Comparison

MTB Exams vs ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner

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

Head to head
About

MTB Exams

Record and submit instrumental music exams with audio or video. This app facilitates the submission process for qualifications from grades 1 to 8, offering flexibility and convenience for learners and teachers.

Highlights
  • Record audio and video exams
  • Review and delete recordings
  • Scan and submit free choice music
  • Submit exams for marking
  • Save exams for later submission
  • Access guidance and help
  • Recording safety features
Features
Read full description

Record and submit your MTB instrumental exam using this app. This is the newest version of the MTB app and should be used for submission of all exams from February 2021 onwards. The Music Teachers’ Board are a UK based exam board providing an exciting new way to access instrumental qualifications from grades 1 to 8 in over 25 different instruments. Our exams are recorded by either the teacher or learner, submitted online and marked by our specialist examiners. As there is no visiting examiner, unlike other boards, our exams offer: - Complete flexibility over exam dates - Reduced stress levels for pupils and teachers - Optimised rate of progress - Lower costs - Specialist examiners - Convenience Visit www.mtbexams.com to learn more and find recording advice. This app is for use by both audio and video MTB centres and self-learners. To sign up as an approved MTB centre you will need to have signed up as an ‘Individual Music Teacher’ or ‘Organisation’ on our website: https://www.mtbexams.com/sign-up/. Exams can be conducted in video without a teacher or centre present. App Features: - Record in both audio and video: Using your phone or tablet you can use this app to record your MTB exam. MTB will assign you video or audio exams based on whether you centre is an audio or video centre, exam type (practical/performance) and whether you have a teacher overseeing the exam. - Review: You can listen to or watch your recording and either delete the recording or save the exam for submission. - Scan: You can scan/photo your free choice music to submit alongside your exam. - Submit: You can submit your exam recording directly to MTB for marking. You will receive your result & marksheet within 2 weeks by email and a certificate will follow in the post. - Save for later: You can save your exam for later submission. (To retake the exam, you will need to delete this saved exam). - Guidance & help: The app includes useful information and guidance before you start the exam and has a range of information to help teachers/learners with the exam process. - Recording safety features: You will be able to check your recording quality, that you have sufficient space available on your device and place your phone on to airplane mode for the duration of the exam recording to ensure your exam is not interrupted. You will also be able to add additional clips should your exam be interrupted. - Identity verification: Video exams will require you to photo the candidates ID with the MTB app during submission. - Share: Share submitted exam recordings.

About

ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner

This app provides 60 piano accompaniments for musical theatre singing practice, from Grades 1 to 5. Users can adjust the key and tempo of tracks, and set loops for difficult sections. Individual songs or songbook selections can be purchased within the app.

Highlights
  • 60 piano accompaniments
  • Adjustable key and tempo
  • Practice loops
  • Downloadable tracks
  • In-app purchases
Features
Read full description

Discover a new way to practise! The official ABRSM Singing for Musical Theatre app gives you the flexibility found in our Practice Partner technology. Offering 60 piano accompaniments from Grades 1 to 5 featured in the ABRSM SfMT Songbook series, you can download the tracks you need and sing them in your chosen key, at your chosen speed! With the app, you can: • Choose the key that best suits your voice – the accompaniments are available in all 12 keys • Change the speed without altering the pitch and practise at a tempo that suits you • Repeat tricky passages by setting loops around them SfMT Practice Partner comes with an example piece to demonstrate the app functionality. In app, you can purchase: Individual pieces • Any accompaniment track* from the ABRSM SfMT Songbook series, for Grades 1–5. ABRSM SfMT Songbook selections • All accompaniment tracks* from each ABRSM Songbook Plus book for Grades 1-5. To use the accompaniment tracks in SfMT Practice Partner, the Songbook Plus audio must be downloaded within the app. *Please note that the accompaniments available to purchase in-app match the exam requirements as described in the ABRSM SfMT Songbook books. Where appropriate, cuts or edits have been made to the pieces to achieve this.

Screenshots

MTB Exams4 screens
ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MTB Exams at 100% against ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner's 0%. MTB Exams also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 18) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner sells 18 one-off in-app purchases. MTB Exams asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MTB Exams ships an update every 2 weeks, ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 3, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 3 level
MTB Exams versus ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMTB ExamsABRSM SfMT Practice Partner
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.113.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMTB Exams LtdThe Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (Publishing) Limited

Customer experience

MTB Exams

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral33.3%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

None

MTB Exams

No in-app purchases

18 purchases

ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner

One-time18
  • G4A4 Pure Imagination$1.99
  • G5A1 No One is Alone$1.99
  • G5C1 Backwoods Barbie$1.99
Show 15 more
  • G5C2 You're Welcome$1.99
  • G5C3 Honey Bun (Exam version)$1.99
  • The Kite (Charlie Brown's Kit-$1.99
  • Do You Want to Build a Snowma-$1.99
  • G4B2 The World Above$1.99
  • If My Friends Could See Me Now$1.99
  • G3C3 Good Morning$1.99
  • G2B3 When I Grow Up$1.99
  • G3C2 Revolting Children$1.99
  • G1C3 Let's Go Fly a Kite$1.99
  • Grade 1 Selection 2020-2023$11.99
  • Grade 3 Selection 2020-2023$11.99
  • Grade 2 Selection 2020-2023$11.99
  • Grade 4 Selection 2020-2023$11.99
  • Grade 5 Selection 2020-2023$11.99

Questions

Is MTB Exams free?
MTB Exams is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner free?
ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MTB Exams or ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner have ads?
Neither MTB Exams nor ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MTB Exams or ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner?
MTB Exams ships an update every 2 weeks, and ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner every 2 months. Most recently, MTB Exams was updated on August 3, 2026 and ABRSM SfMT Practice Partner on September 20, 2026.

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