The Best Ear Training Apps of 2026
A 2026 guide to the best ear training apps for melodies, chords, and intervals. Clear picks, honest trade-offs, and current pricing for Sonofield, ToneGym, EarMaster, Complete Ear Trainer, Tenuto, Chet, Perfect Ear, Earpeggio, and Functional Ear Trainer.
Written by Max Konyi
Published on
Table of Contents
Introduction
I’ve been using ear training apps for over 15 years and have tried almost everything on the market. Most aren’t very good, some are decent, and a few are exceptional. In this post, I will give you my top recommendations for various use cases, as well as a compact review of some of the best apps available when it comes to tonal ear training.
TL;DR Quick Picks
- Best for melodies: Sonofield (feeling-based, contextual, modern)
- Best for chords: Chet (many input methods, real music examples)
- Best for producers and desktop users: ToneGym (browser-based, many tools, community)
- Best for classrooms: EarMaster (desktop + mobile, huge curriculum, standard notation)
- Best for hands-free training: Sonofield (customizable hands-free training)
Disclosure: Sonofield is my app. I strive to be honest and fair in my reviews. Prices below are USD and may vary by region.
How I judged
- Contextual training & transfer to real music: Does the method used mimic actual music through establishing a strong key center?
- Skills trained: Which aspects of ear training does the app focus on?
- UX and UI: Is the overall experience of the app enjoyable and intuitive?
- Sound quality: Are the sounds used pleasing to the ear?
- Singing support: Can you sing/confirm degrees cleanly and build internal pitch?
- Progression & customization: Is the learning path well crafted? Can you create your own exercises?
- Platform & price: iOS/Android/Web/Desktop; one-time purchase vs subscription.
Reviews
Sonofield (iOS/Android/macOS)
Why it’s great:
- A unique and intuitive method based on the way notes feel within a key.
- Beautiful interface and a calming, meditative vibe.
- Multiple modes for comprehensive training of melodic scale degree recognition.
- Includes a mic-based voice mode and a useful hands-free training option.
- Full progression path with gamification elements.
- Generous free version (no ads) and a one-time optional Pro upgrade.
- Progress and Pro status can be synced across devices and operating systems.
Pricing:
- Generous free version (no ads) and a one-time optional Pro upgrade ($14.99).
- Pro unlocks all features, customization options, and instruments.
Best for:
- Instrumentalists and singers who resonate with a feeling-based approach over interval math.
Trade-offs:
- No chordal training. Join our newsletter to get priority access to our coming Chord App!
- No standard music notation.
Links:
Complete Ear Trainer (iOS/Android)
Why it’s great:
- Robust curriculum covering intervals, scales, chords, and basic chord progressions.
- Clean, elegant interface.
- Deep customization options for personalized training.
- Includes an option to join custom training programs created by a teacher or friend.
- Gamification elements with leaderboards and achievements.
- Theory cards that explain relevant concepts.
Pricing:
- Limited free version and a one-time Full Version upgrade ($12.99).
- Full Version includes all chapters in each training mode.
Best for:
- Full-spectrum traditional ear training
Trade-offs:
- Not all exercises translate to real-world skills. Can feel sterile or academic.
- Issues with very high and low registers during questions can be frustrating and unrealistic.
Links:
ToneGym (Web)
Why it’s great:
- Big, browser-based platform you can use anywhere—no install.
- Lots of focused games and workouts for melody, rhythm, intervals, chords, and notation.
- Community features like message boards, contests, user profiles, and more.
- Optional music education courses and theory tools.
Pricing:
- Fairly limited free version.
- Pro Plan is subscription-based with monthly ($18.95/mo) and yearly tiers ($99.95/yr).
- Pro gives access to all tools, statistics, and personalized training.
- There is a one-time lifetime purchase option but it is very pricey.
Best for:
- Beginners who want personalized, gamified practice in the browser instead of a mobile app.
Trade-offs:
- Potentially overwhelming amount of content and extraneous features.
- Actual exercises are quite basic.
- The interface feels a bit dated.
Links:
Tenuto (iOS)
Why it’s great:
- A tight set of 24 customizable exercises plus 6 calculators covering notes, intervals, scales, chords, fretboard/keyboard ID, and ear training.
- No fluff, no accounts. Just open and practice; great for quick theory and ear training reps.
- Traditional training exercises with standard music notation.
Pricing:
- No free version, although the exercises can be used for free in the browser at musictheory.net
- The app is a one-time purchase ($4.99).
Best for:
- iOS users who want a reliable toolkit for ear training and theory practice on a budget.
Trade-offs:
- iOS-only; no Android or web.
- Ear training is only a portion of what is offered.
- Exercises are quite basic.
