i vs Sibelius
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
i
This app simulates orchestral instruments on iOS devices, allowing users to play musical scores using on-screen or external MIDI keyboards. Multiple users can collaborate to form a virtual orchestra, with each person playing a specific part.
- Orchestral instrument simulation
- MIDI input via on-screen or external keyboard
- PDF score display and playback
- Collaborative virtual orchestra formation
- Individual orchestral part simulation
Read full descriptionHide full description
i-Orchestra is an iOS app that enables orchestral instrument simulation on a mobile device. It voices musical instrument samples by transmitting MIDI messages to the app via the on-screen MIDI keyboard or an external MIDI keyboard connected to the iOS device through the Apple Camera Connection Kit. The screen of the iOS device displays the musical score of the users' choice in pdf format, allowing the user to scroll over the score and play the score at the same time. A virtual orchestra can therefore be formed collaboratively by a group of users, each of whom individually simulates an orchestral part using the app.
Sibelius
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.
- Professional music notation
- Cross-platform synchronization
- High-quality sample library
- Apple Pencil and touch optimization
- Innovative note entry
- Command Search functionality
- Scalable subscription tiers
Read full descriptionHide full description
Sibelius brings professional music notation to iPad and iPhone, putting the workflows used by countless composers, orchestrators, and arrangers at your fingertips. Seamlessly move between iPad, iPhone and desktop, and from studio to coffeeshop to scoring stage, and write anywhere inspiration strikes. # Work on scores anywhere Sibelius for mobile puts the #1 selling music notation program at your fingertips—literally. Work with the same tools and features used by countless composers and production houses every day on your iPad and iPhone. Whether writing down ideas, creating full-blown compositions, or reviewing scores, you have the freedom to create wherever you’re comfortable. #Take your portfolio to go Forget having to bring and break out your laptop when meeting with clients and collaborators. Instead, you can conveniently take the world’s most powerful notation toolset and your entire music portfolio with you wherever you go—ideal for those unexpected opportunities. And for tandemly working through last-minute revisions. # Hear your music in stunning detail Sibelius includes a high-quality sample library filled with a variety of musical instrumentation, so you can hear what your music will sound like when performed by real musicians. The Espressivo advanced notation interpretation even lets you adjust rhythm and swing to create a more humanistic feel. # Speed your workflow Sibelius for mobile is designed to take full advantage of Apple Pencil and iPad touch capabilities. Its elegant, streamlined interface provides the most intuitive and efficient workflows possible while supporting the same keyboard shortcuts you know and love from working on the desktop version, so you’ll feel right at home. # Get innovative note entry Experience the pen and paper workflow reimagined. Enter notes with the onscreen Keypad or a keyboard, and Sibelius takes care of all note layout. Touch a note and drag up or down to change its value, or drag left or right to add a flat or sharp. With an Apple Pencil, tap a note and tilt up or down to add a flat or sharp, or tilt left or right to choose the note value. # Have everything you need In addition to the Keypad, Sibelius for mobile features a Create menu that’s optimized for iOS, making it easy to add clefs, key signatures, time signatures, barlines, symbols, text styles, and more to your score from searchable galleries. You can also quickly search through all Sibelius commands using the Command Search, putting the entire app at your fingertips. # Move tiers to meet needs Sibelius is designed to grow with you to support your creative aspirations and project needs. From the introductory (and free) Sibelius First to the industry-standard Sibelius Ultimate, you can add more notation capabilities and instrument parts to take on more creative opportunities by simply upgrading your subscription tier. # Have everything on one creative platform Seamlessly move from desktop to tablet and back without ever having to import or export files. That’s because whether on mobile or desktop, you’re always in Sibelius. With files saved to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or other iOS-supported cloud service, you have easy anywhere access to all your ideas and scores. # Enable a hybrid workflow While Sibelius for mobile is fully featured, providing many of the same tools as its desktop counterpart, there are some notation and layout features only available in the desktop version, making it an integral part of a complete workflow (compare versions). Plus, the mobile version comes free with the desktop version, enabling you to work where and how you want.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Sibelius at 4.2 against i's 2.2. Sibelius also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 5). i's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (50% vs 36%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. i asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sibelius holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.2. 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: 50% of i'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. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | i | Sibelius |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.2 (5 ratings) | 4.2 (1.8K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 35.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 1.8K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 13.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 336 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lee Cheng | Avid® |
Customer experience
i
Sibelius
Bugs and requests
i
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Sibelius
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
7 requests- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Export options like MusicXML and PDF
- Customizable shortcuts and toolbars
In-app purchases
i
No in-app purchases
Sibelius
- Sibelius Artist for iOS1 Month trial$5.991 Month
- Sibelius Ultimate for iOS1 Month trial$12.991 Month








