# iReal Pro vs RealPlay

The clearest difference is price: RealPlay at Free against iReal Pro's $21.99. RealPlay also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). iReal Pro's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 170) and chart position (#7 vs unranked). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

RealPlay is free to download; iReal Pro costs $21.99 up front. iReal Pro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and RealPlay sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.29 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 — 4.9 for iReal Pro against 4.8 for RealPlay. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iReal Pro has 11K ratings behind it against 170, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of iReal Pro's written reviews are positive against 73% of RealPlay's.

iReal Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, RealPlay every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iReal Pro | RealPlay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $21.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireal-pro/id298206806/reviews)** | [4.8 (170 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realplay/id6760606889/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 170 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 73.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 179 MB | 113 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Technimo LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/298206809) | [RealPlay LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885286626) |

## What reviewers say

### iReal Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireal-pro/id298206806)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Paid · Music, #39 Top Paid, #141 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

This app provides a virtual band accompaniment for musicians to practice with, offering realistic sounding instruments and a variety of styles. It also functions as a digital chord chart book, allowing users to create, edit, and share their own song charts.

**Highlights:** Virtual band accompaniment, Create, edit, and share chord charts, Thousands of downloadable songs, Chord diagrams and scale recommendations, Practice exercises and transposition, Export charts and audio, Cloud synchronization

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Blues style backing tracks | $6.99 | one-time |
| Salsa style backing tracks | $6.99 | one-time |
| Brazilian backing tracks | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for practicing and reading charts
- 👍 Versatile with ability to change keys, tempos, and styles
- 👍 Excellent community and support
- 🚀 Efficient for gigs and rehearsals
- 👍 Indispensable tool for jazz musicians

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with chord voicings and playback
- 🔧 Limited editing capabilities
- 🔧 Clunky interface for some users
- 💰 Expensive for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional skipping or timing issues with playback
- Trouble with registration and login process
- Compatibility issues with newer devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add ability to write rhythm notation
- Integrate with Real Books
- Improve sound quality and add more instrument options
- Add melodies and lyrics support
- Improve chord editing and customization


### RealPlay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realplay/id6760606889)

Practice music with authentic backing tracks performed by professional musicians. Customize tempo, key, and mix for focused learning. Features over 100 standard chord progressions with an expanding library.

**Highlights:** Authentic backing tracks, 100+ standard chord progressions, Real-time tempo adjustment, Instrument isolation and mixing, Instant transposition to all keys

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RealPlay Pro Monthly | $3.29 | per month |
| RealPlay Pro Yearly | $21.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iReal Pro free?

iReal Pro costs $21.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is RealPlay free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iReal Pro or RealPlay?

iReal Pro is rated higher. iReal Pro averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while RealPlay averages 4.8 from 170 ratings.

### Do iReal Pro or RealPlay have ads?

Neither iReal Pro nor RealPlay shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iReal Pro or RealPlay?

iReal Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and RealPlay every 5 days. Most recently, iReal Pro was updated on October 28, 2026 and RealPlay on October 28, 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.*