Comparison

Flat vs PlayScore 2

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Flat

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
Read full description

Write, play and share music, anywhere! Flat is the sheet music app trusted by 5M+ musicians worldwide. Compose, notate, and collaborate on scores for any instrument, from guitar tabs to full orchestras, across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and your web browser. Free features include: → Quick notation input via touch piano, guitar fretboard, or drum pads → 90+ instruments including piano, guitar, violin, saxophone, drums, voice, and more → 100K+ original scores in the community → Edit music scores on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and in your web browser → Hundreds of notation symbols: articulations, dynamics, measures, text, and more → Autocompletion when adding chords → Transposition by key, interval, or tone → Import MusicXML and MIDI files → Import PDF sheet music and convert it into fully editable scores → Keyboard shortcuts for iPad keyboard and fretboard → Share scores publicly or privately Collaborate in real-time: → Real-time collaboration for a dynamic experience → Inline comments for live feedback → Find collaborators in the Flat community Share your music: → Join the monthly Flat community challenge and win prizes → Explore hundreds of thousands of original scores from composers worldwide → Get featured and connect with fellow musicians Subscribe to Flat Power to unlock the full experience across all your devices. Flat Power, premium features: → Unlimited cloud storage → Automatic sync so your full library stays connected on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and web browser → 180+ instruments including high-quality audio → Advanced export: individual parts, multi-rest print, remove Flat branding → Layout and styles: page dimensions, spacing, chord style, Jazz and Handwritten fonts → Custom note heads: Boomwhackers colors, Note Names, Shape-Note (Aiken) → Version history: view and revert to any past version of your scores → Advanced audio: per-part volume and reverb controls → Input notes with MIDI devices (USB and Bluetooth) → Autosave with full version history → Customizable keyboard shortcuts → Priority support → PDF and photo import pages included with every plan: - Monthly plan: 10 PDF import pages/month + full premium features - Yearly plan: 20 PDF import pages/month + full premium features (best value) - Lifetime plan: full premium features + 20 PDF import pages (one-time purchase, no renewal) Terms for in-app payments: Payment will be charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage and cancel subscriptions in your App Store account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription is purchased. Our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy: https://flat.io/help/en/policies Questions or feedback: ios@flat.io

About

PlayScore 2

Scan sheet music from photos or PDFs and have it played back. Adjust instruments, tempo, and transposition. Export your scores as MusicXML and MIDI for further editing.

Highlights
  • Scan music from photos and PDFs
  • Playback with scrolling notation
  • Adjust volume, instrument, and transposition
  • Smart metronome with time signature recognition
  • Export as MusicXML and MIDI
  • Create 'Playable Score' documents
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Play all kinds of music direct from photos, images and PDF scores. Export as MusicXML and MIDI Snap music with your camera or import images and PDFs. PlayScore will play them right back to you, scrolling through the song following measure by measure • Adjust volume, instrument and transposition for each staff • Accompany yourself while you sing or play your instrument - PlayScore 2 will even count you in! • Playback with smart metronome that understands time signatures • Create Playable Score Documents that anyone can play back by downloading PlayScore 2 • Export Full Notation MusicXML to score editors with text, dynamics, articulation and more PlayScore 2 reads and plays all kinds of music straight off the page† such as: • Songs • Piano, organ, guitar • Hymns • Solos and Sonatas • Chamber, band and orchestral Choirs and ensembles - Learning a new piece? Create a Playable Score, so each member can listen to their part on its own or standing out from the others. • 19 high quality instruments per staff to choose from • Change tempo (even while playing) • Tap anywhere to play, or drag with a finger to create a loop • Mute and adjust volume, and change instrument for each staff individually • Transpose the whole song or by instrument (transposing instruments) * Adjustable multi-measure count-in and metronome * Swing playback • Adjustable dynamic range PlayScore 2 makes it easy to create multi-page Playable Scores: • Rearrange recapture or delete pages • Select a page range in a PDF • Clip and mask • Search and sort by title or composer Subscriptions - Even without a subscription you can • Play and interact with any PlayScore Playable Score • Play pages of music in unlimited staves from a photo • Create and share single page playable documents PlayScore 2 Productivity subscription • Create and play multi-staff, multi-page scores captured with the camera or imported as images • Export your documents for anyone to play • Interact with scores, auto-transpose transposing instruments, export MIDI files PlayScore 2 Professional subscription • Create Playable Score documents from PDF scores that anyone can play • Export any score as MIDI and MusicXML containing full notation and text Productivity and Professional versions are available as 1-month or 12-month auto-renewing subscriptions. • The payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • You may manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings on-line after purchase Important: Capturing copyrighted music without the copyright holder's permission is illegal. PlayScore 2 recognises full music notation – see full spec at playscore.co † please see online help for exclusions Terms of use: https://playscore.co/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Flat4 screens
PlayScore 23 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Flat at 4.6 against PlayScore 2's 4.2. Flat also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (68% vs 50%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Flat sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and PlayScore 2 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Flat holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7K and 4.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Flat's written reviews are positive against 50% of PlayScore 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Flat ships an update fortnightly, PlayScore 2 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Flat versus PlayScore 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlatPlayScore 2
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (7K ratings) — better4.2 (4.8K ratings)
Positive reviews67.8% of reviews — better50.1% of reviews
Number of ratings7K — better4.8K
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#170#150 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.416 — better
Further details — not scored
Size219 MB93 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperTutteo LimitedOrganum Limited

