Comparison

StaffWars vs Listener

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

Head to head
About

StaffWars

Master musical clefs with this interactive game. Practice note names on the grand staff, treble, alto, and bass clefs. Ideal for musicians of all levels looking to improve their sight-reading skills.

Highlights
  • Learn note names on grand staff
  • Practice treble clef
  • Master alto clef
  • Woodshed bass clef
  • Interactive musical game
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

StaffWars is a game designed to help beginning and intermediate musicians learn, practice and woodshed the note names on the grand staff, treble, alto and bass clefs. THE APP for anyone who wants to master these clefs.

About

Listener

Features
Read full description

Listener scores your scales and arpeggios using just your iPhone microphone. No MIDI cable. Any piano. Play a scale. The app identifies what you played — key, scale type, direction, octave range — and scores you on note accuracy, speed control, evenness and togetherness. Instant, objective feedback on the technique that matters. WHAT IT DOES - Listens via your iPhone microphone while you practise - Identifies exercises from thousands of patterns across all 12 keys - Scores note accuracy, speed control, evenness and togetherness - Supports hands-together playing (parallel octaves) - Covers scales, arpeggios, all inversions, 3rds, 6ths and 10ths in parallel - Works with any piano — acoustic, digital, or keyboard HOW IT WORKS Open the app, tap start, and play. The app stays out of the way while you practise. When you stop, see your scores. Tap any exercise for detailed analysis with note-by-note breakdowns and trend charts. In Open Practise, play whatever you like — the app identifies each exercise automatically. In Test Mode, the app prompts you for what to play and you progress to more difficult exercises as you master easier ones. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS The progress matrix shows your scores across all keys and exercise types at a glance. See which exercises need developing, maintenance, or a refresh. Watch your scores improve over time. PRIVATE BY DESIGN All audio processing happens on-device. Nothing is uploaded. Your practise stays between you and your piano. Listener doesn't teach you how to play. It makes technical practise more focussed, and more fun, improving your overall playing. Built for students preparing for graded exams, adult learners who want objective feedback, and anyone who takes their technical practise seriously.

Screenshots

StaffWars4 screens
Listener4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Listener at Free against StaffWars's $1.99. Listener also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 4 months). StaffWars's advantage is chart position (#19 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads and in-app purchases 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

Listener is free to download; StaffWars costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StaffWars ships an update every 4 months, Listener every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
StaffWars versus Listener: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStaffWarsListener
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (132 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews74.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings132 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#19 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTMI Media, LLCDaniel Clifton

Bugs and requests

StaffWars

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Double-click registration causing unintended note selections
  • Incorrect note location detection preventing proper learning
  • App fails to close properly on iPhone X
  • Unresponsive touch input
  • Occasional app crashes reported

Requested features

13 requests
  • Extended note range for ledger lines (especially for cello and violin)
  • Piano keyboard interface instead of letter buttons
  • Microphone/instrument input feature for actual note playing
  • Note names displayed in note heads
  • Slow mode option for beginners
Show 8 more
  • Sound feedback for incorrect answers
  • Multiple clef practice mode (switching between clefs)
  • Separate range settings for treble and bass staves
  • Teacher account system to track student progress
  • Different background music themes
  • Instrument-specific transposition settings
  • Audio playback of correct pitches
  • Account system for home practice tracking

Listener

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

StaffWars

No in-app purchases

None

Listener

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is StaffWars free?
StaffWars costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Listener free?
Listener is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do StaffWars or Listener have ads?
Neither StaffWars nor Listener shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StaffWars or Listener?
StaffWars ships an update every 4 months, and Listener every 2 days. Most recently, StaffWars was updated on September 25, 2026 and Listener on September 19, 2026.

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