# foobar2000 vs Notation Pad

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: foobar2000 at none against Notation Pad's 10. foobar2000 also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 56%) and rating (4.5 vs 4.3). Notation Pad's advantage is ratings volume (5.3K vs 187). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notation Pad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. foobar2000 asks for nothing beyond the download.

foobar2000 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notation Pad has 5.3K ratings behind it against 187, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of foobar2000's written reviews are positive against 56% of Notation Pad's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | foobar2000 | Notation Pad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foobar2000/id1072807669/reviews)** | [4.3 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 187 | **5.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **79.4% of reviews** | 55.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 13 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Resolute](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072793620) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### foobar2000

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foobar2000/id1072807669)

An advanced audio player for mobile devices supporting a wide range of formats. Enjoy gapless playback, automatic volume adjustment, and customization options. Stream music from UPnP servers.

**Highlights:** Wide audio format support (MP3, FLAC, AAC, etc.), Gapless playback, ReplayGain volume adjustment, UPnP media server streaming, Customizable appearance with skins

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good for offline use
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 💡 Customizable with skins
- 👍 Plays a variety of audio formats
- 👍 Convenient FTP transfer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Lacking search functionality
- 🔍 Difficult to manage playlists and delete songs
- 🔍 Inconsistent UI and navigation
- 🔍 Missing CarPlay support

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup for some users
- Playback issues with certain audio formats
- Network detection failures
- SMB/DLNA server connectivity problems
- Album art not displaying correctly

**Requested features**

- Add queue and repeat single track features
- Improve playlist management and song deletion
- Implement CarPlay support
- Add more UI customization options
- Improve search functionality


### Notation Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942)

Create, edit, and play sheet music with this comprehensive notation editor. Compose original pieces, transcribe existing music, and even collaborate in real-time. Ideal for musicians of all levels, from beginners learning notes to experienced composers.

**Highlights:** Real-time collaborative editing, MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, and PDF export, High-quality playback sound, Support for up to 8 staves, Over 100 instrument sounds, Lyric editing, Multi-voice support

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Guitar Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ensemble Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Brass Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Reed Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pipe Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Strings Instrument Group | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Instruments Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extras Package | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎼 Good for basic music notation
- 🎹 Helpful for piano/keyboard players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Many features locked behind paywall
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable at times
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to desktop apps
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription popup that cannot be closed
- Instruments turning into drums unexpectedly
- Inability to delete or modify certain elements

**Requested features**

- Add more instrument options
- Improve editing capabilities
- Allow changing key signatures and time signatures without premium
- Provide better tutorials and documentation
- Fix issues with note placement and playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is foobar2000 free?

foobar2000 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Notation Pad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, foobar2000 or Notation Pad?

foobar2000 is rated higher. foobar2000 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 187 ratings, while Notation Pad averages 4.3 from 5.3K ratings.

### Do foobar2000 or Notation Pad have ads?

Neither foobar2000 nor Notation Pad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, foobar2000 or Notation Pad?

foobar2000 ships an update monthly, and Notation Pad monthly. Most recently, foobar2000 was updated on September 24, 2026 and Notation Pad on September 24, 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.*