# Better Ears Beginner vs Synesthesia

The clearest difference is rating: Better Ears Beginner at 4.5 against Synesthesia's 2.3. Better Ears Beginner also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 38%). Synesthesia's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Better Ears Beginner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Synesthesia asks for nothing beyond the download.

Better Ears Beginner holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Better Ears Beginner's written reviews are positive against 38% of Synesthesia's.

Better Ears Beginner ships an update every 6 months, Synesthesia monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Better Ears Beginner | Synesthesia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-ears-beginner/id284445260/reviews)** | [2.3 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synesthesia-music-visualizer/id1046438840/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **35** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **66.8% of reviews** | 37.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 86 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MAMP GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451068672) | [Christian Auzinger](https://appshunter.io/developer/918405870) |

## What reviewers say

### Better Ears Beginner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-ears-beginner/id284445260)

Enhance your musical skills and hearing with this comprehensive ear training app. It offers 13 diverse exercises, from interval recognition to chord progressions, with customizable training routines and instrument options. Track your progress and sync across devices for a seamless learning experience.

**Highlights:** 13 music theory and ear training exercises, Customizable training routines, User-created chords, scales, and progressions, Six instrument sound options, Pitch detection for vocal or instrument answers, Virtual keyboard and guitar fretboard, Cross-device synchronization

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all functions | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Free beginner version
- 🚀 Helpful for learning music theory
- 💡 Useful for ear training and pitch recognition
- 🎹 Ability to play piano-like keyboard

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes after purchasing add-on
- 🔒 No Airplay support
- 👎 Insufficient training functionality
- 🔊 Poor sound quality
- 🤔 Confusing for true beginners

**Reported bugs**

- Reverts to beginner version after phone update
- Audio stops working after some time
- Keyboard unresponsive on iPad
- Chord spellings are incorrect

**Requested features**

- Add more instruments
- Include rhythm training
- Provide more customization options
- Implement a game-like format
- Add support for reading sheet music


### Synesthesia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synesthesia-music-visualizer/id1046438840)

Experience music through a spectrum of colors, mimicking the sensory phenomenon of synesthesia. Use it as a dynamic mood light, a calming night light, or to visualize the pitches of songs and instruments.

**Highlights:** Music visualization, Mood lighting, Night light functionality, Pitch to color mapping, Microphone access for real-time audio

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Better Ears Beginner free?

Better Ears Beginner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Synesthesia free?

Synesthesia is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Better Ears Beginner or Synesthesia?

Better Ears Beginner is rated higher. Better Ears Beginner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while Synesthesia averages 2.3 from 16 ratings.

### Do Better Ears Beginner or Synesthesia have ads?

Neither Better Ears Beginner nor Synesthesia shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Better Ears Beginner or Synesthesia?

Better Ears Beginner ships an update every 6 months, and Synesthesia monthly. Most recently, Better Ears Beginner was updated on September 14, 2026 and Synesthesia on June 1, 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.*