Customer experience

Flat

All ratings6,980 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral3.7%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews946 reviews
Positive67.8%
Neutral13.4%
Negative18.8%

PlayScore 2

All ratings4,533 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral6.0%
Negative16.2%
Written reviews493 reviews
Positive50.1%
Neutral13.0%
Negative36.9%

User reviews

Flat

From 7K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

PlayScore 2

From 4.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent app for learning music
  • 👍 User-friendly and easy to use
  • 🎉 Impressive music recognition capabilities
  • 💡 Helpful for practicing and isolating parts
  • 🎨 Versatile playback options (tempo, instrument)

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent note/rhythm recognition
  • 🔢 Limitations on number of pages scanned
  • 🔇 Issues with volume and audio quality
  • 🤔 Struggles with complex or handwritten scores
  • 💰 Subscription-based model

Bugs and requests

Flat

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

PlayScore 2

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes and freezes when scanning/importing
  • Playback issues with timing and note accuracy
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
  • Exporting to MIDI/MusicXML not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to import PDFs and multiple pages
  • Improved support for transposition and clef changes
  • Metronome functionality and count-in feature
  • Annotation and score editing capabilities
  • Organizational tools (folders, playlists)

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Flat

Subscriptions4
  • Flat Power (Monthly)$9.991 Month
  • Flat Power (Yearly)$29.991 Year
  • Flat Power (Yearly)$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Flat Power (Yearly)$49.991 Year
One-time6
  • PDF import 30 credits$9.99
  • PDF import 70 credits$17.99
  • Flat Power (Lifetime)$119.00
Show 3 more
  • Flat Power (Lifetime)$179.99
  • Flat Power (Lifetime)$199.00
  • Flat Power (Lifetime)$299.99
4 purchases

PlayScore 2

Subscriptions4
  • PlayScore Productivity$5.991 Month
  • PlayScore 2 Professional month$6.991 Month
  • PlayScore Productivity$34.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • PlayScore 2 Professional year$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Flat free?
Flat is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PlayScore 2 free?
PlayScore 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Flat or PlayScore 2?
Flat is rated higher. Flat averages 4.6 out of 5 from 7K ratings, while PlayScore 2 averages 4.2 from 4.8K ratings.
Do Flat or PlayScore 2 have ads?
Neither Flat nor PlayScore 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Flat or PlayScore 2?
Flat ships an update fortnightly, and PlayScore 2 every 2 months. Most recently, Flat was updated on November 1, 2026 and PlayScore 2 on October 29, 2026.
Which is more popular, Flat or PlayScore 2?
Flat currently peaks at #170 in the App Store charts, and PlayScore 2 at #150. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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