EarGuru vs RealPlay
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EarGuru
This app offers three distinct modes to help musicians develop their aural skills. Practice identifying note sequences, replicating melodies on your instrument, or singing notes accurately. Continuous play allows for screen-free practice, transforming your musical hearing with regular use.
- Note identification in LISTEN mode
- Instrument playback in PLAY mode
- Singing pitch accuracy in SING mode
- Continuous play for screen-free practice
- Adjustable difficulty levels (1-11 notes)
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Only you can do the work of serious ear training. EarGuru helps you do it with three independent modes, each targeting a specific area. In LISTEN mode, EarGuru plays a group of notes, all different, and you try to identify them from lowest to highest. Beginners will want to start with 1, then move to 2. Experts can go all the way to 11 notes if they choose to. In PLAY mode, EarGuru plays a note, or a chord of up to 4 notes, and you play it back as quickly as possible on your instrument before it moves on to the next one. In SING mode, EarGuru asks you to sing a note, and as you're singing, EarGuru plays the note so that you can make sure you've sung it correctly and in tune. All three modes can be used without looking at the screen, using the CONTINUOUS PLAY mode. This app relies on you, as a serious musician, to self-evaluate. If used regularly, it can completely transform your hearing.
RealPlay
Practice music with authentic backing tracks performed by professional musicians. Customize tempo, key, and mix for focused learning. Features over 100 standard chord progressions with an expanding library.
- Authentic backing tracks
- 100+ standard chord progressions
- Real-time tempo adjustment
- Instrument isolation and mixing
- Instant transposition to all keys
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RealPlay lets you practice with real music—not midi tracks, AI, or loops. Play along with authentic backing tracks performed by world-class rhythm sections, featuring an expanding library of over 100 essential standard chord progressions. Easily customize your practice with real-time controls for tempo, key, and mix—so you can focus on exactly what you need. Features: • World-class rhythm sections • 100+ essential jazz standards and chord progressions (expanding library) • Real-time tempo adjustment • Instrument isolation and mixing (ideal for rhythm section players) • Instant transposition to all 12 keys Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: RealPlay at Free against EarGuru's $3.99. RealPlay also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (176 vs 4). EarGuru's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). On 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
RealPlay is free to download; EarGuru costs $3.99 up front. RealPlay sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.29 per month. EarGuru asks for nothing beyond the download.
EarGuru holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RealPlay has 176 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of EarGuru's written reviews are positive against 73% of RealPlay's.
EarGuru ships an update every 15 months, RealPlay every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EarGuru | RealPlay |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | 4.8 (176 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 73.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 176 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Best chart rank | #193 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 105 MB | 113 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dan Tepfer | RealPlay LLC |
Customer experience
EarGuru
RealPlay
In-app purchases
EarGuru
No in-app purchases
RealPlay
- RealPlay Pro Monthly$3.291 Month
- RealPlay Pro Yearly$21.991 Year
Questions
Is EarGuru free?
Is RealPlay free?
Which has better reviews, EarGuru or RealPlay?
Do EarGuru or RealPlay have ads?
Which is updated more often, EarGuru or RealPlay?
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