# Interval Ear Training vs Active Ear

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Active Ear at none against Interval Ear Training's 1. Active Ear also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 19 months). Interval Ear Training's advantage is ratings volume (355 vs 50) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Interval Ear Training sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Active Ear asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Interval Ear Training against 4.7 for Active Ear. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Interval Ear Training has 355 ratings behind it against 50, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Interval Ear Training's written reviews are positive against 94% of Active Ear's.

Interval Ear Training ships an update every 19 months, Active Ear monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Interval Ear Training | Active Ear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (355 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/interval-ear-training/id361125793/reviews) | [4.7 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-ear-ear-trainer/id1541508221/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **355** | 50 |
| Positive reviews | 88.2% of reviews | **93.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 295 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [262Hz](https://appshunter.io/developer/950924827) | [MCPHERSON'S MUSIC LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541508223) |

## What reviewers say

### Interval Ear Training

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/interval-ear-training/id361125793)

Develop your musical ear with this interactive piano game. It helps improve interval recognition, pitch sense, and transcription skills through engaging exercises. Suitable for both beginners and experienced musicians.

**Highlights:** Interval recognition practice, Sense of pitch development, Transcription skill improvement, Improvisation skill enhancement, MIDI keyboard integration, Customizable tempo and keyboard range

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Settings | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 🎵 Effective ear training tool for interval recognition
- 🎹 Visual keyboard display aids learning
- 📊 Progress tracking with running success score
- 🔊 High-quality audio output

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🖱️ Excessive clicks required between intervals
- ⚙️ Limited customization options
- 🎵 Fixed to C major key only
- 🔄 Cannot fix first note for consistent practice
- 📊 Cumulative score cannot be reset per session

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes after first interval (iOS 8.1 compatibility issue)
- App stops responding and doesn't progress to next interval
- Sound fails after alarm interruption
- Chromatic mode prevents sounds from playing
- Delayed iOS support updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to fix first note and practice all intervals from one tonic
- Customize intervals tested (major only, minor only, specific intervals like 2nd, 3rd, tritone)
- Auto-play next interval without requiring additional clicks
- Support for sharps and flats
- Other musical keys beyond C major


### Active Ear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-ear-ear-trainer/id1541508221)

Develop your musical ear with a comprehensive ear training app. It offers various exercises to help musicians identify pitches, intervals, chords, and progressions. Customize your learning with practice modes and test your knowledge with quizzes.

**Highlights:** Pitch Recognition, Interval Training, Chord Quality Identification, Bassline Training, Progression Training, Chord Inversions, Customizable Practice Mode, Quiz Mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Interval Ear Training free?

Interval Ear Training is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Active Ear free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Interval Ear Training or Active Ear?

Interval Ear Training and Active Ear are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 355 and 50 ratings respectively.

### Do Interval Ear Training or Active Ear have ads?

Neither Interval Ear Training nor Active Ear shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Interval Ear Training or Active Ear?

Interval Ear Training ships an update every 19 months, and Active Ear monthly. Most recently, Interval Ear Training was updated on September 26, 2026 and Active Ear on June 10, 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.*