# Better Ears Beginner vs Active Ear

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Active Ear at none against Better Ears Beginner's 1. Active Ear also leads on review sentiment (94% vs 67%) 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. Active Ear asks for nothing beyond the download.

Active Ear holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 50 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Better Ears Beginner's written reviews are positive against 94% of Active Ear's.

Better Ears Beginner ships an update every 6 months, Active Ear monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Better Ears Beginner | Active Ear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/better-ears-beginner/id284445260/reviews) | **[4.7 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-ear-ear-trainer/id1541508221/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 35 | **50** |
| Positive reviews | 66.8% of reviews | **93.8% 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 | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MAMP GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451068672) | [MCPHERSON'S MUSIC LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541508223) |

## 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


### Active Ear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-ear-ear-trainer/id1541508221)

Develop your musical ear with a comprehensive ear training app. It offers various exercises to help musicians identify pitches, intervals, chords, and progressions. Customize your learning with practice modes and test your knowledge with quizzes.

**Highlights:** Pitch Recognition, Interval Training, Chord Quality Identification, Bassline Training, Progression Training, Chord Inversions, Customizable Practice Mode, Quiz Mode

**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 Active Ear free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Better Ears Beginner or Active Ear?

Active Ear is rated higher. Better Ears Beginner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while Active Ear averages 4.7 from 50 ratings.

### Do Better Ears Beginner or Active Ear have ads?

Neither Better Ears Beginner nor Active Ear shows ads.

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

Better Ears Beginner ships an update every 6 months, and Active Ear monthly. Most recently, Better Ears Beginner was updated on September 14, 2026 and Active Ear on June 10, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*