# Symphony Pro - Music Notation — user reviews > 406 indexed App Store user reviews of Symphony Pro by Xenon Labs, LLC, rated 3.80/5 from 469 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symphony-pro-music-notation/id412380315/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symphony-pro-music-notation/id412380315.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 219 · 4★ 110 · 3★ 46 · 2★ 27 · 1★ 67 ## What do users think of Symphony Pro? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🚀 Handwriting recognition is great - 👍 Intuitive and easy to use - 🎨 Flexible for composing and arranging - 💰 Good value for the price - 🎹 Works well with Apple Pencil - 🎶 Useful for music students and composers **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes and bugs - 🔍 Clunky and unintuitive interface - 🔊 Poor sound quality of instruments - 🔒 Issues with saving and exporting files - 🤔 Steep learning curve for some features **Commonly reported bugs** - Project menu disappears unexpectedly - Ties and tuplets not working correctly - Inconsistent behavior when zooming and panning - Instruments not transposing properly - Frequent crashes when editing complex scores **Most requested features** - Add guitar metronome - Improve text and lyrics handling - Allow more customization of page layout - Implement better transposition and chord features - Provide more orchestral percussion instruments ## Newest reviews (15 of 406) ### 4/5 — Almost Perfect *2026-08-17, version 6.7.7* There are many wonderful items I absolutely adore about this App! The main thing that could be improved is when transferring music to MIDI, the software does not transfer Ties. I only use this software to write music I love it so much! ### 2/5 — Don’t purchase. Glitchy, crashes a lot, not intuitive. Theoretically has good options/functions. *2026-06-15, version 6.7.7* This app has useful functions built in. However, finding those useful functions is very difficult and not intuitive — even following user manuals or help instructions is unclear, difficult, sometimes impossible. Additionally, functions that I use frequently (and that are what I specifically purchased it for) are glitchy and unreliable. The app itself also frequently crashes completely without warning and restarts. Recently it keeps telling me to update the app but despite being completely up to date on my OS there is no update available or possible — but it keeps telling me to update every time I open! I eventually found mention of this in support forums that apparently the developers create the new version in the App Store long before releasing it, so apparently all users are constantly getting notifications about needing to update the app when there is no actual update available. It’s wild to me that this is something the developers are well aware of and think is fine. I waited to write this review thinking that maybe with time things would become clearer and maybe this was user error on my part, but I no longer think that is likely. I wish I had purchased a different app. ### 2/5 — App crashes *2026-05-31, version 6.7.7* I just recently bought the app and when I am using it the app crashes and tells me to update but when I try it says it’s up to date. Plus the app is buggy and can’t accurately read handwritten notes even though I had to paid extra for that feature. If these issues get fixed I’ll use it because the ui is pretty decently designed and the non-handwritten parts are pretty good but I bought the app for the handwritten notation ### 4/5 — Great App but needs work *2026-04-30, version 6.7.7* Been using this for years and it’s great for my purposes. Customer service is responsive but they are slow to fix updates, bugs and requests. They seem grateful for user input so everyone, let’s keep at them to keep improving so we can make this a 5 star app !! ### 3/5 — Good functions but glitchy and not intuitive *2026-04-05* This app has useful functions built in. However, finding those useful functions is very difficult and not ontuitive — even following user manuals or help instructions is unclear, difficult, sometimes eimpossible. Additionally, functions that I use frequently (and that are what I specifically purchased it for) are glitchy and u reliable. Recently it keeps telling me to update the app but despite being completely up to date on my OS there is no update available or possible — but it keeps telling me to update every time I open! I waited to write this review thinking that maybe with time things would become clearer and maybe this was user error on my part, but I no longer think that is likely. I wish I had purchased a different app. ### 3/5 — 리뷰는 보고 계신 걸까요.. *2026-03-25* 무료 어플도 아니고 유료 어플인데.. 