Links:
EarMaster (iOS/Android/macOS/Windows)
Why it’s great:
- Massive curriculum for ear training and sight-singing: thousands of lessons across melody, rhythm, intervals, chords, solfège, and vocal training.
- Mic features (voice/clap recognition), MIDI input, and sampled instruments for responsive feedback.
- Well-suited for schools and choirs (Cloud edition, access codes, admin tools).
- Traditional academic approach with standard notation and keyboard input.
Pricing:
- Limited free version with 4 modules of a Beginner’s Course.
- Subscriptions are monthly ($5.99/mo) or yearly ($43.80/yr).
- Subscription includes access to all Ear Master content on mobile and PC/Mac.
Best for:
- Teachers and students looking for a comprehensive ear training solution which aligns and integrates with traditional curricula.
Trade-offs:
- Scope may be too broad for many individual musicians at home.
- Academic framing; not as minimal or quick to use as other apps.
- Interface can feel clunky and dated.
Links:
Functional Ear Trainer (iOS/Android)
Why it’s great:
- Classic functional approach: learn to recognize scale degrees in the context of a key using melodic resolutions.
- Structured learning path moving through major and minor keys as well as chromatic tones.
- Multiple modes: single notes, two notes at once, melodies, and hands-free mode.
- Customizable exercises.
Pricing:
- Free version is limited but very usable with basic single degree training and custom exercises.
- At the time of writing, the app is moving from a one-time purchase ($19.99) to a subscription model. This will apparently happen soon but the pricing is not yet public.
- The Plus version of the app includes all exercise modes and levels, as well as 20+ instrument sounds.
Best for:
- Beginners looking to explore melodic scale degrees using the traditional approach.
Trade-offs:
- Steep price relative to other apps. Will soon be a subscription.
- The UI is fairly basic and plain.
Links:
Chet (iOS)
Why it’s great:
- Large curriculum including single notes, scales, chords, and progressions.
- Better sound quality than most apps and certain exercises even use real music snippets.
- On-screen piano, guitar, and bass input as well as mic and MIDI support.
- Competitive daily challenge with a global leaderboard.
Pricing:
- Chet is entirely free!
Best for:
- iOS users on a budget who want to ear train with standard notation and instrument input.
Trade-offs:
- iOS-only; no Android or web.
- Focuses more on absolute pitches than contextual relationships in a key.
- Landscape orientation only.
Links:
Earpeggio (iOS)
Why it’s great:
- A range of simple exercises covering intervals, chords, chord progressions, melody dictation, and rhythm dictation.
- Goal-based tests and progress stats.
- Lightweight, functional UI.
- Virtual keyboard input and standard notation.
- Includes a unique Melodic Contour exercise, which can be quite helpful.
Pricing:
- Completely free on iOS!
Best for:
- iOS users who want quick, classic ear-training drills (including dictation) in a no-nonsense package.
Trade-offs:
- iOS-only; no Android or web version.
- A focus on traditional identification drills, which aren’t always useful in real life.
- Sound quality and overall vibe are quite basic.
Links:
Perfect Ear (iOS/Android)
Why it’s great:
- Large collection of exercises and drills: from intervals, scales, and chords, to rhythm training, sight reading, and absolute pitch.
- Guided Courses for different ability levels to help you progress smoothly.
- Customizable exercises.
- Daily tracked statistics.
- Text-based music theory tutorials.
Pricing:
- Generous free version with many exercises in different categories.
- Premium version ($4.99) unlocks all exercises.
- Custom exercise editor is a separate purchase ($1.99)
Best for:
- Learners who want a budget-friendly, customizable “music school in your pocket” across both iOS and Android.
Trade-offs:
- Exercises are quite traditional. Not much in the way of contextual training.
- Tonal ear training is only a portion of the app’s focus.
Links:
Conclusion
If there’s a theme here, it’s this: the method matters as much as the app. Tools that anchor you to a key tend to transfer faster to real music than apps that only ask you to “hear and copy” or recognize musical structures without context. From there, it’s just matching the tool to your goal:
- Melodies & singing: Start with Sonofield for feeling-based recognition; add EarMaster if you want notation-centric sight-singing.
- Melodic intervals: Complete Ear Trainer is the best one-time buy.
- Chords on iOS: Chet has a good variety of exercises and input methods, with some real music examples mixed in.
- Budget & basics on iOS: Tenuto, Chet, and Earpeggio cover a lot for free or cheap.
You don’t need the “perfect” app, you need a consistent routine that ties drills to actual music. Sing a bit every session (even if you’re a producer), use a drone when possible, and regularly test yourself on real songs. Pick one primary app that fits your path, then supplement the gaps.
Read my post The Perfect Ear Training Routine for more tips.
Read more about The Sonofield Ear Trainer Method.
That’s it for now! I will update this post periodically as app pricing and features change often.
Talk soon, Max 🌞
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