# SMA vs Riyaz

The clearest difference is rating: Riyaz at 4.4 against SMA's 1.8. Riyaz also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (339 vs 5). SMA's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (60% vs 45%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Riyaz sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $24.49 per month. SMA asks for nothing beyond the download.

Riyaz holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Riyaz has 339 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of SMA's written reviews are positive against 45% of Riyaz's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SMA ships an update every 6 months, Riyaz fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SMA | Riyaz |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sma/id510975381/reviews) | **[4.4 (339 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riyaz-learn-to-sing/id1341595277/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **339** |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 44.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 58 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Clood On Music Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/510975384) | [MusicMuni Labs Pvt. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1341595276) |

## What reviewers say

### SMA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sma/id510975381)

This app provides registered students of the Shankar Mahadevan Academy access to their course materials. Students can view video and audio lessons, lyrics, and notations, and submit practice recordings for instructor feedback. It also allows viewing and submitting assessments and class recordings.

**Highlights:** Access course materials, View video and audio lessons, Submit practice recordings, Receive instructor feedback, View and submit assessments, Access class recordings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Riyaz

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riyaz-learn-to-sing/id1341595277)

Learn to sing with instant feedback and thousands of practice lessons. This app guides you to overcome mistakes and improve your vocal skills across various music styles. Suitable for all ages and skill levels, it helps you track progress and achieve your singing dreams.

**Highlights:** Instant vocal feedback, Thousands of practice lessons, Carnatic, Hindustani, Western classical styles, Smart visual tanpura, Practice recording and progress tracking, Lessons for all skill levels

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $24.49 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $79.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $88.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Great for learning Indian Classical Music
- 🎵 Offers carnatic syllabus
- 💡 Smart tanpura feature
- 🔑 Option to choose key/shruthi
- ✨ Good for practicing breath capacity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📱 Not optimized for iPad/large screens
- ❓ High note not registered
- 🎶 Limited song/genre options
- 🔄 No repeat mode/manual section play
- 📉 Incorrect scoring/marking

**Reported bugs**

- App not optimized for large screens
- High note not registered
- App hanging when trying to loop
- No repeat mode feature
- Incorrectly marking perfect singing as incorrect

**Requested features**

- Add more song options (pop, musical theatre, rap)
- Add intermediate and advanced carnatic levels
- Add western music options
- Add downloadable PDF for sargam and lyrics
- Add Taal notations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SMA free?

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

### Is Riyaz free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SMA or Riyaz?

Riyaz is rated higher. SMA averages 1.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Riyaz averages 4.4 from 339 ratings.

### Do SMA or Riyaz have ads?

Neither SMA nor Riyaz shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SMA or Riyaz?

SMA ships an update every 6 months, and Riyaz fortnightly. Most recently, SMA was updated on October 14, 2026 and Riyaz on October 18, 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.*