# Autochords vs Chords Pad

The clearest difference is ads: Autochords at none against Chords Pad's shown. Autochords also leads on ratings volume (4.1K vs 96) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Autochords sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Chords Pad sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Autochords against 4.9 for Chords Pad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Autochords has 4.1K ratings behind it against 96, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of Autochords's written reviews are positive against 77% of Chords Pad's.

Autochords ships an update every 2 months, Chords Pad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Autochords | Chords Pad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autochords/id788423364/reviews) | **[4.9 (96 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-pad/id1462256877/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.1K** | 96 |
| Positive reviews | **83.7% of reviews** | 77.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Astrocode Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1040321800) | [Loop-Sessions.LLC.](https://appshunter.io/developer/414215366) |

## What reviewers say

### Autochords

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/autochords/id788423364)

This app serves as a songwriting aid, offering chord progressions and musical inspiration. It allows users to explore different moods and instruments like guitar, piano, and ukulele to find the perfect sound for their songs. Advanced features are available through an in-app purchase.

**Highlights:** Chord progression generation by mood, Guitar, piano, and ukulele chord diagrams, Listen to progressions on chosen instruments, Play along to full progressions, Alternative progression suggestions, Customizable progressions (PRO)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| PRO Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| PRO Annual | $12.99 | per year |
| PRO Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent app and developer
- 👍 Great app for music creation or chord learning
- 👍 Helpful for songwriting and finding chord progressions
- 👍 Useful for practicing chords and progressions
- 👍 Simple and easy to use interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Certain chords not available for custom builder
- 🐛 App freezes up every time user opens it
- 🔒 Limited to only 4 chords in a progression
- 🔒 No option to change time signature or add multiple bars
- 🔒 No piano chord inversions, only root position chords

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes up when opened
- Chord progressions don't sound as intended for some moods

**Requested features**

- Add augmented chords and more chord variations
- Allow creating progressions with more than 4 chords
- Incorporate different time signatures beyond 4/4
- Add chord inversions and more chord types (7ths, 9ths, etc.)
- Expand chord library beyond just diatonic chords


### Chords Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-pad/id1462256877)

Explore musical chords with an interactive keyboard display and customizable pads. Visualize chord tones, experiment with progressions, and play notes via MIDI. Unlock advanced features and sounds through in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Chord tone display on keyboard, Customizable chord pads, Chord progression builder, MIDI Bluetooth support, Multiple chord list layouts, Adjustable keyboard range

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All sounds are available | $0.99 | one-time |
| Available sending MIDI message | $0.99 | one-time |
| All chords are available | $2.49 | one-time |
| Always remove ads. | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Autochords free?

Autochords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chords Pad free?

Chords Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Autochords or Chords Pad?

Chords Pad is rated higher. Autochords averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.1K ratings, while Chords Pad averages 4.9 from 96 ratings.

### Do Autochords or Chords Pad have ads?

Chords Pad shows ads; Autochords does not.

### Which is updated more often, Autochords or Chords Pad?

Autochords ships an update every 2 months, and Chords Pad every 6 weeks. Most recently, Autochords was updated on October 23, 2026 and Chords Pad on October 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*