# NoteBrainer vs Fretuoso

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NoteBrainer at none against Fretuoso's 12. NoteBrainer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). Fretuoso's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 9 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Fretuoso sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. NoteBrainer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for NoteBrainer against 4.6 for Fretuoso. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 876 and 954 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of NoteBrainer's written reviews are positive against 64% of Fretuoso's.

NoteBrainer ships an update every 9 months, Fretuoso every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NoteBrainer | Fretuoso |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (876 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebrainer/id310695461/reviews)** | [4.6 (954 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretuoso/id443265532/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 876 | **954** |
| Positive reviews | **70.3% of reviews** | 63.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 56 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Buchanan21733609631](https://appshunter.io/developer/833812039) | [Catloaf Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/316792340) |

## What reviewers say

### NoteBrainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebrainer/id310695461)

This app helps users learn to sight-read sheet music through interactive note identification exercises. It offers configurable flashcards, various instrument sounds, and progress tracking, making it suitable for beginners and music teachers alike.

**Highlights:** Configurable flashcard exercises, Treble and bass clef support, Multiple instrument sound options, Assistant learning modes, Key signature highlighting, Play history and high score tracking, MIDI keyboard support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helps with sight reading and note recognition
- 💡 Useful for beginners and those wanting to improve music reading skills
- 🚀 Effective and efficient for learning notes
- 🚀 Improves speed of note reading
- 👍 Simple and straightforward interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues on some devices
- 🔒 Lacks customization options
- 💡 Keyboard range is limited, doesn't cover full octave range
- 🔒 Doesn't differentiate between notes in different octaves
- 🔒 Doesn't provide rhythm training

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when getting a note wrong
- Back button not working on some screens
- Sound not working for some users
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Expand keyboard range to cover full octave
- Add option to require button press to continue after wrong answer
- Include rhythm training exercises
- Add more customization options
- Improve stability and reduce crashes


### Fretuoso

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fretuoso/id443265532)

Learn note positions on stringed instruments through an engaging game. Supports multiple instruments and offers staff training to improve sheet music reading. Practice specific fret ranges and tunings with adaptive learning.

**Highlights:** Learn note locations on fretboard, Supports 11 string instruments, Staff training for sheet music, Customizable practice modes, Flexible tuning options, Progress tracking and statistics, Adaptive learning engine

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 8-String Guitar | $3.99 | one-time |
| 12-String Guitar | $3.99 | one-time |
| Guitar | $39.90 | one-time |
| Bass Guitar | $39.90 | one-time |
| Banjo | $39.90 | one-time |
| Mandolin | $39.90 | one-time |
| Ukulele | $39.90 | one-time |
| 7-String Guitar | $39.90 | one-time |
| 5-String Bass Guitar | $39.90 | one-time |
| 6-String Bass Guitar | $39.90 | one-time |
| Acoustic Guitar | $39.90 | one-time |
| All Instruments | $89.90 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good way to learn the fretboard
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Helpful learning tool
- 👍 Fun and engaging way to learn
- 👍 Effective for learning notes on the fretboard

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Random note generator gets stuck
- 🔍 Unclear instructions
- 💰 Paywall for full access
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🤔 Fretboard orientation issues

**Reported bugs**

- Restore purchases not working
- Sound not working
- Crashes and freezes
- Incorrect note display
- Syncing issues

**Requested features**

- Allow adjusting fret marker positions
- Add 'play the fret' mode
- Improve randomness of note selection
- Provide more tuning and instrument options
- Add landscape mode support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NoteBrainer free?

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

### Is Fretuoso free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NoteBrainer or Fretuoso?

NoteBrainer is rated higher. NoteBrainer averages 4.6 out of 5 from 876 ratings, while Fretuoso averages 4.6 from 954 ratings.

### Do NoteBrainer or Fretuoso have ads?

Fretuoso shows ads; NoteBrainer does not.

### Which is updated more often, NoteBrainer or Fretuoso?

NoteBrainer ships an update every 9 months, and Fretuoso every 11 days. Most recently, NoteBrainer was updated on October 23, 2026 and Fretuoso on October 26, 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.*