# Relative vs Active Ear

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Active Ear at none against Relative's 1. Active Ear also leads on review sentiment (94% vs 60%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). Relative's advantage is iOS requirement (7.1 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Relative sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Active Ear asks for nothing beyond the download.

Active Ear holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 66 and 50 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Relative's written reviews are positive against 94% of Active Ear's.

Relative ships an update every 4 months, Active Ear monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Relative | Active Ear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (66 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/relative-absolute-solfege-ear-trainer/id911343247/reviews) | **[4.7 (50 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-ear-ear-trainer/id1541508221/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **66** | 50 |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **93.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 127 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.1** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Richard Foo](https://appshunter.io/developer/473749640) | [MCPHERSON'S MUSIC LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541508223) |

## What reviewers say

### Relative

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/relative-absolute-solfege-ear-trainer/id911343247)

Develop your musical ear with this solfege-based ear training app. Learn to recognize musical intervals and play by ear, essential for improvisation and jam sessions. Offers graduated training and pitch name input for absolute pitch practice.

**Highlights:** Relative-Do solfege training, Interval recognition, Absolute pitch practice, Customizable scale degrees and octaves, Multi-note training, Streak counter

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Advanced Features + Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


### Active Ear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/active-ear-ear-trainer/id1541508221)

Develop your musical ear with a comprehensive ear training app. It offers various exercises to help musicians identify pitches, intervals, chords, and progressions. Customize your learning with practice modes and test your knowledge with quizzes.

**Highlights:** Pitch Recognition, Interval Training, Chord Quality Identification, Bassline Training, Progression Training, Chord Inversions, Customizable Practice Mode, Quiz Mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Relative free?

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

### Is Active Ear free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Relative or Active Ear?

Active Ear is rated higher. Relative averages 4.3 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while Active Ear averages 4.7 from 50 ratings.

### Do Relative or Active Ear have ads?

Neither Relative nor Active Ear shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Relative or Active Ear?

Relative ships an update every 4 months, and Active Ear monthly. Most recently, Relative was updated on October 24, 2026 and Active Ear on October 21, 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.*