특수한 기호도 아니고 가장 기본적인 플랫이 코드에서 오류가 (몇년째) 나는게 너무너무너무 불편합니다. 이 한 가지 사실 때문에 다른 어플을 찾아야 하나 종종 고민이 될만큼 너무 불편합니다… 그리고 업데이트를 했는데, 최근에 들어갈 때마다 업데이트하라는 창이 뜹니다. Go to update 들어가면 당연히 업데이트 완료되어 ‘열기’만 보이는 앱스토어 화면이 나오고요. 버튼을 매번 눌러야한다는게 생각보다 더 번거롭습니다. 제발 수정 좀 해주세요…ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ ### 2/5 — Promising but not there yet for guitarists *2026-02-15, version 6.7.7* Total bummer that handwritten mode is still not yet supported for tablature. It would be a game changer. Was really looking forward to this promising app but it is a massive oversight to not have this feature. ### 4/5 — Eigentlich gut … *2026-01-27* Stürzt leider sehr oft ab! Manche Funktionen wie Triolen sind umständlich oder über die Handschrift nicht immer erkannt. ### 2/5 — Extremely unintitive *2026-01-08, version 6.7.6* I had great difficulty getting to needed screens and finding help to run the software. There are much better options out there. ### 4/5 — Uses my ipen *2025-12-15, version 6.7.6* I think it’s impossible to find affordable music composing software without any glitches. Once you get onto the capabilities and handicaps of the program, it works pretty well. And I do have the option to use my ipen. ### 3/5 — Pas cher mais encore du travail pour l’améliorer *2025-12-06* Y aura t il des améliorations concernant deux points gênant : bugs visuels quand on zoome ou dézoome ? (Je précise que j’ai un iPad neuf modèle de cette année) Et aussi concernant les problème de live recording quand la signature temporelle des mesures n’est pas la même d’une mesure à l’autre ? Le logiciel est en pls voire n’enregistre pas du tout les notes jouées. Dommage car cela fonctionne super bien quand la signature est la même pour toute la page . L’appli est pas mal et vraiment intéressante pour petit budget mais je passerai sûrement à un logiciel plus performant quand j’aurai les moyens … ### 3/5 — Editing menu doesn’t work *2025-10-24, version 6.7.3* Can’t add measure , ending, delete measure and etc. please fix - thank you! ### 3/5 — Please please please *2025-10-11, version 6.7.3* Need to add guitar metronome ### 4/5 — 업데이트오류 *2025-10-09* 업데이트 하고난 이후부터 어플 들어갈때마다 업데이트 메뉴가 자꾸 나옵니다. 오류인것 같은데 켤때마다 떠서 매우 불편합니다. ### 4/5 — 요증자꾸꺼져요 *2025-05-05* iOS 18. 3.2 쓰고 있는데 쓰다가 자꾸 메인으로 돌아갑니다 유료로 구매해서 쓰는 건데 고쳐주세요 ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Troubles *2026-05-04, version 6.7.7* The SP app persistently nags upon startup that an update is available. No such update is found via the Apple update utility. The SP forum website is offline. No listed direct email to the developers. Have invested a lot of time and effort in creating scores, but am on the verge of mass-exporting all my scores in mxml format and shifting to another app. Very disappointing. ### 1/5 — Seriously bad. *2026-05-01, version 6.7.7* I’m running this on an iPad 7th Gen with no other software installed. When I first started using it I found it a bit inconsistent but generally usable. but as time goes by and I’m getting more committed to it by the amount of work I’ve done, it is becoming more and more a bug-riddled piece of junk. Nothing works consistently, notes and expressions appear anywhere but where I’m trying to put them, even the user guide appears only about half the time when I try to open it. Tried using it with an Apple Pencil, wasted my $15 on that add-on. ### 1/5 — Golpe *2026-03-14* Vc compra a opção de escrever com a caneta mas eles nao liberam e ficam cobrando denovo. É golpe nao comprem. ### 1/5 — I had high hopes when I bought this app! *2026-01-08, version 6.7.6* Waste of $$ I ALWAYS pay for apps, because I feel it’s the right thing to do - support developers. In this case I supported a disastrous load of unusable code (?) junk. I hoped after owning it for a few years it would improve. WRONG!!! You can read all the other 1 star reviews for details so all I can add after trying to use this app for years is they are being kind when they compare this app to garbage! Or, maybe they are insulting garbage…. 