SideBand vs JustChords
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Adjust tempo
- Transpose key
- Change tuning
- Loop sections
- Import unprotected music
- Supports iPhone and iPad
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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.
JustChords
Organize your song library with chord charts and lyrics. Create or import songs, sync across devices, and build setlists for live performances. Supports various music notations and audio playback.
- Chord chart and lyric editor
- Import songs from online sources
- iCloud device syncing
- Setlist creation and sharing
- AirPlay lyric projection
- Audio player and recorder
- Support for multiple music notations
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JustChords is your complete tool for cataloging chord charts and lyrics. Create charts from scratch, import them from files, or pull them from online sources — building a library that's always with you, synced across iPhone, iPad and Mac via iCloud. Use JustChords standalone or as an AUv3 plugin in your favorite DAW. FEATURES • Setlists, with sharing and collaboration • Song editor is based on ChordPro and supports chords & lyrics, note sheets (PDF), chord beats, guitar tabs and ABC notation • Change Key, Capo, Piano Transpose, Rewrite into key • Metronome & Tuner • Autoscroll • Guitar, ukulele and piano chord diagrams, including alternate tunings • Audio player & recorder. Attach your tracks from Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, URL or local file • Project lyrics or a dedicated stage display via AirPlay, with rich configuration options • Bluetooth / MIDI pedal support • Chord Beats — visualize chord duration right in your chords & lyrics, send chord notes over MIDI as they play, and trigger predefined MIDI messages on section changes • Tonic Pad — an ambient backing pad matched to your song's key • PlayTogether — keep your whole band in sync live, hands-free
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: JustChords at Free against SideBand's $2.99. JustChords also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 22 months). SideBand's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). On 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
JustChords is free to download; SideBand costs $2.99 up front. JustChords sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. SideBand asks for nothing beyond the download.
JustChords holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: JustChords has 348 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of SideBand's written reviews are positive against 94% of JustChords's.
SideBand ships an update every 22 months, JustChords every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SideBand | JustChords |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.0 (5 ratings) | 4.9 (348 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | 94.2% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 348 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 65 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Wil Macaulay | Marek Palka |
Customer experience
SideBand
JustChords
Bugs and requests
SideBand
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
JustChords
Reported bugs
11 issues- App crashes when importing songs from online sources
- Pinch zoom feature stopped working
- Songs disappearing from library
- App unable to load songs from library in certain conditions
- Multi-column view not functioning on iPad
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- PDF export inconsistently includes/excludes metadata
- Control+S keyboard shortcut non-functional on iPad and desktop
- Choppy scrolling between songs
- Tagging system filters incorrectly (excludes songs with multiple tags)
- Songs won't open when tapped (reported on iPhone 8 with iOS 16.7.4)
- Sticky notes placement requires manual adjustment
Requested features
8 requests- Apple Pencil direct annotation with eraser capability
- Standard tag filtering logic (show songs with selected tags)
- Bluetooth pedal support for song navigation without touching device
- Web-based editor for songs
- Direct in-app sharing to other users
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- Improved documentation and user manual
- Smoother song-to-song scrolling transitions
- Dark mode option
In-app purchases
SideBand
No in-app purchases
JustChords
- Buy me a coffee$0.99
- Nice Chords!$2.99
- Buy me a pineapple$4.99
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- Rock On!$6.99
- Buy me a book$7.99
- Big Thanks!$17.99
- Legendary Support!$44.99









