The best ear training app trains the skills you need most: hearing intervals, recognising chords, following rhythms or naming notes in a key. Short daily sessions work far better than long weekly ones, so choose an app you'll open every day. Nine apps follow in no particular order.
A good ear makes everything in music easier: learning songs by listening, singing in tune, improvising and playing with others. It's a skill like any other, and a few minutes a day with the right app builds it faster than most musicians expect.
The nine apps below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from full ear training suites to focused interval drills, rhythm trainers and a perfect pitch app. Each description comes from the app's own App Store listing or website, re-checked this week. If you like creating your own practice tracks, my guide to creating AI music for free is worth a look, and my research and free tools has more.
Ear training apps compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the app's own listing or site describes free use or a free download, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read. Several apps keep full courses in a premium plan.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| EarMaster | Ear training suite | Sight-singing and theory | Yes |
| Earpeggio | Exercise app | Intervals and chords | Yes |
| Functional Ear Trainer | Functional training | Hearing notes in a key | Yes |
| MyMusicTheory | Theory and ear app | Theory alongside ear training | Yes |
| Perfect Ear | Pitch and rhythm app | Rhythm as well as pitch | Yes |
| Sonofield | Ear training app | A modern training app | Yes |
| Tenuto | Theory exercises | Classic theory drills | No |
| Tone | Pitch trainer | Recognising single notes | Yes |
| ToneGym | Daily workouts | Daily ear workouts | Yes |
Nine ear training apps
EarMaster
Best for: Music students who want ear training, rhythm work and sight-singing practice in a long-established app.
Earpeggio
Best for: Instrumentalists who want quick ear training exercises they can do anywhere, on the bus or between practice sessions.
Functional Ear Trainer
Best for: Players who want to recognise notes by how they sound in a key, not just as intervals.
MyMusicTheory
Best for: Learners who want music theory lessons, exercises and quizzes sitting right next to their ear training.
Perfect Ear
Best for: Musicians who want rhythm drills as well as notes and chords in one app.
Sonofield
Best for: Musicians who want a newer ear training app with a fresh take on exercises.
Tenuto
Best for: Students and teachers who already use musictheory.net and want its drills offline on a phone or iPad.
Tone
Best for: Curious players who want to try learning to name single notes by ear with a perfect pitch trainer.
ToneGym
Best for: Producers and players who like short daily ear workouts that build into a habit.
Protect your ears while you train them
Ear training is about listening closely, so hearing health matters. The NIDCD says sounds at or below 70 A-weighted decibels are unlikely to cause hearing loss, but long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss.
What that means for you: practise with headphones at a moderate volume, take breaks and wear musician's earplugs at loud rehearsals and gigs. Damaged hearing can't be trained back.
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Intervals, chords, rhythm or functional?
Interval training teaches you to recognise the distance between two notes, the foundation of most ear work. Chord training helps you hear major, minor and other qualities, which helps when learning songs by ear. Rhythm training builds timing and reading. Functional ear training teaches you to hear each note in relation to the key, which many players find the most useful for real music.
Beginners usually start with intervals; improvisers often get the most from functional training. It's worth thinking about your instrument too. Singers benefit from apps that ask you to sing answers back, guitarists from chord recognition and drummers from rhythm work. If an app lets you build your own exercises, you'll be able to focus on the exact intervals or chords that keep tripping you up, rather than drills you've already mastered.
A simple daily ear training plan
- Do five minutes of interval recognition.
- Add three minutes of chord quality practice.
- Clap or tap along with a rhythm exercise.
- Try to sing back one interval before checking it.
- Learn a short melody from a song by ear.
- Track your scores to see progress over weeks.
Mistakes that slow progress
- Guessing too quickly. Listen twice before you answer.
- Only doing what you're good at. Spend time on the hard intervals.
- Practising at high volume. Moderate levels are safer and clearer.
- Never singing. Singing intervals locks them into your memory.
Using ear training in real music
Every song you love is ear training material. Try working out the first few notes of a melody by ear, then the chords underneath. Start with simple songs, check yourself with your instrument and gradually take on harder pieces. You'll find your app scores and your real-world playing improve together.
Do you make an ear training app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing an ear training app
Pick one app and use it for ten minutes a day, every day. Consistency matters far more than which app you choose, and most people notice real progress within a few weeks of daily practice, especially if they don't skip the intervals they find hardest.
Then take your ear out of the app. Learn songs by listening, sing what you play and transcribe short melodies. The app builds the foundations, but using your ear on real music is what makes the skill stick.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best ear training app?
One that trains the skills you need most and that you'll use daily: intervals, chords, rhythm or functional training.
Are ear training apps free?
Most are free to download with premium courses. One app here is a one-off purchase.
How long does ear training take?
Most people notice progress within weeks of short daily practice, though it's a skill you keep building.
Can you learn perfect pitch with an app?
Some apps try to teach it. Relative pitch, hearing notes in relation to each other, is more useful for most musicians.
Do I need to read music to train my ear?
No. Most ear training apps work by listening and choosing answers.
Is loud practice bad for my ears?
The NIDCD says long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss.