😳 ### 1/5 — I used to love it but… *2025-11-23, version 6.7.6* The handwriting recognition gobble up better in this version, but now on my iPad Pro, with the most recent iOS, setting, the screen does not fully render the score when zooming in and out, requiring you to save and close and then reopen the file to keep working. Please fix this bug. ### 1/5 — Never again *2025-11-18, version 6.7.6* No tutorial, tools are very inefficient and make no sense, and the “help menu” doesn’t give anything either. Waste of $15 ### 1/5 — Wont even download.... *2025-10-24, version 6.7.3* smh ### 1/5 — Não cumpre a única função que te faria comprar ESCRITA A MAO LIVRE *2025-01-13* Ele tem uma única função util que seri escrever a mão livre não faz não reconhece praticamente nada inventa nota se tentar cifrar e pior ainda me arrependo muito de ter gastado ou melhor desperdiçado meu dinheiro nessa aplicação ### 1/5 — Caneta *2024-11-26* Comprei e tbm a caneta quando clico pra usar pede pra eu comprar de novo ### 1/5 — 落ちる *2024-09-17* ここ最近、細かな修正中に頻繁に落ちるため、仕事がはかどりません。他のアプリに乗り換えを検討中。 ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — 쓰지마세요 .. *2026-07-27* 쓰지않는것을 추천드립니다. 거의 5년정도 쓰고있는데 꾸역꾸역 쓰다 그냥 지우기로 마음먹고 처음 리부써요. 다른분들은 돈낭비 시간낭비하지않길.. ### 5/5 — Really great App *2026-03-18, version 6.7.7* Enjoyed using this App which has so many wonderful features. Notation is easy to enter and write my first string quartet. Instruments sound good with exception of what they call the nylon guitar which doesn’t sound like a high quality classical guitar in my view. ### 5/5 — 1 Semana e estou gostando muito. *2025-11-25* O app até o momento tem sido ótimo, posso escrever em qualquer lugar, tem saber usar o app, vc aprende com o tempo. Mas não preciso de um notebook pra escrever. Sinto falta apenas no menu inicial está organizado pelas pastas. 5 estrelas ### 5/5 — Very good *2025-11-10, version 6.7.6* The program works perfectly with Apple Pencil pro just as advertised and even when something goes wrong in the program they have the nicest support team. Worth it all for the price and is better (I find) than other more expensive programs. ### 5/5 — Useful and always improving *2025-09-13, version 6.7* I’ve been using this for years. Any issues I’ve had I just chalked it up to my lack of knowledge. Would like for the help section to have bigger font or at least ability to zoom in. ### 5/5 — Sehr gute Handschrift Erkennung *2025-07-31* Symphony Pro hat für mich die beste und verlässlichste Handschrifterkennung aller Notationsprogramme im AppStore. Bleibt zu hoffen, dass die App auch in zukünftigen iPadOS Versionen weiter unterstützt wird. ### 5/5 — Useful for writing sheet music *2025-06-09, version 6.5.2* I find this app very useful for writing and printing my ukulele arrangements. For the most part it does a clean and tidy job. Matching lyrics to notes works well; resizing of staff, lyrics etc is quite flexible. I'm very happy with the ability to print out clean and legible scores, and the ability to export PDF music to paste into word processing. ### 5/5 — Symphony Pro Review *2025-06-07, version 6.5.2* A really great app. I'm 71 I've wanted to write music since I was 4. Especially orchestral music. Now I can not only write but hear what it might sound like being performed. Also I'm learning a lot by getting in and having a go. Huge thank you to everyone concerned with Symphony Pro. Please keep up the good work. Cheers. ### 5/5 — Hidden Gem for Music Notation and Composition *2025-01-18, version 6.5.2* I previously used StaffPad but grew frustrated with its limitations. The lack of options for inserting notes besides handwriting—and the inconsistent handwriting recognition—made it hard to use. Looking for an alternative I came accustomed Symphony Pro. Admittedly, I was hesitant at first because it’s less well-known, but after watching a YouTube review (that’s all that I found 😔) I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did! Symphony Pro is an amazing piece of software—thoughtfully designed and perfect for my personal use case of transcribing scores to improve my piano practice. The handwriting recognition is far superior to StaffPad: smoother, faster, and much more reliable. Plus, there are other ways to insert more complex notations, which is a huge bonus. I also love the flexibility in how scores are displayed. The ability to see multiple lines on a page (rather than just one line, as with StaffPad) has been a game-changer for me. This app feels like a hidden gem, and I’m writing this review to help it get the recognition it deserves. I hope this gives the developers a little boost to continue working on what seems to be a true passion project. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Handwriting *2024-11-05, version 6.5.2* Handwriting recognition is MILES ahead of StaffPad for half the price… very happy with symphony pro --- *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.*