# Interval Ear Training vs Play By Ear

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Play By Ear at none against Interval Ear Training's 1. Play By Ear also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 19 months). Interval Ear Training's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (355 vs 79). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Interval Ear Training holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 355 and 79 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Interval Ear Training's written reviews are positive against 82% of Play By Ear's.

Interval Ear Training ships an update every 19 months, Play By Ear every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Interval Ear Training | Play By Ear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (355 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/interval-ear-training/id361125793/reviews)** | [4.4 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-by-ear-ear-training/id361203621/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **355** | 79 |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 81.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 295 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [262Hz](https://appshunter.io/developer/950924827) | [SuperNonstop.com, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/361203624) |

## 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


### Play By Ear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-by-ear-ear-training/id361203621)

Develop your musical ear with this call-and-response ear training app. It uses pitch recognition, allowing you to play notes back on your instrument instead of pressing buttons. Practice melodies, chords, and intervals in a way that mirrors real musical performance.

**Highlights:** Pitch recognition for instrumental interaction, Hands-free, continuous play, Interval, chord, and melody exercises, Customizable tempo, Multiple key centers, Microphone calibration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for ear training
- 👍 Helps learn to read music
- 👍 Excellent for musicians
- 👍 Good for piano teachers
- 👍 Pitch recognition accuracy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent pitch detection
- 🐛 Issues with low notes
- 🐛 Glitchy chord recognition
- 🐛 False errors reported
- 🐛 Not ideal for beginners

**Reported bugs**

- No audio output
- App crashes frequently
- Pitch detection not working
- Plays single tone only
- Loses sound with timer/calls

**Requested features**

- Repeat option for phrases
- Limit scale patterns to selected scales/keys
- Profiles for multi-instrumentalists
- Test from the same root note sometimes
- Sign in and save practice data


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Interval Ear Training free?

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

### Is Play By Ear free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Interval Ear Training or Play By Ear?

Interval Ear Training is rated higher. Interval Ear Training averages 4.7 out of 5 from 355 ratings, while Play By Ear averages 4.4 from 79 ratings.

### Do Interval Ear Training or Play By Ear have ads?

Neither Interval Ear Training nor Play By Ear shows ads.

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

Interval Ear Training ships an update every 19 months, and Play By Ear every 2 months. Most recently, Interval Ear Training was updated on September 21, 2026 and Play By Ear on September 16, 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.*