EarMaster

Overview

EarMaster is a musicianship-training app for learners who want structured work on pitch, notation and rhythm rather than lessons centered on one instrument. It is especially well suited to music students, teachers, schools and choirs that need practice or classroom tools across those skills.

Its breadth is the appeal: a 4,000-exercise library spans ear training, sight-singing and rhythm, with several ways to respond. Individual practice is the better fit for personal study; EarMaster Cloud is aimed at organized teaching, not simply a larger personal plan.

Key features

Practice beyond pitch recognition

EarMaster combines interval and chord identification with sight-singing and rhythm workshops. Voice and clap recognition make singing and rhythmic response part of the practice, while MIDI input offers another way to answer; the app uses sounds sampled from real instruments. That range makes it a more natural choice for broad musicianship work than a tool focused on a single instrument. Live feedback and progress tracking support repeated practice, and offline access is useful when a connection is unavailable.

A useful but bounded free starting point

The free version includes the first four Beginner's Course modules, customized interval and chord identification, Call of the Notes, Greensleeves and Carmen - Habanera. That is a meaningful sample of several activity types, but it is not equivalent to full access to the library. It suits learners who want to explore the approach before paying; sustained course work points toward a subscription or desktop license.

Teaching through Cloud

EarMaster Cloud gives teachers and administrators Student Results, Assignment Manager, Workbook Editor and Music Library tools, with results exportable to CSV. Administrators can add or remove users, and credit consumption adjusts automatically; when credits run out, licenses are temporarily deactivated. These are practical controls for schools, choirs, conservatories and studios managing groups, though the credit and subscription options require buyers to choose a licensing model suited to their enrollment.

The all-access subscription syncs results and settings across devices. Personal subscriptions are for one person's use on their own devices and require internet access at least once every seven days, so they are not a fit for shared accounts or extended periods without connecting. EarMaster says its personal-data procedures follow EU GDPR and uses authentication and authorization, while acknowledging that internet transmissions cannot be guaranteed completely secure. Its Cloud data-processing agreement names Google Cloud as a sub-processor and requires suspected security breaches to be reported within one banking day.

Pricing

The free plan is the lowest-commitment way to try the app, with the content limits described above. Paid personal subscriptions expand access for one user on personal devices: Yearly Subscription is $3.65 a year, billed US$43.80 yearly, and Monthly Subscription is $5.99 a month with no binding. Both require an internet connection at least once every seven days. The yearly option costs less over a full year, while monthly billing avoids an annual commitment.

The One-Year All-Access Pass costs $49.95 a year, billed one year from redemption, for personal devices on iOS, Android, Windows and macOS. It is the cross-platform choice for an individual who wants an annual term. For computer-only use, EarMaster Pro 7 is $59.95, paid once for a Windows/Mac license; the $99.95, paid once Family Pack covers 3 users in one household on Windows/Mac. The $174, paid once Ultimate Collection bundles desktop licenses. These one-time options are for buyers who prefer desktop licensing over a personal subscription, with the Family Pack specifically serving a small household.

Cloud buyers can choose EarMaster Cloud Credits on a pay-per-use basis, with 1 credit covering 365 days for 1 student or teacher; Cloud Credit Packs contain 10, 20, 100, 400 or 1000 credits. EarMaster Cloud Subscription is billed annually per student or teacher for organizations from 5-9 to 1000+ users. Both Cloud options use custom pricing, so institutions should compare their expected user count and usage before choosing. Support includes FAQs, a forum, tutorials, email and Cloud guides; contact requests are answered during Monday-Friday, 9am to 5pm UTC+1 office hours.

Platforms

EarMaster supports Android, iOS, macOS and Windows, but plan coverage differs. The All-Access Pass spans all four on personal devices; Pro 7 and its Family Pack are for Windows/Mac computers. The service also offers offline access, while personal subscriptions still need an internet connection at least once every seven days.

Who it's for

Music students, professional musicians and hobbyists looking for structured ear, singing and rhythm practice will get the most from EarMaster's range. Music teachers and organizations have a stronger reason to consider it when assignment management, student results and exportable records matter. It is less compelling for someone seeking instrument-specific lessons or a shared personal subscription: the personal plan is single-user, and the practice focus is musicianship rather than learning one instrument.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The 4,000-exercise library covers three complementary skills, so learners can work on more than ear recognition alone.
• Pros: Voice, clap and MIDI input give learners different ways to respond, and sampled instrument sounds support varied exercises.
• Pros: Cloud assignment, workbook and results tools, plus adjustable credit use, address real group-teaching needs.
• Cons: The free version is a limited selection, not full-library access, so long-term learners will need a paid option.
• Cons: Personal subscriptions are single-user and require periodic internet access, limiting account sharing and long offline stretches.
• Cons: Cloud pricing is custom, which makes budgeting less direct for organizations comparing per-user costs.

Alternatives

For broader instrument-led learning, Piano Marvel is worth considering: its free plan includes 150+ songs, performance feedback and scoring, 200+ lesson exercises and 25 video lessons. Yousician offers a one-instrument monthly plan at $19.99 a month with unlimited lessons, making it a more direct fit for a learner focused on one instrument. For piano course lessons, flowkey has a free account with a few free songs and course lessons, while Skoove has selected lessons in its free Basic plan.

JustinGuitar is another alternative. Simply Piano is also an option. Complete Music Reading Trainer is another choice. MasterPiano offers a free plan with daily practice limits and is available on iOS and web. Browse Music Learning Apps or Ear Training Software for more options.

Verdict

Choose EarMaster if you want one place for ear training, sight-singing and rhythm practice, or need classroom tools that track and manage student work. Its breadth and teaching features are the strongest reasons to pick it; look elsewhere if your priority is instrument-specific instruction, shared personal access or straightforward Cloud pricing.