# Flashnote Derby vs NinGenius Music

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flashnote Derby at none against NinGenius Music's 14. Flashnote Derby also leads on chart position (#22 vs unranked) and ratings volume (149 vs 23). NinGenius Music's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.6). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Flashnote Derby costs $4.99 and NinGenius Music $5.99 up front. NinGenius Music sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. Flashnote Derby asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Flashnote Derby against 4.0 for NinGenius Music. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flashnote Derby has 149 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Flashnote Derby's written reviews are positive against 67% of NinGenius Music's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flashnote Derby | NinGenius Music |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | **[4.0 (149 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashnote-derby/id453126527/reviews)** | [4.0 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ningenius-music-studio-games/id984834749/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **149** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **69.1% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#22** | — |
| Size | 110 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luke Bartolomeo](https://appshunter.io/developer/453126530) | [Ningenius Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/984834748) |

## What reviewers say

### Flashnote Derby

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashnote-derby/id453126527)

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

This app transforms music note learning into an engaging game for young musicians. It offers various ways to practice and play, with customizable drills to suit any student's level. Track progress and make learning fun, whether at home or in lessons.

**Highlights:** Gamified note recognition races, Practice mode with no timer, Play notes on instrument or MIDI, On-screen piano keyboard input, Customizable clefs and note ranges, Multiple engaging themes, Teacher tools for assignments and progress tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging gamified learning experience with racing themes
- 🎵 Effective tool for learning note reading and music literacy
- 🎨 Customizable themes and visual designs
- ⚙️ Highly customizable settings for notes, speed, and difficulty
- 👨‍🏫 Teacher-friendly features with student tracking and presets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app freezing issues
- 🔊 Harsh negative feedback sounds (booing) discourages learners
- 🎵 Inaccurate note detection, especially for E note and lower instruments
- 📱 Poor mobile responsiveness and slider controls on phones
- ⚠️ Data loss after updates without warning

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during use
- White screen on startup that auto-closes
- Note recognition fails, particularly for E note
- Low instrument octave recognition issues
- Data and student names lost after updates

**Requested features**

- Restore previous speed options (Walk, Trot, Canter, Gallop)
- Option to customize number of test notes (return 10/20 options)
- Remove or tone down negative feedback sounds
- Add more theme options (animals, seasonal themes)
- Untimed mode without racing element


### NinGenius Music

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ningenius-music-studio-games/id984834749)

This app helps music students master instrument notes, fingerings, and rhythms through engaging games. It tracks individual student progress and provides detailed statistics for educators.

**Highlights:** Instrument note and fingering practice, Rhythm training, Student progress tracking, Customizable assessment levels, High score lists and leaderboards, Exportable gameplay data (CSV)

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Baritone Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bass Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Clarinet Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| F Horn Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Flute Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Piano Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Saxophone Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Trombone Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Trumpet Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tuba Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Viola Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Violin Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mallets Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bassoon Instrument Add-in | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flashnote Derby free?

Flashnote Derby costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NinGenius Music free?

NinGenius Music costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Flashnote Derby or NinGenius Music?

Flashnote Derby is rated higher. Flashnote Derby averages 4.0 out of 5 from 149 ratings, while NinGenius Music averages 4.0 from 23 ratings.

### Do Flashnote Derby or NinGenius Music have ads?

Neither Flashnote Derby nor NinGenius Music shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flashnote Derby or NinGenius Music?

Flashnote Derby ships an update every 6 months, and NinGenius Music every 6 months. Most recently, Flashnote Derby was updated on October 30, 2026 and NinGenius Music on October 24, 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.*