Comparison

SideBand vs Fiddler Magazine

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

Head to head
About

SideBand

This app helps musicians learn songs by ear. It allows users to slow down music, loop sections, and change the key to match their voice or instrument. Import music from various sources like the Music app or iCloud.

Highlights
  • Adjust tempo
  • Transpose key
  • Change tuning
  • Loop sections
  • Import unprotected music
  • Supports iPhone and iPad
Features
Read full description

Learn tunes by ear - slow down and loop sections of a tune. Change the key to fit your voice or instrument. Import any unprotected music from the Music app, from the iCloud Files application or drag tunes from your desktop. Support for all iPhone screen sizes as well as iPad. Use slide-over while listening to your Music files to quickly import on iPad Use split screen to listen while viewing music • Adjust tempo - change the speed from half-speed to double speed • Transpose - change the key by semi-tones up to an octave higher or lower • Change the tuning - Adjust the pitch of an out-of-tune recording • Import from any other app that can export an audio file - wav, mp3 and AAC files are supported.

About

Fiddler Magazine

This app provides a quarterly digital magazine for fiddle enthusiasts, featuring articles on various styles, tune histories, and transcriptions. It offers subscription options for ongoing access to its educational and entertaining content.

Highlights
  • Quarterly digital issues
  • Articles on various fiddle styles
  • Fiddle tune history
  • Improvisation techniques
  • CD, book, and DVD reviews
  • Tune transcriptions
Features
Read full description

Founded in 1994, Fiddler Magazine is an informative, educational, and entertaining resource for fiddlers, accompanists, and appreciative listeners. Each quarterly issue (now approx. 60 pages each) features a variety of different styles of fiddling, as well as plenty of other articles and columns. Regular columns include: Bluegrass Fiddling, “The Practicing Fiddler,” Fiddle Tune History, On Improvisation, Irish Fiddling, Cross-Tuning Workshop, Cross-Canada Fiddle Tour, and reviews of CDs, books, and DVDs. Each issue also includes transcriptions of several tunes. Magazine Subscriptions are available for purchase inside this app. Three months subscription - $6.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) Six months subscription - $12.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) One year subscription - $24.99 (automatically renewed until canceled) Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Your iTunes account will automatically be charged at the same price for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period unless you change your subscription preferences in your account settings. You can manage your subscriptions through your account settings after purchase on your device. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Please visit http://www.magzter.com/ns/privacy-policy.html for our Privacy Policy and http://www.magzter.com/ns/terms_condition.html for our Terms & Conditions

Screenshots

SideBand4 screens
Fiddler Magazine4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Fiddler Magazine at Free against SideBand's $2.99. Fiddler Magazine also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 8 months vs every 22 months). SideBand's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On ratings volume, ads 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

Fiddler Magazine is free to download; SideBand costs $2.99 up front. Fiddler Magazine sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. SideBand asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Fiddler Magazine holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SideBand ships an update every 22 months, Fiddler Magazine every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SideBand versus Fiddler Magazine: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSideBandFiddler Magazine
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (5 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 22 monthsEvery 8 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWil MacaulayMagzter Inc.

Customer experience

SideBand

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

Fiddler Magazine

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

SideBand

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Fiddler Magazine

One-time10
  • Summer 2019$6.99
  • Fiddler Magazine - Fall 2015$6.99
  • Fiddler Magazine - Spring 2016$6.99
Show 7 more
  • Fiddler Magazine - summer 2016$6.99
  • Fiddler Magazine - Fall 2016$6.99
  • Fiddler Magazine Fall 2017$6.99
  • Fiddler Winter 2021$6.99
  • Fiddler Magazine Spring 2022$6.99
  • Fiddler Magazine Summer 2022$6.99
  • Fiddler Magazine Fall 2022$6.99

Questions

Is SideBand free?
SideBand costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fiddler Magazine free?
Fiddler Magazine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SideBand or Fiddler Magazine?
Fiddler Magazine is rated higher. SideBand averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Fiddler Magazine averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do SideBand or Fiddler Magazine have ads?
Neither SideBand nor Fiddler Magazine shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SideBand or Fiddler Magazine?
SideBand ships an update every 22 months, and Fiddler Magazine every 8 months. Most recently, SideBand was updated on November 6, 2026 and Fiddler Magazine on November 2, 2026.

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