# Better Ears vs Theory Lessons

Better Ears and Theory Lessons both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Theory Lessons's written reviews are positive against 71% of Better Ears's. Theory Lessons also leads on chart position (#11 vs unranked) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Better Ears costs $4.99 and Theory Lessons $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Better Ears against 4.4 for Theory Lessons. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79 and 126 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Better Ears's written reviews are positive against 83% of Theory Lessons's.

Better Ears ships an update every 5 months, Theory Lessons every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Better Ears | Theory Lessons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-ears-ear-trainer/id284444548/reviews)** | [4.4 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theory-lessons/id493157418/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 79 | **126** |
| Positive reviews | 70.8% of reviews | **83.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#11** |
| Size | 86 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 15.8 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MAMP GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451068672) | [musictheory.net](https://appshunter.io/developer/459313479) |

## What reviewers say

### Better Ears

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-ears-ear-trainer/id284444548)

Enhance your musical abilities with a comprehensive ear training application. It offers 13 diverse exercises, from interval recognition to chord progressions, suitable for all skill levels. Customize your learning path with user-defined levels and instruments.

**Highlights:** 13 ear training exercises, Customizable chords, scales, and progressions, 6 instrument sound options, Virtual keyboard and fretboard, Vocal or instrument input, Preset and custom training levels, Cross-device synchronization

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for ear training
- 🚀 Flexibility to customize exercises
- 💡 Helpful for music students and professionals
- 🎓 Improves aural skills and music theory knowledge

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and glitches on some devices
- 🔊 Poor sound quality of instrument samples
- 💰 Expensive for the limited features
- 🤔 Confusing chord and interval naming conventions

**Reported bugs**

- Note recognition issues on lower strings
- Inconsistent behavior when customizing lessons
- Dropbox sync feature not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add chord inversions and progressions
- Include melodic and rhythmic dictation exercises
- Provide more instrument sound options
- Improve statistics tracking and personalization
- Add support for bass clef and multiple clefs


### Theory Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theory-lessons/id493157418)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Paid · Music, #89 Top Paid (US App Store)

Explore 39 animated music theory lessons covering fundamental concepts like scales, chords, and intervals. Deepen your understanding of musical structure and analysis with this comprehensive resource.

**Highlights:** 39 animated music theory lessons, Covers staff, clefs, and ledger lines, Explains note and rest duration, Details major and minor scales, Teaches intervals and chord inversions, Includes Roman numeral analysis, Features musical analysis examples

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and easy to use
- 👍 Clear and concise explanations
- 💡 Helpful visual aids and animations
- 🤩 Excellent learning tool for beginners
- 🔍 Comprehensive coverage of music theory

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio issues on some devices
- 🔍 Limited content compared to website
- 🤔 Keyboard-centric approach may not suit non-pianists
- 💰 Paid app when website is free

**Reported bugs**

- Directional arrows and guidance symbols not working on iPad
- Text panels cut off at the bottom and unable to be resized

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced theory topics
- Incorporate practice exercises and quizzes
- Include support for other instruments beyond piano
- Integrate with the Tenuto app for a more complete experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Better Ears free?

Better Ears costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Theory Lessons free?

Theory Lessons costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Better Ears or Theory Lessons?

Better Ears is rated higher. Better Ears averages 4.6 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while Theory Lessons averages 4.4 from 126 ratings.

### Do Better Ears or Theory Lessons have ads?

Neither Better Ears nor Theory Lessons shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Better Ears or Theory Lessons?

Better Ears ships an update every 5 months, and Theory Lessons every 4 months. Most recently, Better Ears was updated on October 29, 2026 and Theory Lessons on October 30, 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.*