NoteNames+ vs DAC App
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NoteNames+
This app helps young musicians instantly recognize note names across treble, bass, and alto clefs. It aids in learning key signatures, scales, and enharmonic notes, making music study more efficient and engaging.
- Treble, bass, and alto clef training
- Enharmonic note recognition
- Key signature training
- Scale spelling
- Key signature building
- Teacher class codes for student scores
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NoteNames+ tackles one of the most serious roadblocks for young musicians: The ability to instantly recognize the names of notes. Instantaneous note recognition allows students to process other important information, such as dynamics, articulation, phrasing, fingerings, and so on. NoteNames+ was first developed nearly 20 years ago for the Macintosh, and now it lives on via iOS. Gone are the days of writing the names of notes above the music! Use NoteNames+ as a regular part of your curriculum. Features include: *Training for treble, bass AND alto clefs! *Enharmonic training *Major and minor key signature recognition *Scale spelling (major) *Key signature building (major and minor) *Google Docs implementation (free) Teachers can create their own unique school code in order to receive student scores and to set their own preference requirements *on a per-class basis* which is extremely powerful. Contact us to do this (it's free). NoteNames+ rewards speed *and* accuracy. Students will remain engaged rather than zoning out in a self-paced tutorial format.
DAC App
This free application simplifies the recording of student audio responses for specific AP exams. It streamlines the process for both students and proctors, and automatically uploads audio files for school staff. Designed for use on school-issued iPads.
- Record audio responses for AP exams
- Simplify recording process
- Intuitive interface for students
- Streamline post-exam tasks
- Direct upload of audio files
- Designed for school-owned iPads
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The Digital Audio Capture (DAC) app is a free app developed by College Board and ETS to use for recording students’ audio responses for the AP Music Theory Exam and AP French, German, Italian, and Spanish Language and Culture Exams. This app has been developed to simplify the recording process for students and proctors, utilizing current technology that is intuitive to most students. It streamlines post-exam tasks for school staff by directly uploading student audio files after recording. School staff will follow the instructions in the 2025-26 AP Exam Instructions book to administer an exam using the DAC app. NOTE: The DAC app is limited for use on school-owned and -controlled iPad tablets (iOS 15.0 and above). Schools must update to the 2026 version of the DAC app; previous versions of the app will not work in 2026.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: NoteNames+ at 67% against DAC App's 20%. NoteNames+ also leads on rating (4.1 vs 1.8) and update cadence (weekly vs every 12 months). On price, ratings volume, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
NoteNames+ holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 16 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of NoteNames+'s written reviews are positive against 20% of DAC App's.
NoteNames+ ships an update weekly, DAC App every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NoteNames+ | DAC App |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (17 ratings) — better | 1.8 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better | 20.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 17 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 12 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 50 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Brian Wis | Educational Testing Service |
Customer experience
NoteNames+
DAC App
In-app purchases
NoteNames+
No in-app purchases
DAC App
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NoteNames+ free?
Is DAC App free?
Which has better reviews, NoteNames+ or DAC App?
Do NoteNames+ or DAC App have ads?
Which is updated more often, NoteNames+ or DAC App?
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