# Theory Lessons vs Functional Ear Trainer

The clearest difference is price: Functional Ear Trainer at Free against Theory Lessons's $2.99. Functional Ear Trainer also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (3.7K vs 126). Theory Lessons's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#12 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Functional Ear Trainer is free to download; Theory Lessons costs $2.99 up front. Functional Ear Trainer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Theory Lessons asks for nothing beyond the download.

Functional Ear Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Functional Ear Trainer has 3.7K ratings behind it against 126, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Theory Lessons's written reviews are positive against 96% of Functional Ear Trainer's.

Theory Lessons ships an update every 4 months, Functional Ear Trainer every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Theory Lessons | Functional Ear Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theory-lessons/id493157418/reviews) | **[4.9 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/functional-ear-trainer/id1088761926/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 126 | **3.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 83.1% of reviews | **96.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#12** | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.8 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [musictheory.net](https://appshunter.io/developer/459313479) | [Serhii Korchan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1088761925) |

## What reviewers say

### Theory Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theory-lessons/id493157418)

**Currently charting:** #12 Top Paid · Music, #105 Top Paid (US App Store)

Explore 39 animated music theory lessons covering fundamental concepts like scales, chords, and intervals. Deepen your understanding of musical structure and analysis with this comprehensive resource.

**Highlights:** 39 animated music theory lessons, Covers staff, clefs, and ledger lines, Explains note and rest duration, Details major and minor scales, Teaches intervals and chord inversions, Includes Roman numeral analysis, Features musical analysis examples

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and easy to use
- 👍 Clear and concise explanations
- 💡 Helpful visual aids and animations
- 🤩 Excellent learning tool for beginners
- 🔍 Comprehensive coverage of music theory

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio issues on some devices
- 🔍 Limited content compared to website
- 🤔 Keyboard-centric approach may not suit non-pianists
- 💰 Paid app when website is free

**Reported bugs**

- Directional arrows and guidance symbols not working on iPad
- Text panels cut off at the bottom and unable to be resized

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced theory topics
- Incorporate practice exercises and quizzes
- Include support for other instruments beyond piano
- Integrate with the Tenuto app for a more complete experience


### Functional Ear Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/functional-ear-trainer/id1088761926)

Develop your musical ear by learning to recognize tones within the context of a specific musical key. This app helps you understand the function of each note, improving your ability to transcribe, improvise, and play music by ear. Suitable for all ages and skill levels, with just 10 minutes of daily practice.

**Highlights:** Recognize tones in musical key context, Understand note function, Improve transcription skills, Enhance improvisation, Develop perfect pitch, Daily 10-minute practice

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Functional Ear Trainer Plus | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective ear training
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 💡 Customizable exercises
- 🎉 Noticeable improvement with regular practice
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional audio glitches
- 💡 Lack of support for other instruments besides piano
- 💡 Desire for more advanced features (e.g. chord recognition)

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard display issues when selecting all chromatic notes
- Inconsistent note resolutions in some exercises

**Requested features**

- Add support for multiple notes/chords at once
- Implement a mode for training key recognition
- Provide more customization options for exercises
- Include voice input to play the notes
- Add support for German/Norwegian key names


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Theory Lessons free?

Theory Lessons costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Functional Ear Trainer free?

Functional Ear Trainer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Theory Lessons or Functional Ear Trainer?

Functional Ear Trainer is rated higher. Theory Lessons averages 4.4 out of 5 from 126 ratings, while Functional Ear Trainer averages 4.9 from 3.7K ratings.

### Do Theory Lessons or Functional Ear Trainer have ads?

Neither Theory Lessons nor Functional Ear Trainer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Theory Lessons or Functional Ear Trainer?

Theory Lessons ships an update every 4 months, and Functional Ear Trainer every 7 months. Most recently, Theory Lessons was updated on October 15, 2026 and Functional Ear Trainer on October 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.*