Ear Trainer vs Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ear Trainer
This app is designed to enhance your musical listening skills. It offers a comprehensive set of over 260 exercises across nine study areas, plus custom exercise creation. Suitable for all levels, it helps musicians and students improve their ear training.
- Over 260 built-in exercises
- Nine areas of musical study
- Custom exercise creation
- Interval, chord, and scale identification
- Melody and chord progression training
- Progress tracking and statistics
- Virtual piano and note view
Read full descriptionHide full description
With an overall 4.8 out of 5 rating in it is a must to try out this ear training app. What our users says: Awesome ear training app ***** One of the most in depth apps out there for ear training and a easy to use interface. You can even make your own exercises. I wish you could undo a note entry in the melodic exercises, a lot of the times iv just pressed the wrong note because of my fat fingers but I guess it’s part of the challenge to not make a mistake(wish you could change it in the settings or something). Still a must buy for ear training. Guy ***** You guys deserve 1000000 stars thank you Everything You Need **** It took a while for me to appreciate this app. It wasn't until I had a bit of ear training done that I could see the limitations in other apps and how this one would take me further and teach more of what I could actually use versus simpler apps. Once I could hear intervals up to an octave and major vs minor chords, this app had plenty more for me to study. Great app. ---- Listening is the most important skill in music, and this app will help you to listen better. Ear Trainer is an educational tool designed for musicians, music students and anyone interested in improving ones musical ear. It has over 260 individual exercises that are conveniently placed into nine different areas of study. It is also possible to create custom exercises so that you can practice exactly what you need. No need to be an expert, Ear Trainer is suitable for all users from beginner to very advanced. No matter what level your musical hearing skills are, Ear Trainer will help to hone them. * Built-in Exercises * - Interval Comparison (48 different exercises) - Interval Identification (30 different exercises) - Chord Identification (48 different exercises) - Chord Inversions (24 different exercises) - Chord Progressions (25 different exercises) - Scales (24 different exercises) - Note relative to chord (18 different exercises) - Relative Pitch (12 different exercises) - Melody Exercises (38 different exercises) Each exercise has a short description of its purpose and optional preview. A virtual piano keyboard and note view in each exercise helps you visually understand and analyze the notes that have been played. To aid your progression you can compare the different options after answering. (You can even play the virtual piano if you like!) As you work through the exercises, statistics are collected so that you can see your progress. The questions in the exercises are randomly generated so you can do them over and over again as many times as you like to continue to hone your skills. * Custom Exercises * Users can create their own custom exercises to match their desired areas of study and/or skill level. The following areas are available for custom exercises: - Interval Comparison - Interval Identification - Chord Identification - Chord inversion - Chord Progression - Scale Identification - Note after chord * Share Custom Exercises * Custom exercises can be shared with friends and class mates through Email, AirDrop and iMessage. What our users says: ------ ***** Must Have!!! This is the best Ear Trainer of all I tried in App Store, everything works just perfectly. If you are interested in improving your musical hearing you must have it. ------ ***** Amazing I have been using this app every day for just about a year now and the result are simply amazing. ------ **** I'm in my second third semester as a music major and I have to say, this is a great app for any music major, or anyone looking for ear training. I like that I'm able to switch between different instruments, it makes hearing the notes on the instrument you're use to a bit easier for me. ------ For more information please see: www.dev4phone.com
Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
Master rhythmic accuracy with instant feedback and graduated levels. Practice diverse rhythms, from beginner to professional, with customizable exercises and multiple input methods. Improve your musicality faster than traditional practice.
