# Better Ears Beginner vs EarForge

The clearest difference is update cadence: EarForge at every 5 weeks against Better Ears Beginner's every 6 months. EarForge also leads on ratings volume (292 vs 35) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Better Ears Beginner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and EarForge sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Better Ears Beginner against 4.6 for EarForge. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EarForge has 292 ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of Better Ears Beginner's written reviews are positive against 63% of EarForge's.

Better Ears Beginner ships an update every 6 months, EarForge every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Better Ears Beginner | EarForge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-ears-beginner/id284445260/reviews) | **[4.6 (292 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earforge-learn-ear-training/id1429049063/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 35 | **292** |
| Positive reviews | **66.8% of reviews** | 62.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 86 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MAMP GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451068672) | [Patcharapon Phasukdee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1156091836) |

## 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


### EarForge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/earforge-learn-ear-training/id1429049063)

This app offers a structured ear training program designed to improve your sense of pitch and ability to recognize musical notes and chords. It features progressive lessons, personalized quizzes, and detailed progress tracking. Advanced users can create custom training sessions for specific musical elements.

**Highlights:** 30-level note recognition program, Chord identification lessons, Customizable note and chord training, Progress tracking with profile statistics, Ad-free experience (PRO), Exclusive themes (PRO)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Better Ears Beginner free?

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

### Is EarForge free?

EarForge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

EarForge is rated higher. Better Ears Beginner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while EarForge averages 4.6 from 292 ratings.

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

Neither Better Ears Beginner nor EarForge shows ads.

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

Better Ears Beginner ships an update every 6 months, and EarForge every 5 weeks. Most recently, Better Ears Beginner was updated on September 14, 2026 and EarForge on September 8, 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.*