# NotateMe Now — user reviews

> 107 indexed App Store user reviews of NotateMe Now by Neuratron Ltd, rated 2.20/5 from 26 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notateme-now/id783567215/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notateme-now/id783567215.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 2 · 4★ 5 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 6 · 1★ 12

## Newest reviews (17 of 107)

### 2/5 — PDFS? why not?

*2024-05-06, version 4.1.1.0*

The upgraded PhotoScore has sooo much potential, but it can’t read PDF’s. Why not? Adding the step of screenshotting each page Ned loading the photos is getting so frustrating I’m just using the MacBook instead

### 4/5 — Good

*2024-04-03*

The app is good. It’s not the best but it’s OK. It wasn’t set up very well, but it works good like when I take a picture of sheet music and then I click the play button. It plays the picture that I took very well. The app looks like it was made for a computer screen on my phone. It is very big and some of the words are cut off and you can’t see them very well, the app does sometimes crash, but besides for that, it’s very good.  developers if you could please improve these things that I mentioned app sometimes crashes and font is cut off by screen.

### 4/5 — Some minor issues

*2024-04-01, version 4.1.1.0*

Mainly find handwriting at the bottom of the screen with nowhere to rest my hand quite tricky if the input area could be in the middle of the screen that would work better for me

### 2/5 — Piss poor handwriting recognition

*2021-08-12, version 4.1.1.0*

This would be great if it worked better. Problem is, it makes all sorts of bad recognition errors that are very difficult to correct. It wastes more time than it saves, just to fix the errors. There should be a way to edit the score easily like with cut copy and paste, replace, etc., so that writing recognition errors can be quickly corrected. Instead I often find the need to erase a whole bunch of stuff and redo it. Some stuff cannot be corrected practically.

In summary, the concept is great, especially with the Apple Pencil. The problem is, recognition is terrible, even when it should be plainly clear.

### 2/5 — Stay away from this app for now.

*2020-11-25*

It looks like this app was abandoned like 3 years ago.

### 2/5 — Incredibly frustrating to use

*2020-01-08*

I used to use NotateMe on a Samsung Galaxy Note a few years ago, and remembered it being a little aggravating to learn how to write so the app could understand, but basically useable and useful for transcribing before doing the rest of the work in Sibelius. I installed the free version on my iPad Pro, expecting it to have hopefully improved and to work reasonably well with the Apple Pencil, but..... ugh. It’s such a pain! 
I have trouble writing dotted rhythms because it doesn’t recognize my dots, no matter how big or small I try to draw them. If I want to write 16th or 32nd notes I sometimes have to try over and over and over to draw the beams, because it doesn’t recognize them; or some of the notes under them just disappear for no reason I can see; or extra partial beams get added in random places; or accidentals or extra slurs or extra rests in other voices show up out of nowhere. I have to make note stems absurdly long to get it to work, except that for beamed groups that go between the top and bottom of the staff I start running out of space in the writing area, which is oddly skinny given how much screen space there is available. Sometimes I have to write the same thing six times in a row before I get it to say what I want. I think my handwriting at this point would satisfy any theory teacher I’ve ever had, and the app still can barely decipher it. 
It also crashes a lot, no matter what I quit out of in the background. And it has stopped playing back from the edit view, and will only play back from the formatted score now.
The only reason I give it two stars instead of one is that for music with only a single voice and no complicated rhythms it’s OK. 
The only reason I’m still using it is that I’m trying to transcribe a Bach violin partita in order to ultimately arrange it for a different instrument and I don’t feel like hunting down another app.

### 4/5 — Very good for free

*2019-12-23, version 4.1.1.0*

For me the functionality you get for no charge is very good. I’m pretty sure I shall update as I what some of the functions that you have to pay for.
I expect that for more experienced musicians it’s quite clunky, but compared to the programme I paid for on my pc (which won’t run on iPad) my first experiences have been positive. The photoscan can be brilliant, but also seems to have problems when there are instructions in words, or there are a lot of rests between the notes. As a free ap I think it’s great.

