# Music Note Trainer vs Sibelius

The clearest difference is price: Sibelius at Free against Music Note Trainer's $2.99. Sibelius also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 5). Music Note Trainer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (59% vs 36%). On rating, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sibelius is free to download; Music Note Trainer costs $2.99 up front. Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Music Note Trainer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sibelius holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Music Note Trainer's written reviews are positive against 36% of Sibelius's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Music Note Trainer | Sibelius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-note-trainer/id1023154291/reviews) | **[4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **58.8% of reviews** | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 19 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plearn LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6792172523) | [Avid®](https://appshunter.io/developer/436394595) |

## What reviewers say

### Music Note Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-note-trainer/id1023154291)

Enhance your music skills with this app that bridges the gap between musical notation, keyboard layouts, and auditory recognition. It offers various training modes and real-time feedback to improve sight-reading, ear training, and music theory comprehension.

**Highlights:** Real-time pitch detection via microphone, MIDI instrument support, Virtual 88-key keyboard, 20 question/answer modes, Customizable learning targets, Progress statistics and intelligent question generation, Studio sound quality

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sibelius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259)

Professional music notation software is now available on mobile devices. Create, edit, and hear your compositions anywhere with a full suite of tools optimized for touch and stylus input. Seamlessly sync across platforms and access different feature tiers to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Professional music notation, Cross-platform synchronization, High-quality sample library, Apple Pencil and touch optimization, Innovative note entry, Command Search functionality, Scalable subscription tiers

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sibelius Artist for iOS | $5.99 | per month |
| Sibelius Ultimate for iOS | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🚀 Useful for composing on the go
- 💡 Good for making quick edits to existing scores
- 🎨 Stylish and professional-looking app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Difficulty unlocking full version and accessing features
- 💰 Subscription service is very expensive
- 🔇 Limited sound library and poor playback quality
- 📁 Unreliable saving and file management

**Reported bugs**

- Scores disappearing or not saving properly
- Subscription issues and inability to log in
- Crashes when performing basic actions
- Compatibility problems with newer iPad OS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Music Note Trainer free?

Music Note Trainer costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sibelius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Music Note Trainer or Sibelius?

Sibelius is rated higher. Music Note Trainer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Sibelius averages 4.2 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Music Note Trainer or Sibelius have ads?

Neither Music Note Trainer nor Sibelius shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Music Note Trainer or Sibelius?

Music Note Trainer ships an update every 2 months, and Sibelius every 2 months. Most recently, Music Note Trainer was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sibelius on October 29, 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.*