# BeatMirror vs Drum Notation by Beat Note

The clearest difference is price: Drum Notation by Beat Note at Free against BeatMirror's $6.99. Drum Notation by Beat Note also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (83% vs 65%). BeatMirror's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and chart position (#183 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Drum Notation by Beat Note is free to download; BeatMirror costs $6.99 up front. Drum Notation by Beat Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.69 per month. BeatMirror asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for BeatMirror against 4.6 for Drum Notation by Beat Note. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 253 and 87 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of BeatMirror's written reviews are positive against 83% of Drum Notation by Beat Note's.

BeatMirror ships an update every 3 months, Drum Notation by Beat Note every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BeatMirror | Drum Notation by Beat Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (253 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beatmirror-track-bpm/id1086730929/reviews)** | [4.6 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-notation-by-beat-note/id1539132475/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **253** | 87 |
| Positive reviews | 65.2% of reviews | **82.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#183** | — |
| Size | 4 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ten Kettles Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/807222476) | [Kick Snare Hat Apps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/945994325) |

## What reviewers say

### BeatMirror

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beatmirror-track-bpm/id1086730929)

**Currently charting:** #183 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

This app uses your device's microphone to detect and display musical tempo in real-time. It provides a scrollable graph of your tempo history, helping musicians improve their rhythm and internal clock. Features include a wide tempo range, flexible accuracy across time signatures, and visual feedback for tempo drift.

**Highlights:** Real-time tempo detection, Scrollable tempo history graph, Wide tempo range (35-220 bpm), Flexible accuracy across time signatures and rhythms, Visual feedback for tempo drift, Customizable zoom features, Tempo keyboard with tap pad

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast BPM detection
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Game changer for musicians
- 👍 Great for guitar rhythm practice
- 💡 Superior tempo detection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate beat detection for guitar
- 🔋 Phone gets hot
- 🐛 BPM rounding issues
- 🐛 Doesn't work unless target tempo is set
- 🐛 Not ideal for DJs

**Reported bugs**

- Beat detection inaccurate for guitar picking speed
- App rounds BPM to nearest whole number, losing decimals
- Phone overheats after prolonged use
- App doesn't work unless a target tempo is set
- App is not precise enough to measure rapid beats

**Requested features**

- Toggle for BPM decimals display
- Option to switch between integer and double numbers for DJs
- Mode to just detect playing without setting target tempo
- More customization for tempo range zoom


### Drum Notation by Beat Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-notation-by-beat-note/id1539132475)

Create, practice, and share drum music notation with ease. This app transforms sequenced beats into professional sheet music, offering tools for composition, transcription, and interactive teaching. Enhance your drumming journey with customizable practice sessions and high-quality export options.

**Highlights:** Sequencer to notation conversion, Compose and transcribe drum beats, Customizable practice sessions, Interactive teaching tools, High-quality PDF and image export, Multiple notation voicing options

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Educator Tier Monthly (No Trial) | $6.69 | per month |
| Creator Tier Monthly (No Trial) | $13.49 | per month |
| Educator Tier Annual (No Trial) | $59.99 | per year |
| Educator Tier Annual + Free Trial | $59.99 | per year |
| Creator Tier Annual + Free Trial | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Quick and efficient notation
- 🎶 Great sound playback
- 💡 Excellent for teaching and learning
- ✍️ Simple to write exercises and ideas

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 💸 High annual cost
- 🆓 Limited free version
- 🚫 No one-time purchase option
- 🤔 Subscription model makes little sense to some

**Reported bugs**

- Preview rarely matches notes on staff
- Sometimes doesn't play any notes
- Sounds not always appropriate for instrument voicing
- Editing measures is inconvenient
- Free trial charged immediately

**Requested features**

- 7/8 time signature support
- Syncing between devices
- Web version
- Native Mac/Windows apps
- Add text or notes to notations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BeatMirror free?

BeatMirror costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Drum Notation by Beat Note free?

Drum Notation by Beat Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BeatMirror or Drum Notation by Beat Note?

BeatMirror is rated higher. BeatMirror averages 4.7 out of 5 from 253 ratings, while Drum Notation by Beat Note averages 4.6 from 87 ratings.

### Do BeatMirror or Drum Notation by Beat Note have ads?

Neither BeatMirror nor Drum Notation by Beat Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BeatMirror or Drum Notation by Beat Note?

BeatMirror ships an update every 3 months, and Drum Notation by Beat Note every 9 days. Most recently, BeatMirror was updated on October 19, 2026 and Drum Notation by Beat Note on October 21, 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.*