### 3/5 — works good with apple pencil and photo

*2019-01-11, version 4.1.1.0*

works good with apple pencil and photo
However rarely updated vs another app which has weekly updates and is much cheaper

saves ages time importing photographed music scores
quick & accurate music score pencil generation

please fix photo import from photo albums, window small on ipad and sometimes shows no photos

### 2/5 — Very basic for the price

*2018-11-05, version 4.1.1.0*

This app while it seems good, it’s very basic. For the life of me, putting in a second time bar, Coda, rehearsal marking is next to impossible. I’ve fiddled around for ages and cannot put them in. 
I would like my money back (who do I contact?), £38.99 is astronomical money for something that cannot deal with such things with ease. I also tried the free photoscore too, it also doesn’t recognise the items mentioned above. This is pretty poor surely? This really does need to be sorted, drawing/writing these things should be enough, once they don’t cross over any other writing or something, but it’s got to do better than this.

### 4/5 — Suggestions

*2018-10-25, version 4.1.1.0*

It’s great but I wonder if you could update it so it can move from one part of the piece slowly or quickly

### 2/5 — On the fence

*2018-05-28, version 4.1.1.0*

I’m hesitant about spending $40.00 for the upgrade.  The basic version has numerous funky glitches;  notes and symbols appearing that I didn’t write, etc.  good luck getting the app to correctly place a note above or below the basic 5 line stave. It’s a true test of patience.  You’ll get used to erasing an entire measure for a silly reason that moving notes around won’t cure. Very frustrating.

### 4/5 — 英語読めないけど

*2017-11-08*

これ途中でテンポゆっくりにするとかはできませんか？有料版でできるなら購入を検討したいです。

### 4/5 — iOS 11 Update Please

*2017-10-19*

Dear App Creator,

Please update the app to conform with iOS 11 parameters.

### 1/5 — Don't bother purchasing full version

*2017-10-04*

Demo version is a very poor excuse of an app. Imagine how much worse the full version with all "functions" will turn out.

### 3/5 — Does what I need it to do

*2017-09-19, version 4.1.1.0*

I use this app to practice bass lines in a harmony rather than try to use a piano. For me, it does the job nicely thanks.

### 1/5 — Doesn't work as advertized

*2017-09-07*

I used it with my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, but it didn't work as advertised.  I had the best tool to input the notations, but this app never guess remotely near close what I wrote.  I tied to giggle around the notes to edit, but it didn't let me.  It's not like I was totally horrible handwriting for notation or anything because i constantly write notation by hand.  
I really tried to like this app, considering it to upgrade, but I tapped out.  I can not pay $14 or so to upgrade if the lite version doesn't prove it's worth it.

### 3/5 — Best I've found . . . Not good enough yet (June 2017)

*2017-06-21*

The best app I've found for Apple Pencil to write music by hand.  I love that!

I've been transcribing by hand for 15 years.  My handwriting is good.  I've written scores for marching band and jazz bands by hand, but now NotateMe Now cannot read my handwriting.  The sensors are not picking up the Apple Pencil as fast as apple's drawing apps.

I look forward to Sibelius or Finale adding an Apple Pencil feature, or to NotateMe Now (& others) catching up to the user interface.

For now, I like writing in NotateMe Now fairly well.  I look forward to less hold-ups when I have to erase and draw again, and again, and again.

Please hurry with updates!  We are all excited to write music by hand & you have a great start!!!

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Doesn’t open photo

*2025-05-11, version 4.1.1.0*

This app needs a lot of updates and fixes; it crashes when you try to open a photo score.

### 1/5 — Very disappointing

*2023-07-24, version 4.1.1.0*

I spent 1500 pounds on a new iPad and an Apple Pencil to run this app and it really doesn’t work. It simply is so inconsistent in picking up the pencil that it is more trouble than it is worth. I. Ertainly won’t be wasting any more money buying full app.

