ChordPolyPad vs ChordUp
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ChordPolyPad
This app is a versatile MIDI chord player that allows users to create and play complex chord sets. It offers extensive customization for pads, MIDI controls, and chord generation, functioning as a standalone app or an AUv3 MIDI effect plugin.
- Standalone app and AUv3 MIDI effect plugin
- 128 pads per preset
- Customizable X/Y MIDI controllers
- Advanced random chord generator
- Internal and external MIDI support
- Chord filtering and quantizing
- Preset manager with in-app purchases
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"ChordPolyPad" is a MIDI chords player that lets you create chord sets using a large internal library, any custom combination of notes, or randomly generated chords. Each preset contains either 8 groups of 16 pads or 2 groups of 64 pads, for a total of 128 pads. In addition to playing chords, each pad can generate customizable MIDI controls on its horizontal and vertical axes, allowing expressive real-time modulation. "ChordPolyPad" can be used as a standalone application or as an AUv3 MIDI effect plug-in. The app supports full internal and external MIDI input and output. An internal sound bank is included for immediate use. The AUv3 MIDI effect plug-in supports multiple instances. A compatible host is required and must support the Audio Unit v3 (AUv3) MIDI effect format. Hosts supporting AUv3 MIDI effect on iOS: Logic Pro, Cubasis, Beatmaker, AUM, Audiobus, NanoStudio, Auria Pro, apeMatrix. Hosts supporting AUv3 MIDI effect on macOS: Logic Pro 10.7 or later. Features: • Standalone application and AUv3 MIDI effect plug-in • 8 groups of 16 pads or 2 groups of 64 pads per preset (128 pads) • Assignable MIDI port and MIDI channel for each pad • Customizable X/Y controller per pad • Per-note velocity control for each chord • Strumming configuration per pad • Copy and paste for pads and groups • Drag and drop chords directly from the library • Chord filtering and quantizing based on the selected scale • Predefined scales and possibility to create custom scales • Advanced random chord generator with diverse musical moods featuring voice leading and context-aware harmonic progressions for naturally flowing compositions • Stop "Audio Background" automatically after inactivity (15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, or never) • Internal sound bank • Receive MIDI notes and control from external devices • Send MIDI to a virtual port usable as MIDI input by other "Core MIDI" compatible apps • Preset manager with support for in-app purchase packs • "Program Change" support • Preset sharing support by "AirDrop", "Mail", "Messages", and other supported services • Native iCloud support • "iCloud Drive" support in the "Files" app on iOS and "Finder" on macOS • Full support for "Windowed Apps" mode on iPad • Undo/Redo Supported MIDI connections: • Virtual "Core MIDI" connections between apps • Any compatible MIDI interface • MIDI over Wi-Fi • MIDI over Bluetooth
ChordUp
This app is a musical instrument and MIDI controller that lets you play common chords instantly with a single touch. It offers multiple playing surfaces for chords, single notes, or strumming, and can control other music apps on the same or different devices.
- Instant chord selection with single touch
- Play full chords, single notes, or strum
- Control other music apps via MIDI
- 108 available chords
- 10 embedded instruments
- Smart sustain and chord locking
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ChordUp is a musical instrument and MIDI controller that allows you to play almost any common chord instantly. No need to configure presets for each song. Just grab ChordUp and start playing. SELECT CHORDS WITH A SINGLE TOUCH Unique chord selector allows you to play any available chord instantly. You don't need to make any pre-configurations or presets. Just tap on the key button and slide your finger to the required chord type. With a little practice you will be able to select any chord in a fraction of a second. PLAY FULL CHORDS, SINGLE NOTES OR STRUM Three playing surfaces allows you to easily play any rhythm pattern: full chords, bass and chord, strumming or arpeggios. CONTROL OTHER APPS ON THE SAME DEVICE You can use ChordUp to control your favourite soft or hard synthesizer through Core MIDI connection or though Audiobus 3 MIDI ports. CONTROL APPS ON ANOTHER IOS DEVICE OR YOUR MAC ChordUp can send MIDI notes to another iOS device through a Bluetooth MIDI connection. If you want to control an App running on your Mac you can connect through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB. FEATURES • 108 available chords (9 chord types for each of the 12 notes). • 10 embedded instruments: Acoustic Piano, Electric Piano, Guitar, Organ, Accordion, Vibraphone, Strings, 3 synth sounds. • 12 pads surface (for piano like parts) • 6 strings surface (for guitar strumming, power chords and arpeggios) • Expression pad surface (allows to play full chords and control an expression parameter at the same time) • Smart sustain. With the sustain enabled, when you switch chords, only the notes of the current chord that don't belong to the next chord are muted. • Octave transposition. • Chord locking. You can lock one chord type for a chord button. • Buttons size adjustment on iPad. • CoreMIDI support. • Audiobus support (Audio sender port, MIDI sender port)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: ChordUp at $5.99 against ChordPolyPad's $17.99. ChordUp also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On rating, review sentiment, 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
ChordPolyPad costs $17.99 and ChordUp $5.99 up front. ChordPolyPad sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. ChordUp asks for nothing beyond the download.
ChordPolyPad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 50 and 41 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 92% of ChordPolyPad's written reviews are positive against 94% of ChordUp's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ChordPolyPad ships an update every 2 months, ChordUp every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChordPolyPad | ChordUp |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $17.99 | $5.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (50 ratings) — better | 4.4 (41 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 92.1% of reviews | 94.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 50 — better | 41 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Laurent Colson | Dmitrii Klochkov |
Customer experience
ChordPolyPad
ChordUp
In-app purchases
ChordPolyPad
- Retro Pop$4.99
- Clubwave$4.99
- Liminal Spaces$4.99
ChordUp
No in-app purchases