- Instant feedback on timing accuracy
- Graduated levels from beginner to professional
- Diverse exercises with common and rare rhythms
- Thousands of random and fixed exercises
- Rhythm editor for customization
- Practice and test modes
- Microphone and MIDI input support
Read full descriptionHide full description
Accelerate your sight reading skills with instant feedback on timing accuracy. Our carefully graduated levels, from beginner to professional, allow you to start at your optimal skill level and progress at your own pace. You'll improve more rapidly than practicing solely on your instrument. Practice anytime and anywhere. Many advanced features. KEY FEATURES DIVERSE EXERCISES - Explore common and rare rhythms from 2 to 12 beats per bar (2/2, 3/2, 4/2, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 7/4, 3/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 12/8). - More than 200 fixed exercises (100 (longer ones) on iPad). - Thousands of random exercises. - Suitable for absolute beginners as well as professionals. - Challenge yourself with exercises involving rests, ties, syncopations, duplets, triplets, quadruplets and quintuplets. - Add swing to quarter note meter exercises with varying degrees of swing intensity. - Automatic count-off with one or two bars. - Longer (random) exercises in landscape orientation. PRACTICE & TEST MODE - Practice mode: listen or tap along while the rhythm is played. - Test mode: hear the metronome and read/tap the rhythm. - Visual feedback instantly displays accuracy with each tap (color and position). - Easily adjust metronome tempo by sliding or keypad. - Two tap buttons for higher tempos or tapping with alternating fingers. RHYTHM EDITOR - Edit any exercise to suit your preferences. - Intuitive editor with minimal taps. - Includes an editor for ties. - Unlimited undo. - Add your exercises to favorites. - Share exercises with others. EXTRA CHALLENGES - Expert mode: higher default tempo and more accuracy required. - Endurance test (continuous reading). - Speeding-up tests. - Left- and right-hand independence: tap the beat and rhythm with two buttons. - Note duration test. - Count 6/8 in two (dotted quarter as the beat). - Ear training function for rhythmic dictation. - Maintain rhythm focus while notes from a chord progression are played. REPORTING - View a frequency chart of your tap results. - Access progress reports for fixed and random exercises. - Share your results, such as a 100% score graphic or progress reports, via email. SOUNDS - Choose from various percussive instruments for app player, metronome, and taps. - Play chord progressions with guitar, e-piano, marimba, or bass. - Optional stereo sound with taps in the right ear and metronome/player in the left ear. - Optional beat-counting voice function. MICROPHONE - Utilize the microphone for an alternative to tap buttons. - Play rhythms with hand claps, finger-snaps, or an instrument. - Adjust sensitivity settings. - Supports external microphones. MIDI - Receive taps from a Midi device connected via Apple USB camera adapter or USB-C (e.g., keyboard, guitar, drum kit). - Automatic device detection. - Touch-sensitivity support. - Export any exercise as a MIDI file. OTHER FEATURES - Experience very low latency with instant response. - Support for left-handed tapping. - Choose between classical and flat interface themes. - Support for dark mode (iOS13+). - Universal app (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch). - Supports all screen sizes. - Tested on iOS and iPadOS 26.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer at fortnightly against Ear Trainer's every 4 months. Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer also leads on price ($3.99 vs $7.99) and chart position (#80 vs unranked). Ear Trainer's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 123) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 17.6). On rating, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Ear Trainer costs $7.99 and Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Ear Trainer against 4.8 for Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ear Trainer has 1.2K ratings behind it against 123, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 95% of Ear Trainer's written reviews are positive against 92% of Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer's.
Ear Trainer ships an update every 4 months, Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ear Trainer | Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | $3.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.2K ratings) | 4.8 (123 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 94.8% of reviews — better | 92.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K — better | 123 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #80 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.1 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 90 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | thoor software AB | Rolfs Apps |
Customer experience
Ear Trainer
Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
User reviews
Ear Trainer
From 1.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Accessible and easy to use
- 🚀 Customizable exercises
- 🚀 Comprehensive training
- 🚀 Steady progress and improvement
Room to improve
- 🐛 Incorrect note/interval spellings
- 🐛 Lack of melody dictation exercises
- 🐛 Limited chord progression exercises
- 🐛 Cumbersome note deletion in melody exercises
Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
From 123 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Helpful for improving rhythm and timing
- 🚀 Customizable with many features
- 💡 Allows creating custom exercises
- 👍 Great for beginners and advanced musicians
- 👍 Provides accurate feedback on timing
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional issues with MIDI support
- 👎 Navigation and interface could be improved
- 👎 Lack of ability to review previous practice exercises
Bugs and requests
Ear Trainer
Reported bugs
2 issues- Incorrect chord quality identification
- Inconsistent note layout in some exercises
Requested features
7 requests- Add more chord types (diminished, half-diminished, etc.)
- Include more modes and scale types
- Implement MIDI connectivity for external instruments
- Add a random exercise mode
- Provide more detailed progress tracking and statistics
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Introduce a timed test mode
- Offer a dark mode option
Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
Reported bugs
2 issues- Crashes when tapping the 'i' button for info
- Metronome beep timing not intuitive
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to practice on headphones
- Increase size of tapping area
- Add more options for time signatures beyond even meters
- Implement side-scrolling mode for sight-reading practice
- Allow creating longer, multi-measure exercises
In-app purchases
Ear Trainer
No in-app purchases
Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Ear Trainer free?
Is Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer free?
Which has better reviews, Ear Trainer or Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer?
Do Ear Trainer or Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ear Trainer or Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer?
Other comparisons















