Chordio vs Tonaly
Chordio
chordio.co.ukTonaly
tonaly.appSide by side
| Figure | Chordio | Tonaly |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $3.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 5 |
| Spec score · Chord Finder Software | 8.9 (#2) | 7.5 (#19) |
| Purpose | Chordio is an interactive music composition and theory app for producers, composers, teachers and learners. | Tonaly is a songwriting and practice app for finding chords, writing songs, and learning scales using the circle of fifths. |
| Support | Support is offered through a contact form, email, FAQ and video tutorials. | Tonaly directs users to its user guide and video tutorials and lists [email protected] for support. |
Plans
Chordio
- FreeFree
- Free downloadFree
- Full Unlock$14.99, paid once
- Content PacksPrice not published
Tonaly
- 80+ Scales$3.99, paid once
- PDF lead sheet export$5.99, paid once
- Supporter$9.99, paid once
- Tonaly (App Store in-app purchases)$39.99 a year
- Tonaly$79.99, paid once
In their own words
Chordio
Chordio is a music composition and theory app for iOS and macOS, with workspaces for composition, scales, modes, sheet music, music theory and lessons. Its library includes more than 40 scales. Connect a USB, MIDI or Bluetooth MIDI keyboard and it identifies chords in real time, naming them on the grand staff. Harmony Explorer finds matching scales and suggests diatonic and borrowed chords, secondary dominants and tritone substitutions. Progressions can be dragged into Logic Pro, Ableton Live, FL Studio and other DAWs as MIDI; MIDI chords can also be imported for re-harmonization. Sheet Music includes tempo adjustment, looping, separate-hand practice, transposition and PDF printing. Lesson Packs let users play pieces in any key and at any tempo. The free download includes built-in sounds, an on-screen keyboard and every workspace. Full Unlock costs $14.99 as a one-time purchase and includes Mac, iPad and Vision Pro, plus lifetime updates. The iPhone version is purchased separately, and there is no Android app.
Tonaly
Tonaly is a songwriting and practice app that uses the circle of fifths to help musicians find chords, write songs, and learn scales. It highlights chords in a key, suggests progressions, supports borrowed chords and extensions, and helps develop melody ideas for hooks, basslines, or solos. Musicians can practice scales, progressions, and solos with key changes and stepwise difficulty increases. A progression generator, chord audio playback, and chord chart export are also available. Users can export MIDI and PDFs or share song links for collaboration; MIDI export to Ableton, Logic, or GarageBand is listed. Tonaly is available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with iOS 16.0, iPadOS 16.0, and macOS 13.0 or later required. Its Mac Pro features include MIDI drag and drop, Core MIDI output, keyboard commands, and lead sheets. The Mac page says iCloud supports working across devices. Tonaly has a free plan and free trial. US App Store purchases include $3.99, paid once for 80+ Scales, $5.99, paid once for PDF lead sheet export, $9.99, paid once for Supporter, $39.99 a year, and $79.99, paid once for Lifetime.