Stackapella and Harmony Helper
As of November 2026
Both show your pitch while you sing a harmony part. Harmony Helper is an iPhone, iPad and Android app from RWS Global, built around songbooks that directors share with their singers. Stackapella runs in your browser, with free courses and your own recorded parts stacked into a song.
Who each is for
Harmony Helper is for
- Singers whose director shares songs through a Harmony Helper songbook.
- RWS Global partners and their performers.
- Songs with up to 12 parts.
Stackapella is for
- Learning harmony from your very first note, with free courses.
- Recording every part yourself and hearing them stacked.
- Singing or writing your own tune and getting parts suggested.
Side by side
| Harmony Helper | Stackapella | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | iPhone, iPad and Android apps, and a web portal for songbooks123 | In any modern browser, on phones and computers. It installs like an app; there's no app-store app yet |
| Price | A free app and free songbook songs. RWS says it's available exclusively to RWS Global partners13 | Free to learn. Plus is $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year |
| Learn a part by ear, with live pitch feedback | Yes: real-time pitch and timing feedback, with part volume controls13 | Yes: hear each part from a guide voice, then sing it while your notes light up as you hit them |
| Record your own parts, stacked in time | Not stated | Yes: record each part over the ones before, lined up in time |
| Harmony parts suggested for your own tune | Not stated | Yes: sing or hum a tune, and alto, tenor and bass are suggested to fit it |
| A course from first note to harmony | A guided five-step method for learning and holding harmonies13 | Yes: free courses, from your first note to four-part harmony, and on skills and styles |
| Choir tools | Yes: directors create songbooks and share them with performers or students3 | Choir groups and practice tracks |
| Bring in sheet music (MusicXML or MIDI) | Not stated. Its sheet-music scanner ended in December 20241 | Not yet: sing or hum a tune, write it in the note editor, or open a Stackapella file |
| Languages | Not stated | English |
| Open source | Not stated | Yes, under the Attribution Assurance License |
"Not stated" means we couldn't find it in the product's own listing or website, not that it's missing.
Where each fits better
Where Harmony Helper fits better
- Your director already shares songs through its songbooks.
- You're with an RWS Global production or partner.
- You need up to 12 parts.
Where Stackapella fits better
- You're new to singing and want a course from the first note.
- You want to record every part of a song yourself.
- You want to make your own song and get parts suggested.
Moving over
Coming from Harmony Helper? Stackapella can't open its songbooks. Start with the beginner course, or a public-domain song from the library, or sing your own tune and get its parts suggested.
Questions
Can Stackapella open Harmony Helper songbooks?
No. Its library has public-domain songs to start with, and you can sing, hum or write your own.
Does Stackapella work on iPad and Android?
Yes, in the browser, and it installs like an app. There's no app-store app yet.
Is Stackapella free?
Yes: every course and every song in the library, with a free account, and unlimited workouts, your history, singing with friends and choir groups. Plus, for $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year, adds more storage, MP3 and stems, and unlimited private arrangements.
Try Stackapella
Start with your comfortable note. No account needed, and every course is free.
Sources
Seen 2 November 2026, on each product's own listing or website.
Product names belong to their owners. Stackapella isn't connected with any of these products or their makers.