Comparison

MuseSync vs Arco

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MuseSync

Features
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What if learning music felt like your favourite game? Whether you are picking out your very first note or preparing for Grade 8 theory, MuseSync turns learning music into something you will actually want to open every day: quick games, short lessons, instant feedback, and a score to beat. No instrument needed — everything is played on screen, by ear, or with your voice. PLAY YOUR WAY TO GRADE 8 Five arcade-style games train the skills real musicians drill: • Note Rain — catch falling notes before they hit the stave • Rhythm Tap — hold the groove against the metronome • Melody Echo — hear a phrase, play it back • Sight Read — read ahead under time pressure • Sing the Note — pitch it with your own voice, scored by the mic Every round earns XP. Every mistake costs a heart. Every comeback feels great. A GAME AROUND EVERYTHING • Earn XP for accuracy, not just for finishing • Keep your daily streak alive — seven days makes a perfect week • Climb the weekly league against other learners • Unlock achievements as your skills stack up No account needed. Open the app and play. A REAL SYLLABUS UNDERNEATH This is not trivia. 110 bite-size lessons take you from your first note to analysing a fugue: • Music Reading (Grades 1-2) — notes, clefs, rhythm, key signatures • Tonal Harmony (Grades 2-3) — intervals, time signatures, minor keys • Harmony & Keys (Grades 4-5) — circle of fifths, triads, inversions, cadences • Advanced Harmony (Grades 6-7) — seventh chords, modulation, counterpoint, fugue • Score Mastery (Grade 8) — chromatic harmony, orchestral scores, composition • Professional Practice (Diploma) — teaching, research, career, copyright Work through them in order, or jump straight to the grade you are preparing for. Notation is engraved with the same professional music font used by real scorewriters, so what you learn here is exactly what you will read on paper. LEARN BY DOING, NOT BY GUESSING Lessons end in exercises that make you do the thing, not pick the thing: • Write notes onto a real stave • Build chords and progressions by hand • Identify intervals, chords and cadences by ear • Tap rhythms in time • Sing back phrases using your microphone • Compose short melodies and get instant feedback IT REMEMBERS WHAT YOU FORGET Theory fades if you only meet it once. MuseSync tracks every skill you practise and schedules it to return just before it slips, using a proven spaced-repetition model. Short Refresh sessions revive your three weakest skills — no redoing whole lessons. MADE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY MuseSync has a dedicated Kids mode. Younger children get a friendly, colourful space with simple ear- and rhythm-training games — Higher or Lower for pitch, Clap Along for rhythm — while grown-ups keep the full Grade 1 to Diploma journey. A parent gate keeps purchases in adult hands. WHO IT IS FOR • Complete beginners — start from your very first note • Anyone who tried a theory book and gave up • Students preparing for a graded exam • Players who never learned to read properly • Teachers setting structured practice between lessons • Families — a dedicated Kids mode for younger children Five minutes a day is enough. Your streak is waiting. Made by Toolbone. Website: https://www.toolbone.com Privacy: https://www.toolbone.com/privacy-policy

About

Arco

Record and analyze your musical performances with video and audio playback. Track your progress, improve technique, and build confidence for performances. Features include a metronome, pitch reader, and soundwave display.

Highlights
  • Video and audio recording
  • Performance analysis tools
  • Progress tracking
  • Metronome and pitch reader
  • Playback speed control
  • Personalized video album
Features
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Meet Arco, your new musical practice buddy! With Arco, you can easily record and listen to your playing, giving you the chance to hear yourself just like an audience would. This can help you catch little things you might miss while you're playing, like intonation, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation. Arco also lets you record videos, so you can check out your posture, bowing technique, and hand positions. This way, you can see exactly what you need to tweak to improve. Plus, having regular recordings means you can track your progress over time, celebrating your improvements and spotting areas that need more attention. And there's more! Arco can help you get used to the pressure of performing by simulating that experience, making you feel more confident and less anxious when it's showtime. It also encourages you to develop habits of self-reflection and critical listening, which are super important for any musician. With Arco, your practice sessions will be more productive, and you'll see just how much you can grow as a musician. Happy practising! Video Recorder Dive into your musical journey with our app, designed to supercharge your skills! It comes packed with awesome tools like a metronome, pitch reader (Beta), and live soundwave display for smooth practice sessions. Keep your rhythm spot-on with the metronome, get instant note feedback from the pitch reader, and see your performance come to life with the live soundwave display. Whether you're just starting out or already a pro, our app helps you improve with each practice, unlocking your full potential! Video Playback Reviewing your recordings is a breeze with our player, which automatically starts playback right after you finish recording. Enjoy real-time sound visualisation with our dynamic soundwave display. Control the playback speed easily and skip forward or backward by five seconds with just a tap. Video Album Welcome to your personalised video album page, showcasing only your practice videos! You can also import other videos for analysis, giving you a broader perspective. Learn from others' performances and find inspiration to boost your own growth as a musician. Practice Tracker Keep yourself motivated and on track with our practice tracker! It monitors your dedication and progress, linking each date directly to that day's video recording. Stay accountable and see your improvement day by day. About Us We believe that anyone can learn music at any age. We are a team of two: an adult cello student / professional film animator, and a talented programmer packed with technical skills. We value visual feedback, but when my cello teacher asked me to record myself on my iPhone, it was frustrating with too many buttons to click, making practice less fun. So, we created the Arco app! Arco makes recording videos simple and enjoyable, enabling easy playback and analysis of every detail. With Arco, refining your technique becomes a confident and efficient process, using visual feedback to significantly enhance your performance. Terms of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

MuseSync4 screens
Arco4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Arco at every 3 days against MuseSync's every 2 weeks. MuseSync's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MuseSync sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Arco sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MuseSync ships an update every 2 weeks, Arco every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
MuseSync versus Arco: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMuseSyncArco
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.4
Further details — not scored
Size160 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperToolbone LLPCake Lovers Studio Ltd

In-app purchases

5 purchases

MuseSync

Subscriptions4
  • Playlister$7.991 Month
  • Maestro$17.993 Months
  • Virtuoso$32.996 Months
Show 1 more
  • Super Star$45.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$99.99
3 purchases

Arco

Subscriptions3
  • Silver7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Gold7 Days trial$5.996 Months
  • Platinum7 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is MuseSync free?
MuseSync is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Arco free?
Arco is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MuseSync or Arco have ads?
Neither MuseSync nor Arco shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MuseSync or Arco?
MuseSync ships an update every 2 weeks, and Arco every 3 days. Most recently, MuseSync was updated on October 13, 2026 and Arco on October 3, 2026.

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