Review: Apps For Reading Chordcharts

I like to use chordcharts, and I have a filing cabinet full of ’em. Finally, after years of humming and hawing, I decided to go digital. So then I had to find an app that would allow me to input chordcharts onto my iPad, view them, turn the pages with a bluetooth pedal, and ideally transpose the music too.

I reviewed the vast majority of apps on this site: https://www.airturn.com/apps?query=&page=1

So you can save a few hours, here’s my summary!

One can divide chordchart viewer apps into 2 camps:

a) .pdf viewers: apps which import .pdf files and allow the user to view the .pdf files, with some extra bells and whistles like bluetooth pedal sync options.

b) apps which allow the user to input and edit their own chordcharts, then view them with bluetooth pedal sync options.

In category (a), the app that I found to be the best quality and design for the least money is Music Book by Caposoft. It’s a mere €3.49 for life-time access. I write out my own chord charts using Open Office and import them into this app – sorted.!


In category (b), my favourite by far was SongSheet Pro .This app has absolutely *beautiful* graphic design, and by far the most efficient chord input system. It’s accessibly priced at €5.49 for 1 month or €49.99 for 1 year.


The runner up in category (b) was OnSong. The one advantage of OnSong over SongSheet Pro was the option to use Nashville chord notation. The graphic design is not as legible or beautiful; the input system is pretty ugly and clunky. It’s €3.49 for 1 month, or €26.49 / year. 

A cool little app called Calypso gets an honourable mention for category (b), as I *really* liked their page-turning system. It’s reasonable, with a €16.99 one-off fee.

Hope this helps you musos out there, and that you get to spend some time playing music rather than faffing as a result of reading this!