# Chords Max vs Instrument Scales

The clearest difference is ads: Instrument Scales at none against Chords Max's shown. Instrument Scales also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 64%) and device support (5 vs 3). Chords Max's advantage is ratings volume (212 vs 29) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chords Max sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Instrument Scales sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Chords Max against 4.7 for Instrument Scales. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chords Max has 212 ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Chords Max's written reviews are positive against 92% of Instrument Scales's.

Chords Max ships an update every 3 weeks, Instrument Scales monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chords Max | Instrument Scales |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (212 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-max/id987698860/reviews) | **[4.7 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instrument-scales/id1500152877/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **212** | 29 |
| Positive reviews | 64.0% of reviews | **91.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 56 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Keynote Star Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/386899141) | [Thiago Anderson Martins](https://appshunter.io/developer/1287000521) |

## What reviewers say

### Chords Max

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chords-max/id987698860)

Access thousands of guitar chords with detailed visual aids and audio playback. Explore variations, voicings, and finger positions on a realistic guitar image. Perfect for beginners and professionals looking to expand their chord knowledge.

**Highlights:** Thousands of guitar chords, Smart chord generator, Intuitive visual aids on guitar image, Listen to chords on acoustic, classical, electric, Discover chord voicings and shapes, Seamless chord navigation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Chords | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Comprehensive chord reference
- 👍 Includes movable forms and variants
- 👍 Shows chords in all neck positions
- 👍 Provides recommended fingerings
- 👍 Covers common and obscure forms

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 No sound issue
- 🐛 In-app purchase restore issues
- 🐛 App not working after update
- 🐛 Missing advanced chord types
- 🐛 No option for left-handed users

**Reported bugs**

- App not launching after update
- Purchased items not restoring after reinstallation
- In-app purchase not restoring after iPhone restore
- No sound issue
- App forced rating and then required payment

**Requested features**

- Paid ad-free version
- Include Scales
- Listen to songs and show chords
- Ability to type in chord
- Update to include more chord types


### Instrument Scales

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instrument-scales/id1500152877)

Master your instrument with interactive courses, AI-powered guidance, and a comprehensive music toolkit. Learn chords, scales, and theory for guitar, bass, and piano with a precision tuner and custom tuning options.

**Highlights:** Interactive Courses, AI-powered guidance, Precision Tuner, 100+ Scale Library, Custom Tunings, iCloud Sync

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Instrument Scales Max | $0.99 | per month |
| Instrument Scales Max | $3.99 | per year |
| Instrument Scales Pro | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chords Max free?

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

### Is Instrument Scales free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Chords Max or Instrument Scales?

Instrument Scales is rated higher. Chords Max averages 4.6 out of 5 from 212 ratings, while Instrument Scales averages 4.7 from 29 ratings.

### Do Chords Max or Instrument Scales have ads?

Chords Max shows ads; Instrument Scales does not.

### Which is updated more often, Chords Max or Instrument Scales?

Chords Max ships an update every 3 weeks, and Instrument Scales monthly. Most recently, Chords Max was updated on November 1, 2026 and Instrument Scales on November 11, 2026.

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