# Band vs First 5 Notes

The clearest difference is rating: First 5 Notes at 5.0 against Band's 4.0. First 5 Notes also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Band's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ratings volume (40 vs 4). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. First 5 Notes sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Band asks for nothing beyond the download.

First 5 Notes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Band has 40 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Band ships an update every 2 months, First 5 Notes weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Band | First 5 Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (40 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/band-in-a-box/id397173717/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5-notes-beginning-band/id6760314662/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **40** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 23.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 771 MB | 482 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PG Music Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/350594075) | [Justin Berchtold](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786446607) |

## What reviewers say

### Band

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/band-in-a-box/id397173717)

Create professional backing tracks for songs in minutes by simply entering chords. Explore thousands of musical styles and generate realistic accompaniments with real musicians. Visualize your music through notation, tabs, and interactive instrument displays.

**Highlights:** Instant backing track generation, Thousands of musical styles, RealTracks with real musicians, Chord sheet and notation display, Interactive instrument visualizations, Generated solos for improvisation, Seamless file management and export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Excellent for solo musicians and on-the-go practice
- ☁️ iCloud integration for seamless file access across devices
- 🎹 High-quality RealTracks and realistic accompaniment sounds
- 📱 Convenient mobile access to BIAB songs from desktop
- 🎯 Intuitive interface for chord entry and song creation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and instability issues
- 💾 Critical file saving and loading failures
- 🔧 Changes to songs don't apply to playback
- 🎚️ Instrument adjustments and muting don't work
- 🔌 Requires constant server/WiFi connection for functionality

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when saving songs
- Changes to chords, styles, and form not applied to playback
- Cannot generate RealTracks, only MIDI output
- Notation feature shows whole bar rests instead of arrangements
- Playback sync lag with chord display (2+ measures behind)

**Requested features**

- Loop function for specific song segments
- Transpose functionality for practice in all keys
- Multiple chords per measure entry
- Ability to change key automatically for transposing instruments
- Mute individual instruments


### First 5 Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5-notes-beginning-band/id6760314662)

Learn to read, finger, and play the first five notes on ten different band instruments. This app offers a clear learning path for beginners, with the first five notes available for free forever. Unlock additional notes and fingerings with a one-time purchase per instrument.

**Highlights:** Learn first five notes, Supports ten band instruments, Read, finger, and play notes, Tuner locks in pitch, One-time purchase for full range, No internet connection needed

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trumpet Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tenor Sax Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baritone Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| French Horn Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tuba Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bells Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bassoon Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bass Clarinet Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Oboe Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baritone Sax Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Band free?

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

### Is First 5 Notes free?

First 5 Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Band or First 5 Notes?

First 5 Notes is rated higher. Band averages 4.0 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while First 5 Notes averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Band or First 5 Notes have ads?

Neither Band nor First 5 Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Band or First 5 Notes?

Band ships an update every 2 months, and First 5 Notes weekly. Most recently, Band was updated on November 10, 2026 and First 5 Notes on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*