# FingerFiddle vs Functional Ear Trainer

The clearest difference is price: Functional Ear Trainer at Free against FingerFiddle's $2.99. Functional Ear Trainer also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (3.8K vs 52). FingerFiddle's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Functional Ear Trainer is free to download; FingerFiddle costs $2.99 up front. FingerFiddle sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Functional Ear Trainer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Functional Ear Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Functional Ear Trainer has 3.8K ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of FingerFiddle's written reviews are positive against 96% of Functional Ear Trainer's.

FingerFiddle ships an update every 3 months, Functional Ear Trainer every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FingerFiddle | Functional Ear Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fingerfiddle/id1057024351/reviews) | **[4.9 (3.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/functional-ear-trainer/id1088761926/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 52 | **3.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 81.6% of reviews | **96.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthias Demoucron](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057024350) | [Serhii Korchan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1088761925) |

## What reviewers say

### FingerFiddle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fingerfiddle/id1057024351)

Transform your device into a realistic string instrument. Control notes with your fingers and shape sound with bow-like movements. Experience the full expressive range of violin family instruments anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Realistic bow and fingerboard control, Expressive sound shaping, Pizzicato playing mode, Customizable fingerboard, Inter-App Audio/Audiobus support, Multiple violin family instruments

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Violin (Classic Collection) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Viola (Classic Collection) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Violin (Con Sordino Collection) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Double Bass (Classic Collection) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Viola (Con Sordino Collection) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Cello (Con Sordino Collection) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Double Bass (Con Sordino Collection) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Classic Collection | $8.99 | one-time |
| Con Sordino Collection | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Realistic and amazing sound quality
- 💡 Highly expressive and innovative
- ✨ Intuitive and well-designed interface
- 🚀 Great performance and small file size
- 💰 Excellent value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Additional in-app purchases required for instruments
- 🎻 Violin not included in initial purchase
- 🤔 Confusing pricing and hidden costs
- 🎛️ Limited pitch selection (fixed keys)
- 🎧 Aliasing distortion on high strings

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently (especially after iOS 11.2)
- 3D bow and vibrato not working for some users
- Mutes when starting recording in GarageBand
- Vibrato function not activable for some users

**Requested features**

- Recording capability
- Metronome
- MIDI IN/OUT support
- AUv3 support for DAWs
- Support for Apple Pencil 2 pressure


### Functional Ear Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/functional-ear-trainer/id1088761926)

Develop your musical ear by learning to recognize tones within the context of a specific musical key. This app helps you understand the function of each note, improving your ability to transcribe, improvise, and play music by ear. Suitable for all ages and skill levels, with just 10 minutes of daily practice.

**Highlights:** Recognize tones in musical key context, Understand note function, Improve transcription skills, Enhance improvisation, Develop perfect pitch, Daily 10-minute practice

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Functional Ear Trainer Plus | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective ear training
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 💡 Customizable exercises
- 🎉 Noticeable improvement with regular practice
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional audio glitches
- 💡 Lack of support for other instruments besides piano
- 💡 Desire for more advanced features (e.g. chord recognition)

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard display issues when selecting all chromatic notes
- Inconsistent note resolutions in some exercises

**Requested features**

- Add support for multiple notes/chords at once
- Implement a mode for training key recognition
- Provide more customization options for exercises
- Include voice input to play the notes
- Add support for German/Norwegian key names


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FingerFiddle free?

FingerFiddle costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Functional Ear Trainer free?

Functional Ear Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FingerFiddle or Functional Ear Trainer?

Functional Ear Trainer is rated higher. FingerFiddle averages 4.4 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Functional Ear Trainer averages 4.9 from 3.8K ratings.

### Do FingerFiddle or Functional Ear Trainer have ads?

Neither FingerFiddle nor Functional Ear Trainer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FingerFiddle or Functional Ear Trainer?

FingerFiddle ships an update every 3 months, and Functional Ear Trainer every 7 months. Most recently, FingerFiddle was updated on October 21, 2026 and Functional Ear Trainer on October 22, 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.*