lessons
  • Fretboard diagrams with color-coded notes
Features
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Guitar Codex is the app you reach for every time you pick up a guitar. Find a chord, run a scale, tune up, or sit down for a proper lesson. It works for total beginners and for players twenty years in. THE TOOLS Chord Finder: tap the frets on a blank fretboard and watch the chord names appear. Play a shape you can’t name and find out what it is, or build a chord note by note and see how it’s made. Note Map: every note on the neck, lit up by octave. Pick a note and see every place it lives, then open a tip and watch the octave pattern drawn right on the fretboard. Chromatic tuner with a smooth needle and presets for Standard, Drop D, Open G, DADGAD, and more. Reference pitch is adjustable from 432 to 445 Hz. Metronome with tap tempo, time signatures, and a visual beat indicator. An interactive circle of fifths: tap any key and see its seven chords, its key signature, and its relative key. THE LIBRARIES Every chord, scale, arpeggio, and triad renders on the same big, high-contrast fretboard diagram, with each note color-coded by its job in the shape: root, 3rd, 5th, and so on. You learn why a shape works, not just where your fingers go. Chords: every common type and voicing, with CAGED positions up the whole neck Scales: five boxes per scale, a full-neck view, and advice on when to use each one Triads: three string sets, three inversions each, all on one page Arpeggios: chord tones mapped across the neck for every quality THE COURSE 140 lessons in 12 modules take you from holding the guitar for the first time through chords, scales, theory, the CAGED system, progressions, modes, songwriting, technique, genre studies, and fretboard and ear mastery. Lessons teach with diagrams and real songs, and they’re written to be read with the guitar in your hands. All of Module 1 is free. Guitar Codex has no subscription and never will. The free version includes the Chord Finder, the Note Map, the full tuner, the metronome, and a real taste of everything else. Two optional one-time purchases unlock the rest: Pro, the complete reference toolkit, and Complete, which adds all 140 lessons plus every lesson added in the future. Buy it once and it is yours for good.

Screenshots

Cadence Chords4 screens
Guitar Codex4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Guitar Codex at none against Cadence Chords's shown. On price, update cadence, 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. Cadence Chords sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month and Guitar Codex sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cadence Chords ships an update every 5 days, Guitar Codex weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Cadence Chords versus Guitar Codex: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCadence ChordsGuitar Codex
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLich SoftwareCampCheck Interactive LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cadence Chords

Subscriptions1
  • Cadence Chords Premium$3.991 Month
3 purchases

Guitar Codex

One-time3
  • Guitar Codex Pro$9.99
  • Pro to Complete Upgrade$9.99
  • Guitar Codex Complete$19.99

Questions

Is Cadence Chords free?
Cadence Chords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Guitar Codex free?
Guitar Codex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cadence Chords or Guitar Codex have ads?
Cadence Chords shows ads; Guitar Codex does not.
Which is updated more often, Cadence Chords or Guitar Codex?
Cadence Chords ships an update every 5 days, and Guitar Codex weekly. Most recently, Cadence Chords was updated on November 5, 2026 and Guitar Codex on November 6, 2026.

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