Comparison

Ear Trainer vs Tenuto

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read 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

About

Tenuto

Enhance your musicality with a comprehensive suite of 24 customizable theory exercises and six essential musical calculators. Practice note and chord identification, ear training, and construct musical elements. Tools include accidentals, intervals, scales, chords, analysis symbols, and twelve-tone matrices.

Highlights
  • 24 customizable theory exercises
  • Note and chord identification
  • Ear training for intervals and scales
  • Musical construction exercises
  • Accidental calculator
  • Interval calculator
  • Chord calculator
Read full description

Tenuto is a collection of 24 highly-customizable exercises designed to enhance your musicality. From recognizing chords on a keyboard to identifying intervals by ear, it has an exercise for you. Tenuto also includes six musical calculators for accidentals, intervals, scales, chords, analysis symbols, and twelve-tone matrices. A short description of the exercises and calculators follows. –––––– • Note Identification • Key Signature Identification • Interval Identification • Scale Identification • Chord Identification Tap the button corresponding to the written staff line. For example: if shown a C, E, and G with a sharp; tap the "Augmented Triad" button. –––––– • Note Construction • Key Signature Construction • Interval Construction • Scale Construction • Chord Construction Construct the specified label by moving notes and/or adding accidentals. For example: if shown a C and an "Augmented 4th" label, move the second note to F and add a sharp. –––––– • Keyboard Reverse Identification Tap the piano key corresponding to the written note on the staff. While similar to Note Identification, this exercise uses a piano keyboard rather than note name buttons. • Keyboard Note Identification • Keyboard Interval Identification • Keyboard Scale Identification • Keyboard Chord Identification Tap the button corresponding to the highlighted piano key(s). If the C and G keys are highlighted, tap the "P5" (Perfect 5th) button. –––––– • Fretboard Note Identification • Fretboard Interval Identification • Fretboard Scale Identification • Fretboard Chord Identification Tap the button corresponding to the marked fretboard position(s). If the 2nd fret of the D string is marked, tap the "E" button. –––––– • Keyboard Ear Training • Note Ear Training Listen to the played reference and question notes. Select the piano key or note button corresponding to the question note. • Interval Ear Training • Scale Ear Training • Chord Ear Training Tap the button corresponding to the played notes. If E and F are played, tap the "Minor 2nd" button. –––––– • Accidental Calculator Display the accidental for a note and key. • Interval Calculator Display the interval for a note, type, and key. • Chord Calculator Display the scale for a tonic and scale type. • Chord Calculator Display the chord for a note, type, and key. • Analysis Calculator Display the chord for a symbol and key. • Matrix Calculator Display the twelve-tone matrix for a specified tone row.

Screenshots

Ear Trainer4 screens
Tenuto4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Tenuto at $4.99 against Ear Trainer's $7.99. Tenuto also leads on chart position (#4 vs unranked). Ear Trainer's advantage is iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.8). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Ear Trainer costs $7.99 and Tenuto $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Ear Trainer against 4.8 for Tenuto. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 652 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 95% and 94% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ear Trainer ships an update every 4 months, Tenuto every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Ear Trainer versus Tenuto: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEar TrainerTenuto
Price$7.99$4.99 — better
Rating4.8 (1.2K ratings)4.8 (652 ratings)
Positive reviews94.8% of reviews — better94.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1.2K — better652
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#4 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.1 — better15.8
Further details — not scored
Size90 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerthoor software ABmusictheory.net

Customer experience

Ear Trainer

All ratings1,200 ratings
Positive97.3%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews386 reviews
Positive94.8%
Neutral3.6%
Negative1.6%

Tenuto

All ratings652 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.0%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews352 reviews
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.8%
Negative2.8%

User reviews

Ear Trainer

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What 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

Tenuto

From 652 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Essential for musicians
  • 👍 Great app
  • 👍 Perfect app
  • 👍 Wonderful app
  • 👍 Highly recommend

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Wrong billing
  • 🐛 Piano tone is so bad
  • 🐛 Not good
  • 🐛 Great but buggy
  • 🐛 All sounds stopped working

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 more
  • Introduce a timed test mode
  • Offer a dark mode option

Tenuto

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Sound cuts out
  • Unresponsive at times
  • Freezes up
  • Doesn't work well for guitar
  • Incorrect chord/key associations

Requested features

20 requests
  • Cadences and inversions for ear training
  • Chord progressions for ear training
  • Melodic and harmonic minor modes for scale recognition
  • 6th, 9th, 11th and 13th chord extensions for chord recognition
  • Melodic dictation
Show 15 more
  • Rhythm exercises
  • Fretboard reverse identification
  • Chord inversions for chord identification
  • Scales written on staff using various clefs
  • Rhythm, melodic, and harmonic dictation exercises
  • Part writing exercises
  • Exercises for form, cadences, etc.
  • MIDI support
  • Autoplay function
  • Ability to input notes/chords on fretboard
  • Chord progression ear training
  • Inversion options for chord and interval identification
  • Melodic and harmonic minor scale identification
  • Extended chord identification
  • Rhythmic dictation

In-app purchases

None

Ear Trainer

No in-app purchases

None

Tenuto

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ear Trainer free?
Ear Trainer costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tenuto free?
Tenuto costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Ear Trainer or Tenuto?
Ear Trainer and Tenuto are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.2K and 652 ratings respectively.
Do Ear Trainer or Tenuto have ads?
Neither Ear Trainer nor Tenuto shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ear Trainer or Tenuto?
Ear Trainer ships an update every 4 months, and Tenuto every 3 months. Most recently, Ear Trainer was updated on October 14, 2026 and Tenuto on October 13, 2026.

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