# Flat vs SimpNote Lite

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Flat at 6.8K against SimpNote Lite's 73. Flat also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and chart position (#155 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Flat sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and SimpNote Lite sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Flat holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Flat has 6.8K ratings behind it against 73, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Flat's written reviews are positive against 72% of SimpNote Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Flat ships an update every 2 weeks, SimpNote Lite every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Flat | SimpNote Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flat-sheet-music-maker-and-tabs/id1177592149/reviews)** | [4.4 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpnote-lite/id1272559770/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.8K** | 73 |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews | **72.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#155** | — |
| Size | 202 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tutteo Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1177592148) | [炯龙 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/596409525) |

## What reviewers say

### Flat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flat-sheet-music-maker-and-tabs/id1177592149)

**Currently charting:** #155 Top Grossing · Music, #170 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Create, edit, and play sheet music and guitar tabs with this intuitive composer app. It offers a wide range of instruments, notation tools, and collaboration features. Import and export in various formats, and share your creations with a large community.

**Highlights:** Compose and edit sheet music, Create guitar tabs, Real-time collaboration, Import MusicXML, MIDI, PDF, Export to PDF, MIDI, MP3, WAV, Large community library, 90+ instruments

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Flat Power (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Flat Power (Yearly) | $29.99 | per year |
| Flat Power (Yearly) | $39.99 | per year |
| Flat Power (Yearly) | $49.99 | per year |
| PDF import 30 credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| PDF import 70 credits | $17.99 | one-time |
| Flat Power (Lifetime) | $119.00 | one-time |
| Flat Power (Lifetime) | $179.99 | one-time |
| Flat Power (Lifetime) | $199.00 | one-time |
| Flat Power (Lifetime) | $299.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for beginners
- 🎨 Lots of customization options
- 🎶 Extensive instrument selection
- 💡 Collaborative features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🔒 Limited free features
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔊 Poor audio quality
- 📏 Rigid layout and formatting

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Notes and rests disappear
- Playback issues and audio glitches
- Difficulty selecting and editing notes
- Syncing and saving problems

**Requested features**

- Add more percussion instruments
- Improve note entry and editing
- Allow custom soundfonts
- Implement measure repeat signs
- Add more advanced notation options


### SimpNote Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpnote-lite/id1272559770)

Easily compose music using a numbered notation system. Write songs, create sheet music, and play your compositions with various input options for rhythm, pitch, and lyrics. Share your musical creations as images or MIDI files.

**Highlights:** Numbered notation input, Rhythm and pitch customization, Lyric and accidental input, Transposition and beat transfer, Export to image and MIDI, Real-time playback

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 月度会员 | $2.99 | per month |
| 年度会员 | $14.99 | per year |
| 永久会员 | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Flat free?

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

### Is SimpNote Lite free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Flat or SimpNote Lite?

Flat is rated higher. Flat averages 4.6 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while SimpNote Lite averages 4.4 from 73 ratings.

### Do Flat or SimpNote Lite have ads?

Neither Flat nor SimpNote Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Flat or SimpNote Lite?

Flat ships an update every 2 weeks, and SimpNote Lite every 6 weeks. Most recently, Flat was updated on September 24, 2026 and SimpNote Lite on September 23, 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.*