# Hooktheory I vs Sonofield Ear Trainer

The clearest difference is price: Sonofield Ear Trainer at Free against Hooktheory I's $14.99. Sonofield Ear Trainer also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Sonofield Ear Trainer is free to download; Hooktheory I costs $14.99 up front. Hooktheory I sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sonofield Ear Trainer sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sonofield Ear Trainer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonofield Ear Trainer has 376 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Hooktheory I's written reviews are positive against 89% of Sonofield Ear Trainer's.

Hooktheory I ships an update every 3 months, Sonofield Ear Trainer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hooktheory I | Sonofield Ear Trainer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooktheory-i/id862112892/reviews) | **[4.9 (376 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonofield-ear-trainer/id6740409139/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **376** |
| Positive reviews | 63.4% of reviews | **88.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 140 MB | 105 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hooktheory LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/862112895) | [Sonofield Ear Trainer Education Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789801335) |

## What reviewers say

### Hooktheory I

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooktheory-i/id862112892)

Learn to craft melodies and chord progressions like a pro with interactive lessons and audiovisual examples from popular songs. This app provides an intuitive understanding of music theory, with practical exercises and a companion sketchpad for immediate practice.

**Highlights:** Learn chord progressions, Compose melodies, Audiovisual examples, Interactive exercises, Song dissection, Music theory concepts

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $14.99 | one-time |


### Sonofield Ear Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonofield-ear-trainer/id6740409139)

This app helps musicians develop their ear by focusing on the feeling of individual notes within a key, rather than traditional interval training. It uses sustained drones and offers various modes like identifying scale degrees, melodies, and singing exercises. The app adapts to your skill level with an intuitive interface and progression path.

**Highlights:** Feeling-based note recognition, Scale degree identification, Melody recognition training, Singing exercises, Hands-free training mode, Interactive exploration instrument

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Pro | $14.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $17.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent ear training tool
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly design
- 🎶 Effective for improving relative pitch
- 💡 Innovative use of drone and scale degrees
- 🎯 Helpful for aural skills development

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Challenging for true beginners
- 💭 Desire for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- None reported

**Requested features**

- Option to switch between 12TET and just intonation
- Ability to reduce octave range
- Incorporate more timbre options for drone and notes
- Tracking and visualization of progress and learned skills
- Add interactive tutorial for level 1


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hooktheory I free?

Hooktheory I costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Sonofield Ear Trainer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hooktheory I or Sonofield Ear Trainer?

Sonofield Ear Trainer is rated higher. Hooktheory I averages 4.1 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Sonofield Ear Trainer averages 4.9 from 376 ratings.

### Do Hooktheory I or Sonofield Ear Trainer have ads?

Neither Hooktheory I nor Sonofield Ear Trainer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hooktheory I or Sonofield Ear Trainer?

Hooktheory I ships an update every 3 months, and Sonofield Ear Trainer every 9 days. Most recently, Hooktheory I was updated on October 13, 2026 and Sonofield Ear Trainer on October 14, 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.*