### 1/5 — Not free- cost $20.97

*2021-08-16, version 4.1.1.0*

There was no indication given that the App costs money and actually stated it was free so was very surprised and annoyed to see a PayPal charge of $20.97. Apple you need to pick up your game. This is very misleading and should disclose a pay requirement prior to committing to installation.

### 1/5 — I wish this app worked

*2021-04-24*

It’s a great idea, but it doesn’t work at all. Quarter notes and rests look nothing alike. Eighth notes look nothing like quarter rests, whole notes look nothing like quarter rests. The only pitches it recognizes, and not even constantly are c and d below the treble. The ap is a great idea and I prefer notating by hand, but it just doesn’t work. An idea isn’t a product.

### 1/5 — Ist überhaupt nicht mehr zu öffnen....

*2020-12-11*

Ist überhaupt nicht mehr zu öffnen...., es sei denn, man deinstalliert und installiert neu. Das lässt schon mal nichts Gutes Ahnen.
Dann Noten eingegeben (Apple iPad Pro 2018, also mit Apple-Stift II, dürfte - fast - state-of-the-art sein).
Kurz gesagt: es ist eine Qual.
1. Will man aus einer ¼ eine ⅛ Note machen (man zeichnet ja das Fähnchen erst als zweites, wenn der Hals schon da steht), dann weigert sich das Programm nachhaltig, KEINEN Zweiklang daraus zu machen.
2. Warum hält sich das Programm nicht an inzwischen übliche Normen bei der Benutzung des Apple-Stiftes II:
- Doppeltip auf die Spitze des Stiftes wechselt zum Radiergummi (in NotateMe Now: unbekannt).
- Handballen auf der Schreibfläche ist deaktiviert, daher verschiebt das Blatt sich auch nicht unwillkürlich (in NotateMe Now: unbekannt...)
Das Ganze ist daher nicht wirklich hilfreich. Ich erspare es mir, die Vollversion auszuprobieren, da gibt es inzwischen andere Programme, vielleicht sind die ja ihr Geld wert... 
Schade, wäre schon fein gewesen.

### 1/5 — 👎

*2020-01-02, version 4.1.1.0*

This app is horrible. It’s absolutely useless.

### 1/5 — Viel zu teuer

*2019-03-14*

Stürzt immer ab :/

### 1/5 — Garbage

*2019-02-13, version 4.1.1.0*

This app is IMPOSSIBLE to use.

### 1/5 — Stürzt immer ab

*2019-01-05*

Stürzt immer ab 😩

### 1/5 — Terrible

*2017-11-07, version 4.1.1.0*

Every time I do a clear neat drawing will turn into something totally different. For an example trying to draw a line through a note turns into a slur which I didn't intend for it to happen. Please Fix thus

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — It is heavenly angelic good

*2025-01-14*

I like it soooo much! I highly recommend this! This is totally good! Get it, Please!

### 5/5 — Super free Ware

*2020-10-21*

Super free Ware , auch die kauf Version ist ihr Geld wert

### 5/5 — teamtrees

*2019-10-31, version 4.1.1.0*

#teamtrees

### 5/5 — iPad Pro w/Apple Pen....Great!!

*2017-06-07, version 4.0.3.0*

I've been using this app for I think 3 years now, first on my Android Samsung Note with S pen which I love it. However recently bought a iPad Pro and the results are the same if good if not better! *I the key to getting the best results from this app is having the right apparatus when entering notes; Android S Pen, Apple Pen and Notate me recommends another to use on tablets... too. Enjoy!!

### 5/5 — Ignore the one star reviews

*2016-04-21*

Ignore the children complaining because they didn't take the time to learn how to use the app or query Google for instructions. NotateMe has some powerful tools and features. Tell me how else I could take a picture of music notes and have them played immediately. As soon as I find need for a bass clef or a second instrument, I'm buying the full version.

