# iReal Pro vs The Machine Awakes

The clearest difference is price: The Machine Awakes at $0.99 against iReal Pro's $21.99. The Machine Awakes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.6). iReal Pro's advantage is review sentiment (83% vs 50%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.4). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

iReal Pro costs $21.99 and The Machine Awakes $0.99 up front. iReal Pro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. The Machine Awakes asks for nothing beyond the download.

iReal Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iReal Pro has 11K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of iReal Pro's written reviews are positive against 50% of The Machine Awakes's.

iReal Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, The Machine Awakes every 81 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iReal Pro | The Machine Awakes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $21.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireal-pro/id298206806/reviews)** | [4.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-machine-awakes/id804430539/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 81 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#7** | — |
| Size | 179 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Technimo LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/298206809) | [R Steven Bryant](https://appshunter.io/developer/804430542) |

## What reviewers say

### iReal Pro

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

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Paid · Music, #30 Top Paid, #111 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


### The Machine Awakes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-machine-awakes/id804430539)

This application delivers the electronic soundtrack for live performances of a symphonic band or orchestra. It supports adaptable instrumentation versions of a specific musical composition.

**Highlights:** Electronic soundtrack delivery, Live performance support, Symphonic band accompaniment, Orchestra accompaniment, Adaptable instrumentation versions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iReal Pro free?

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

### Is The Machine Awakes free?

The Machine Awakes costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iReal Pro or The Machine Awakes?

iReal Pro is rated higher. iReal Pro averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while The Machine Awakes averages 4.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do iReal Pro or The Machine Awakes have ads?

Neither iReal Pro nor The Machine Awakes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iReal Pro or The Machine Awakes?

iReal Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and The Machine Awakes every 81 months. Most recently, iReal Pro was updated on November 11, 2026 and The Machine Awakes on November 6, 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.*