# Ear Trainer vs Theory Lessons

The clearest difference is rating: Ear Trainer at 4.8 against Theory Lessons's 4.4. Ear Trainer also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 126) and review sentiment (95% vs 83%). Theory Lessons's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $7.99) and chart position (#12 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Ear Trainer costs $7.99 and Theory Lessons $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ear Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ear Trainer has 1.2K ratings behind it against 126, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of Ear Trainer's written reviews are positive against 83% of Theory Lessons's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ear Trainer | Theory Lessons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **$2.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ear-trainer/id358733250/reviews)** | [4.4 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theory-lessons/id493157418/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 126 |
| Positive reviews | **94.8% of reviews** | 83.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#12** |
| Size | 90 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 15.8 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [thoor software AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/698240746) | [musictheory.net](https://appshunter.io/developer/459313479) |

## What reviewers say

### Ear Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ear-trainer/id358733250)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Accessible and easy to use
- 🚀 Customizable exercises
- 🚀 Comprehensive training
- 🚀 Steady progress and improvement

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Incorrect note/interval spellings
- 🐛 Lack of melody dictation exercises
- 🐛 Limited chord progression exercises
- 🐛 Cumbersome note deletion in melody exercises

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect chord quality identification
- Inconsistent note layout in some exercises

**Requested features**

- 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


### Theory Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theory-lessons/id493157418)

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Paid · Music, #117 Top Paid (US App Store)

Explore 39 animated music theory lessons covering fundamental concepts like scales, chords, and intervals. Deepen your understanding of musical structure and analysis with this comprehensive resource.

**Highlights:** 39 animated music theory lessons, Covers staff, clefs, and ledger lines, Explains note and rest duration, Details major and minor scales, Teaches intervals and chord inversions, Includes Roman numeral analysis, Features musical analysis examples

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and easy to use
- 👍 Clear and concise explanations
- 💡 Helpful visual aids and animations
- 🤩 Excellent learning tool for beginners
- 🔍 Comprehensive coverage of music theory

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio issues on some devices
- 🔍 Limited content compared to website
- 🤔 Keyboard-centric approach may not suit non-pianists
- 💰 Paid app when website is free

**Reported bugs**

- Directional arrows and guidance symbols not working on iPad
- Text panels cut off at the bottom and unable to be resized

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced theory topics
- Incorporate practice exercises and quizzes
- Include support for other instruments beyond piano
- Integrate with the Tenuto app for a more complete experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ear Trainer free?

Ear Trainer costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Theory Lessons free?

Theory Lessons costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Ear Trainer or Theory Lessons?

Ear Trainer is rated higher. Ear Trainer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Theory Lessons averages 4.4 from 126 ratings.

### Do Ear Trainer or Theory Lessons have ads?

Neither Ear Trainer nor Theory Lessons shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ear Trainer or Theory Lessons?

Ear Trainer ships an update every 4 months, and Theory Lessons every 4 months. Most recently, Ear Trainer was updated on October 15, 2026 and Theory Lessons on October 15, 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.*