Comparison

Square Note vs Ethos National

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Square Note

Access a vast library of Gregorian Chant scores with over 800 unique chants. Learn to read square note notation and hear melodies with adjustable speed and pitch. Ideal for choirs, scholas, or personal study.

Highlights
  • Extensive library of Gregorian Chant scores
  • Learn square note notation
  • Adjustable melody playback (speed, pitch)
  • Customizable chant viewing settings
  • Bookmark favorite chants
  • Search by name or full text
  • Includes Mass Propers, Commons, and Kyriale
Features
Read full description

Gregorian Chant for the Masses! Square Note puts a huge library of Gregorian Chant scores—over 800 unique chants and counting—right at your fingertips. Always wanted to learn how to read square note notation? Always wanted to have the amazing Gregorian Chants of the Catholic Church on your iPhone and iPad? Square Note brings the ancient music of the Church to your mobile devices, ready for you to utilize in your schola, your choir, or your home. * Beautifully rendered chant that automatically formats itself to fit nicely on your screen. * Hear the melodies of the chants, adjusting speed and pitch, to learn how the chants are sung. * Easily adjust chant viewing settings, including zooming in, zooming out, and toggling certain chant markings. * Bookmark your favorite chants or the ones you'll be practicing in your schola. * Search and find chants by name or even by searching through the full text of the chant. * Automatically include Gloria Patri paradigms to your Introit and Communion antiphons. CURRENT CHANTS: Mass Propers for the Proper of Seasons (Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form); some propers for major Feasts and Solemnities; most commons for both the OF and EF; Latin Kyriale, including all traditional 18 Masses and 6 Creeds; some Marian antiphons (simple and solemn forms) and a smattering of other antiphons and hymns. More chants to come--let us know what you'd like to see included!

About

Ethos National

This app connects college men into small accountability groups to foster personal growth. Members engage in weekly meetings, partner calls, and daily readings to build positive habits and friendships. Track your progress and contribute to your campus's collective effort.

Highlights
  • Small accountability groups
  • Partner calls
  • Daily readings
  • Personal goal tracking
  • Habit streaks
  • Campus progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Ethos brings college men together in small accountability groups. Each week, your group meets up, you call your accountability partner, and you work through daily readings — building the habits and friendships that help you become the man you want to be. Features: Get matched into a 5-person accountability group at your university Track your daily commitments: partner calls, readings, and weekly group meetings Set personal goals and track your progress with private habit streaks See your effort score and your campus's collective progress Stay connected with your accountability partner and group throughout the semester Ethos is currently available at select universities. Sign up with your .edu email to get started.

Screenshots

Square Note4 screens
Ethos National3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ethos National at every 5 days against Square Note's every 4 weeks. Ethos National also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7). Square Note's advantage is ratings volume (70 vs 13) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ethos National holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Square Note has 70 ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Square Note's written reviews are positive against 100% of Ethos National's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Square Note ships an update every 4 weeks, Ethos National every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Square Note versus Ethos National: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSquare NoteEthos National
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (70 ratings)4.9 (13 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings70 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB48 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperOblates of St. JosephEthos National

Customer experience

Square Note

All ratings67 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral6.0%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive92.6%
Neutral5.6%
Negative1.9%

Ethos National

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Square Note

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Cannot get music to play on iPhone
  • Playback won't work after iOS 14 update
  • Sundays of paschaltide enumerated differently in OF & EF

Requested features

25 requests
  • Add liturgical calendar for 1962 missal
  • Add traditional nuptial propers (deus Israel)
  • Include psalm tones for singing psalms
  • Add common chants of the Divine Office
  • Add different tones of the Te Lucis hymn
Show 20 more
  • Add the antiennes des Vêpres
  • Include parts of the Divine office (e.g., compline)
  • Add the Exultet
  • Add chants from the breviary (Roman Breviary hymns)
  • Add Mass XVIIII and Feast of All Saints Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion
  • Add the Benedicamus Domino for Masses
  • Separate Marian antiphons from other Marian chants
  • Add a keyboard for playing notes
  • Add the Jubilate Deo sequence (beginners compilation)
  • Provide alternate chant sounds
  • Allow transposition into other octaves
  • Include English translations of each chant
  • Add sung chants, not just notes
  • Offer a crisper sound option for chant tone
  • Provide a choice of different types of chant tones
  • Add notation for punctums or scalici
  • Add notation for the Exultet
  • Add notation for breviary hymns
  • Add notation for Mass XVIIII and Feast of All Saints
  • Add notation for Benedicamus Domino

Ethos National

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Square Note

No in-app purchases

None

Ethos National

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Square Note free?
Square Note is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ethos National free?
Ethos National is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Square Note or Ethos National?
Ethos National is rated higher. Square Note averages 4.7 out of 5 from 70 ratings, while Ethos National averages 4.9 from 13 ratings.
Do Square Note or Ethos National have ads?
Neither Square Note nor Ethos National shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Square Note or Ethos National?
Square Note ships an update every 4 weeks, and Ethos National every 5 days. Most recently, Square Note was updated on October 24, 2026 and Ethos National on October 22, 2026.

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