# Henle Library vs Dorico

The clearest difference is rating: Dorico at 4.6 against Henle Library's 3.0. Dorico also leads on review sentiment (55% vs 35%) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Henle Library's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Henle Library sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Dorico holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dorico has 2.3K ratings behind it against 94, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of Henle Library's written reviews are positive against 55% of Dorico's.

Henle Library ships an update every 3 months, Dorico monthly. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Henle Library | Dorico |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henle-library/id1021283948/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 94 | **2.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 34.7% of reviews | **55.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 979 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Guenter Henle Verlag](https://appshunter.io/developer/1416460395) | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) |

## What reviewers say

### Henle Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henle-library/id1021283948)

Access high-quality digital Urtext editions of classical music scores on your tablet. Practice, rehearse, and perform with a range of interactive features designed for musicians of all levels. Enjoy annotations, metronome, playback, and more.

**Highlights:** Digital Urtext editions, Customizable score purchases, Print and export PDFs, Score modification and annotations, Metronome and recording, Part and score switching, Explanatory notes access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 22 Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 55 Credits | $5.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| 200 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| 300 Credits | $29.99 | one-time |
| 500 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Credits | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 High-quality Henle urtext editions
- ✏️ Annotation and marking capabilities
- 🎵 Beautiful score formatting and rendering
- 🎚️ Customizable spacing and sizing options
- 🎹 Multiple fingering/bowing variants available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Annotations frequently disappear or get lost
- ✏️ Eraser function unreliable and non-intuitive
- 🖊️ Apple Pencil annotation tools difficult to use
- 📖 Multi-movement scores split into individual pieces
- 🖨️ Poor print quality with severe aliasing

**Reported bugs**

- Annotations deleted after app updates or restarts
- Eraser function fails to remove marks consistently
- Marks don't record when crossing between staff lines
- App crashes when opening purchased scores
- Purchased scores disappear from library

**Requested features**

- Undo/redo functionality for annotations
- Ability to print entire multi-movement pieces together
- Half-page turning option for performers
- Playlist or collection grouping system
- Individual score parts (not just full scores)


### Dorico

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090)

Create professional music scores for up to eight instruments with this intuitive composition app. Input notes via on-screen or MIDI keyboards, then play back and edit with powerful tools. Share your creations as PDFs, audio, or MusicXML.

**Highlights:** Compose music for up to eight instruments, On-screen keyboard, drum pads, and fretboard input, MIDI editing tools, Export as PDF, audio, or MusicXML, Print to AirPrint-enabled printers, Read mode with Apple Pencil annotation

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dorico Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Dorico Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Dorico Lifetime Unlock | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and full-featured notation app on iPad
- 👍 Seamless integration with desktop version
- 🚀 Efficient workflow with keyboard shortcuts
- 👍 Impressive engraving and layout capabilities
- 🚀 Comprehensive feature set for composing and arranging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription-only model, no option to purchase outright
- 🐛 Glitchy touch/scroll functionality
- 🐛 Inability to delete clefs or access certain settings
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on older iPad models

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening or editing projects
- Corrupted/lost files after app crashes
- Unresponsive keyboard and note input issues
- Scrolling and UI glitches, especially in Engrave mode
- Incompatibility with certain iPad models and iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Support for Apple Pencil and handwriting input
- Improved file management and organization
- Expanded audio unit/plugin integration
- More customization options for layout and engraving
- Ability to export/import flows and projects between iPad and desktop


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Henle Library free?

Henle Library is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Dorico free?

Dorico is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Henle Library or Dorico?

Dorico is rated higher. Henle Library averages 3.0 out of 5 from 94 ratings, while Dorico averages 4.6 from 2.3K ratings.

### Do Henle Library or Dorico have ads?

Neither Henle Library nor Dorico shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Henle Library or Dorico?

Henle Library ships an update every 3 months, and Dorico monthly. Most recently, Henle Library was updated on November 11, 2026 and Dorico on November 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*