Music Buddy Lite vs Complete Ear Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Music Buddy Lite
Master music theory with this app. Learn to quickly recognize notes, key signatures, and intervals using flashcards and repetition. Supports multiple international note-naming systems and features a clean interface with progress tracking.
- Note recognition
- Key signature memorization
- Interval training
- Multiple note-naming systems
- Progress tracking
- Sheet music practice
Read full descriptionHide full description
Music Buddy – learn and memorize notes, key signatures (circle of fifths), and intervals, practice sight reading sheet music using flash cards principle. Read sheet music quickly and effortlessly like a pro. Learn to recognize notes, key signatures, and intervals in the blink of an eye. Three independent learning modules in one app. Set aside five minutes a day for this app and you'll be reading sheet music like a professional musician in no time. The app uses an ingenious approach to memorizing information through repetition and visual patterns with a focus on hard-to-remember pieces of information. The simple, elegant, and intuitive interface allows you to switch between different note-naming systems used in major countries around the world: • C D E F G A B (major + minor, 大调 + 小调, 大調 + 小調) • C D E F G A H (dur + moll) • Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Si (mayor + menor, maior + menor, majeur + mineur, maggiore + minore) • Дo Рe Ми Фа Coль Ля Си (мажор + минор) • ハ ニ ホ ヘ ト イ ロ (長調 + 短調) • 도 레 미 파 솔 라 시 (장조 + 단조) The learning experience starts by tapping the big frame with a graphical representation of selected options on the main screen of each module. A neat interface will efficiently teach you your coveted knowledge – after each session you will see a significant improvement. And you can follow your achievements on the Results screen, where everything is summarized in a beautiful chart. Every module has its own options that are accessible by tapping the Options button in the top right corner of the main screen of the module. On the following screen you can then choose options to your liking. Notes module: This module will teach you to quickly recognize notes without thinking about it – you’ll look at them and you’ll simply know them. Key Signatures module: This module will help you memorize the circle of fifths – a must for every musician. You will learn to recognize keys based on the number of sharps or flats in a key signature at the beginning of a staff. Intervals module: This module is especially helpful for pianists. Skilled pianists don't need to identify every note in a sheet. They recognize patterns based on the distance between notes (intervals) and automatically stretch their fingers accordingly. Each module keeps its own history of your results, accessible using a dedicated History button, and also contains a Music Theory section accessible via the button with the same name. All exercises are accompanied by beautifully recorded sounds of a real acoustic grand piano. The sounds can be muted or unmuted for each module independently using a button below the staff on the Exercise screen or in the options of the particular module. The volume can be set globally for the whole app in Settings, or you can use the device hardware buttons. Good luck on your journey toward becoming a great musician!
Complete Ear Trainer
Enhance your musical abilities with comprehensive ear training exercises. Master intervals, chords, and scales through gamified lessons and custom programs. Ideal for musicians seeking to improve improvisation, composition, and performance.
- 150+ progressive drills
- 11 drill types
- Customizable drills and programs
- Gamified learning with star system
- Multiple sound banks
- Theory cards for concept introduction
- Cloud sync across devices
Read full descriptionHide full description
The ultimate ear training app for musicians. Develop your relative pitch to the full by improving your aural skills and your music theory knowledge. This will better many aspects of your life as a musician, be it regarding improvisation, composition, arrangement, interpretation, singing, or playing in a band. Designed like a video game and with strong pedagogical concepts in mind, this app will make you truly master each interval, chord, scale, etc. before taking you to the next one. Features • 150+ progressive drills arranged over 4 levels / 28 chapters • 11 drill types, 24 intervals, 36 chord types, chord inversions, 28 scale types, melodic dictations, chord progressions • Easy mode: 50+ progressive drills arranged over 12 chapters especially designed for beginners • Play a selection of 21 drills in arcade mode • 5 octaves of actual recorded grand piano sounds • 7 additional sound banks are available, all with actual recorded sounds: vintage piano, Rhodes piano, electric guitar, harpsichord, concert harp, strings and pizzicato strings • In each chapter, a theory card will introduce you to the concepts you will need to know • No need to know how to read music on a staff • Designed like a video game: earn 3 stars in each drill of a chapter to unlock the next one. Or will you be able to obtain perfect 5-star scores? • Don't want to follow the preestablished path of progression? Create and save your own custom drills and rehearse them at your own convenience • Create full custom training programs and invite friends or students to join them. If for example you're a teacher you can create custom programs for your students, add drills every week and view their scores on private leaderboards • Never lose any progress: cloud sync across your various devices • 25 achievements to unlock • Worldwide leaderboards (global, per level, per chapter, easy mode, arcade mode) • Global statistics to track your progress • Nice and clean user interface with 2 display themes: light and dark • Designed by a musician and music teacher with a Royal Conservatory master's degree Full Version • Download the app and try out the first chapter of each mode for free • One-time in-app purchase to unlock the full version on all your devices Having a problem? Got a suggestion? You can reach us at hello@completeeartrainer.com Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Complete Ear Trainer at Free against Music Buddy Lite's $0.99. Complete Ear Trainer also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 19 months) and review sentiment (85% vs 64%). Music Buddy Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). On ads 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
Complete Ear Trainer is free to download; Music Buddy Lite costs $0.99 up front. Complete Ear Trainer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Music Buddy Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
Complete Ear Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Complete Ear Trainer has 203 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Music Buddy Lite's written reviews are positive against 85% of Complete Ear Trainer's.
Music Buddy Lite ships an update every 19 months, Complete Ear Trainer every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.
| Parameter | Music Buddy Lite | Complete Ear Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (23 ratings) | 4.7 (203 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.1% of reviews | 85.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 23 | 203 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.5 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 68 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Vladimir Vasek | Binary Guilt |
Customer experience
Music Buddy Lite
Complete Ear Trainer
In-app purchases
Music Buddy Lite
No in-app purchases
Complete Ear Trainer
- Cloud Sync and Web access$0.991 Month
- Cloud Sync and Web access$9.991 Year
- Full Version$6.99
Questions
Is Music Buddy Lite free?
Is Complete Ear Trainer free?
Which has better reviews, Music Buddy Lite or Complete Ear Trainer?
Do Music Buddy Lite or Complete Ear Trainer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Music Buddy Lite or Complete Ear Trainer?
Other comparisons















