Trill

Overview

Trill is an ear-training app built around guided listening practice and a small set of musician’s tools. It suits learners who want a daily routine for pitch, chords, intervals, or transcription; the free toolkit is useful, but serious ongoing practice means paying for Pro.

Key features

Trill organizes exercises around a learner’s goal and level, with sessions of about 10 minutes a day recommended by the maker. Chord recognition, interval identification, melodic dictation, pitch memory, and chord progressions give learners several ways to work on listening skills. Adaptive difficulty and a structured path make it a good fit for people who want direction rather than a self-designed practice plan.

Daily challenges, streaks, levels, XP, and collectible badges encourage consistency. Focus Lock goes further by blocking TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube until the day’s training is complete; correct answers earn break time. That accountability may suit learners who struggle to protect practice time, though it is a motivational extra, not a substitute for the exercises.

The free toolkit includes a tuner, metronome, and chord, interval, and scale visualizers, alongside limited ear-training access. It makes Trill useful even before subscribing, but the free plan is not enough for learners who want an unrestricted course of practice.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and includes the musician toolkit with limited ear-training access. It is the sensible starting point for musicians who mainly want the tuner, metronome, and visualizers or want to sample the exercises, but the training cap limits its usefulness as a long-term practice plan.

Trill Pro costs $59.99 a year, billed $59.99/year after a 7-day free trial. It adds unlimited training, advanced exercises, progress tracking, achievements, and Focus Lock. The annual commitment is best suited to learners who expect to practise regularly and want the complete exercise set; occasional users may find the free toolkit sufficient. Cancel or review the renewal terms before the trial ends if you do not intend to continue.

Platforms

Trill runs on Android, iOS, and the web. The App Store listing requires iOS 14.0 or later and also supports iPad, Apple Vision, and Apple silicon Mac, with macOS 11.0 or later for Mac. Those requirements matter if you plan to use the Mac listing rather than the web version. Google Play says the developer reports no third-party data sharing, possible collection of personal information, encryption in transit, and a way to request deletion. Apple’s listing says identifiers may be used for tracking and payment information and email may be linked to the user; Apple says this developer-provided disclosure is unverified.

Who it's for

Trill is for musicians who want to play by ear, recognize chords, develop pitch skills, improvise, sing in tune, or transcribe music. Its short, structured sessions suit learners who benefit from a defined daily task. It is less suitable for someone seeking a broad theory course or unlimited practice without a subscription.

Pros and cons

Pros: The free tuner, metronome, and visualizers provide practical value without a subscription.

Pros: Adaptive exercises across chords, intervals, pitch, and melody give daily practice a clear focus.

Pros: Focus Lock can reduce access to named distracting apps until training is done, with correct answers earning break time.

Cons: Free ear-training access is limited, so sustained practice requires the annual Pro plan.

Cons: The 7-day trial precedes a $59.99/year charge, making the renewal worth checking before the trial ends.

Cons: Apple’s privacy disclosure includes tracking and linked account information, and is marked unverified by Apple.

Alternatives

Perfect Ear is another freemium choice, with Android, iOS, and macOS support and one-time $0.99 packs for Classical Piano and Interval Exercises; choose it if those platform and purchase options better match your needs.

Auralia is a paid alternative with a trial and support for Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Its six-month and 12-month cloud licences require a school code and PIN, so it is a better fit when that access model suits you.

Complete Ear Trainer offers the first chapter of each mode free and a $6.99 one-time full version, making it worth considering if you prefer a one-time purchase to Trill’s annual subscription.

Functional Ear Trainer is a free-to-download alternative on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows; choose it if those platforms are a priority and its free offering meets your needs.

Auris has a limited free tier on Android, iOS, and web, with progress saved on its account-based free plan; consider it if that combination suits your practice.

Coco offers daily workouts and challenges across Android, iOS, and web, but its free plan has daily session limits. It is a reasonable alternative if those game-based sessions suit you and the limits are enough.

ToneGym has a limited free membership and a $13.95 a month Pro plan across Android, iOS, and web. Choose it if you want a monthly option rather than Trill’s annual billing.

EarMaster is another option for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows users.

See the Ear Training Software directory for more options.

Verdict

Trill is a strong fit for musicians who want a guided, short-session ear-training routine and value a free toolkit alongside it. Pro’s unlimited exercises and progress features justify the annual plan for regular learners, but the limited free training and $59.99/year renewal make it a poor choice for occasional practice or anyone unwilling to commit annually.