SmartScales vs Format 3
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SmartScales
This app transforms scale and arpeggio practice into an engaging experience with specially composed backing tracks. It closely aligns with the ABRSM syllabus, offering interactive scores, adjustable tempos, and a built-in metronome. Explore various music styles and practice with looping exercises for instruments like piano, violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
- Interactive scale and arpeggio practice
- ABRSM syllabus alignment
- Specially composed backing tracks
- Adjustable tempo control
- Looping exercises
- Built-in metronome
- Toggleable audio tracks
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SmartScales makes practising scales and arpeggios interactive and fun! A collaboration between highly experienced music educators and leading music software developers, SmartScales ensures you’ll be making beautiful music thanks to specially-composed backing tracks in a broad range of styles. The graded exercise packs, available as in-app purchases, closely follow the syllabus of the ABRSM, the UK’s largest music education body and the world’s leading provider of music exams. Free content allows you to try exercises in each grade before buying. Content for Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass available today, more instruments coming soon! • Follows the complete ABRSM syllabus*, including all exercise variations • Choice of music styles for every exercise • Fully interactive score follows the music • Adjustable tempo as you build towards ABRSM's suggested playing speed • Loop the exercise so the music goes on while you play • Built-in metronome helps you keep in time • Toggle lead, backing and metronome tracks on and off • Music can be used as jam along tracks * The syllabus on which SmartScales is based is © by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and is reproduced by permission of the copyright owner.
Format 3
Experience art through augmented reality, blending physical installations with virtual elements and sound. This app allows you to engage with immersive audio-visual art wherever its visuals are present.
- Interactive augmented reality
- Combines physical artwork with virtual objects
- Immersive audio-visual experience
- Works with Format 3 visuals
- Sound integration
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Format 3 is an interactive augmented reality experience by Foo/Skou that combines physical artwork with virtual objects and sound. Use this app to interact with the immersive audio visual experience anywhere Format 3 visuals are on display.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Format 3 at 4.7 against SmartScales's 4.2. Format 3 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 17) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). SmartScales's advantage is ratings volume (38 vs 3). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. SmartScales sells 17 one-off in-app purchases. Format 3 asks for nothing beyond the download.
Format 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartScales has 38 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of SmartScales's written reviews are positive against 100% of Format 3's.
SmartScales ships an update every 5 months, Format 3 every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SmartScales | Format 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (38 ratings) | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 38 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Greater Heights Media Ltd | Aaron Sutula |
Customer experience
SmartScales
Format 3
Bugs and requests
SmartScales
Reported bugs
10 issues- Cannot delete app from iPad
- In-app purchase server connection issues
- App crashes after purchase
- App crashes after opening
- Unable to locate in-app purchases
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- App crashes after 1 second
- App crashes on iPad
- App doesn't load
- App keeps re-downloading
- Doesn't get past unpacking files screen
Requested features
22 requests- Add ABRSM clarinet options
- Add ABRSM piano syllabus updates
- Pro version for school use with all grades enabled
- Search for key signature and browse octaves
- Add MIDI support
Show 17 moreShow fewer
- Add guitar as an instrument
- Add brass instruments
- Add wind instruments
- Add band instruments
- Add classical guitar
- Add woodwind instruments (clarinet)
- Add tuba
- Add more instruments (orchestra)
- Add tuner
- Add drone (chord or single tone)
- Include all three and four scale octaves
- Offer alternative backing tracks (e.g., piano sound)
- Check intonation and provide analysis
- Highlight or change note head color
- Add fingerings or display pitches
- Create new rhythm patterns
- More than 2 note slur option (3,4,6,8)
Format 3
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SmartScales
- Cello Grade 1$0.99
- Violin Grade 1$0.99
- Piano Grade 1$0.99
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- Piano Grade 2$1.99
- Double Bass Grade 3$1.99
- Violin Grade 5$2.99
- Viola Grade 5$2.99
- Violin Grade 7$3.99
- Cello Grades 1 to 4$4.99
- Violin Grades 1 to 4$4.99
- Piano Grades 1 to 4$4.99
- Double Bass Grade 8$4.99
- Cello Grades 5 to 8$9.99
- Violin Grades 5 to 8$9.99
- Cello Grades 1 to 8$12.99
- Violin Grades 1 to 8$12.99
- Viola Grades 1 to 8$12.99
Format 3
No in-app purchases
