# Magic Zither vs Harp Real

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Harp Real at none against Magic Zither's 7. Harp Real also leads on ratings volume (647 vs 2). Magic Zither's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 15 months). On price, review sentiment, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Magic Zither sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Harp Real asks for nothing beyond the download.

Magic Zither holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harp Real has 647 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Magic Zither's written reviews are positive against 68% of Harp Real's.

Magic Zither ships an update every 2 months, Harp Real every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Magic Zither | Harp Real |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-zither/id399338194/reviews)** | [4.7 (647 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harp-real/id1481348599/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **647** |
| Positive reviews | **73.8% of reviews** | 67.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 108 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MEET Studio CO.,LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/346749745) | [Son Truong Ngoc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447240720) |

## What reviewers say

### Magic Zither

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-zither/id399338194)

Explore the enchanting world of the Chinese zither with this app. Learn traditional melodies, create impromptu music, and immerse yourself in eastern culture with integrated poetry and art.

**Highlights:** Play traditional Chinese zither, Connect piano to zither, Learn well-known tunes step-by-step, Impromptu music creation, Integrates Chinese poetry and painting, Music samples and teaching courses

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Songs in Grade 1 & Grade 2 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Songs in Grade 1 to Grade 4 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 月会员 | $12.99 | one-time |
| All Songs | $29.99 | one-time |
| 半年会员 | $41.99 | one-time |
| 年会员 | $59.99 | one-time |
| 尊享会员 | $109.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Beautiful sound quality
- 🎨 Visually appealing design
- 🧘‍♀️ Relaxing and meditative experience
- 🎹 Easy to use interface
- ✨ Magical and enchanting feel

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Mandatory registration required
-  anúncios Ads are intrusive
- ❌ No sound on some devices
- 💬 Japanese error messages
- 🚫 Lack of sustain on notes

**Reported bugs**

- No sound on iPad2/new iPad
- Notifications cannot be turned off
- Japanese error messages
- Chinese characters displayed as boxes
- App crashes on iOS 5 beta

**Requested features**

- Ability to record own playing
- More traditional music options
- Options for the magic screen
- Hook up to Audiobus
- Ad-free purchase option


### Harp Real

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harp-real/id1481348599)

This app simulates a 27-string lever harp, offering a realistic playing experience with a wide frequency range. Practice songs with adjustable speed and transposition, or play in real-time. Record and share your music.

**Highlights:** 27-string lever harp simulation, Frequency range C3 to A6#, Offline and online song practice, Adjustable song speed and transposition, Reverb effect, Normal and RealTime play modes, Autoplay option, Record, playback, and share functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Realistic harp sound quality
- 💰 Free app with premium features
- 🎛️ Adjustable parameters (reverb, room size, tuning levers)
- 🎼 Built-in songs included
- 😌 Relaxing and enjoyable to play

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Unexpected ads during gameplay
- 📖 Lack of instruction manual/documentation
- 🔊 Sound issues for some users
- 🎵 Pitch accuracy problems reported
- ❌ Missing second hand notes for some songs

**Reported bugs**

- No sound output for some users
- Volume control not easily accessible
- Incorrect pitches in some instances
- App not functioning properly on some devices

**Requested features**

- Background play functionality
- Transpose button
- Second hand notes for all songs
- Better documentation/tutorial


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Magic Zither free?

Magic Zither is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Harp Real free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Magic Zither or Harp Real?

Magic Zither is rated higher. Magic Zither averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Harp Real averages 4.7 from 647 ratings.

### Do Magic Zither or Harp Real have ads?

Harp Real shows ads; Magic Zither does not.

### Which is updated more often, Magic Zither or Harp Real?

Magic Zither ships an update every 2 months, and Harp Real every 15 months. Most recently, Magic Zither was updated on October 23, 2026 and Harp Real on October 29, 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.*