### 5/5 — Сера

*2015-10-21, version 3.1.0.0*

Досить пристойна прога, шукав дитині щоб відтворювати ноти для прослуховування мелодій, а тут ще й з фоток ноти розпізнає і грошей не коштує. Однозначно маст хев

### 5/5 — NotateMe Now on iPad 10/21/2015

*2015-10-21, version 3.1.0.0*

I have a music degree, was a professional vocal jazz singer for 10 years and choral director for 20 years. I have been arranging and composing for 36 years. This isn’t to brag, just relevant info and perspective toward a NotateMe Now review I am looking forward to writing. 

Since I started composing and arranging I have loved the idea of notation applications. However, I have found them frustrating and more trouble than they are worth. As a result, I get the final results that I want old school notating on good old fashioned self-made music paper. Obviously with all the disadvantages that comes with it. At least I could be frustrated with my own ability rather than a dumb application. 

I have had a full sized iPad for about year now and been able to store scores in PDF format and do some pretty amazing recordings on it. So, one more time I took a look at anything new in notation and found NotateMe Now intriguing so I tried this free version. This is my review. 

The first composition I input took me most of a day, maybe six hours. A lot of that was learning the application intuitively, occasionally from the help page and apparently giving the application enough input time to learn me. The only skill I had trouble with was inputing 1st and 2nd ending, granted I didn’t try very hard yet because I had plenty of other skills to work on. When I looked at the final formatted score all I could think was, “Cool”. So cool that I decided to try inputing another another composition. 

I input the second composition perfectly in 30 minutes, in bed, in the dark right before going to sleep for the night. I also figured out the 1st and 2nd ending procedures. Really cool now!  Not that I like paying nearly $40.00 for an application but that is when I decided to buy NotateMe so that I could get a few additional benefits like it would be kind of nice to print the score among other functions, right? So much for free. 

Specifically what I like about NotateMe Now. It doesn’t get in my way. If I want to be a bonehead it lets me. Screw a stylus, it was easy to input notation with my finger. I can notate anywhere anytime assuming my iPad has power. It is so intuitive that I didn't need the help page very often and the pacing is so good that I don’t lose my sense of creativity when inputting data. I like that I can draw with my finger and not be stuck hunting for less intuitive tools. That said, the drag and drop feature was also useful and just fine as well. This version of the application is great for quickly getting melody’s stored in digital format so that I don’t have to physically write them down or worse, forget them a year later because I didn’t take the time to write them down. 

I am now onto the paid version NotateMe. I really hope that after nearly $40.00 I continue to love this notation tool with the added features. I think I might have paid the $40.00 bucks just for this though. That says a lot but when you have lots of existing melody’s and future ideas to store digitally and you know that you can do it without hassle then why not? 

I can’t find anything I don’t like about this tool and think that as long as you are a musician with sensible theory skills, then the free version, NotateMe Now, is worth the time to try for yourself. I can’t find any of the bugs the other reviewers are reporting so either the application wasn’t working at that time or they are really big boneheads and not just a bonehead like me. 

Tip: Get you mind off the idea that the application is magic and going to learn you. That may be true to some extent that I am not completely aware of yet. Do use your music theory skills to group your notation/beats into the measures in a logical sensible manner and use some space in each measure. NotateMe Now will have much better success interpreting your intentions that way.

### 5/5 — Best Notation App EVER!!

*2015-05-11, version 3.0.5.0*

This is the most amazing app! I love it and I think my music student will too! Thank you for this amazing app!!

### 5/5 — Notateme now review

*2015-04-03, version 2.6.5.0*

A great app for composing on the fly well done

### 5/5 — For every musician

*2014-10-31, version 2.6.5.0*

This app is wonderful for any musician. Beginners benefit from taking pictures to sheets and listening them to practice, to composers wanting to make their own. Recommend it!

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-09.*