# touchscaper vs StaffPad

The clearest difference is review sentiment: touchscaper at 93% against StaffPad's 40%. touchscaper also leads on price ($4.99 vs $49.99) and rating (4.9 vs 4.0). StaffPad's advantage is ratings volume (563 vs 147). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

touchscaper costs $4.99 and StaffPad $49.99 up front. StaffPad sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. touchscaper asks for nothing beyond the download.

touchscaper holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 147 and 563 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of touchscaper's written reviews are positive against 40% of StaffPad's.

touchscaper ships an update weekly, StaffPad every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | touchscaper | StaffPad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $49.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (147 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/touchscaper/id1250344299/reviews)** | [4.0 (563 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffpad/id1442074103/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 147 | **563** |
| Positive reviews | **93.2% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 359 MB | 1020 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.5 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rob Jackson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072346998) | [StaffPad Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1258751005) |

## What reviewers say

### touchscaper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/touchscaper/id1250344299)

Create music on your iPad by simply touching the screen. This app offers a semi-generative engine to guide note selection and allows for deep customization of chords, keys, and scales. Explore a variety of built-in sounds and effects to craft unique musical pieces.

**Highlights:** Multi-touch interface with radar, ribbon, and keyboard surfaces, Semi-generative engine for note selection, Full control over chords, keys, and scales, Layerable built-in sounds and effects, Chord navigator and looper with Ableton Link, Sequencer for touch, drums, and synth automation, Inter-App Audio and MIDI out support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful and inspiring sounds
- 👍 Easy to use, yet deep
- 💡 Innovative and unique instrument
- 🚀 Creates beautiful music easily
- 💰 Great value for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 MIDI connectivity issues
- 🐛 MPE via MIDI out not working
- 🐛 Pops when adding multiple sounds
- 🐛 Hold Mode design is awkward
- 🐛 App can become unstable after long use

**Reported bugs**

- Does not show up as an available audio unit in Logic or GarageBand
- Cannot get any MIDI connectivity to work
- MPE via MIDI out does not work if there is no MIDI out for the app
- Pops when adding more than 2 sounds
- Hold Mode design is awkward, especially for note placement

**Requested features**

- AUv3 version/compatibility
- More sophisticated mixer
- Second bank of patterns
- Panels to tweak oscillators, LFOs, etc.
- Orchestral type sounds


### StaffPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffpad/id1442074103)

Compose music effortlessly on your iPad with intuitive handwriting input and advanced notation tools. Convert your playing into sheet music, record and edit audio directly on the score, and utilize powerful playback with professional sample libraries. Seamlessly share your work with others using the companion reader app.

**Highlights:** Handwriting music notation with Apple Pencil, Convert audio recordings to notation, Record and edit audio on score, Professional playback with sample libraries, Seamless sharing via ScoreSync, Import/export MusicXML and MIDI

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Toy Glockenspiel | Free | one-time |
| StaffPad Essential Guitars | Free | one-time |
| Retro Keyboards | Free | one-time |
| Muse Strings | Free | one-time |
| Muse Choir | Free | one-time |
| Muse Woodwinds | Free | one-time |
| Muse Percussion | Free | one-time |
| Muse Brass | Free | one-time |
| Muse Harp | Free | one-time |
| Muse Keys | Free | one-time |
| Muse Guitars Vol. 1 | Free | one-time |
| StaffPad Essentials: Accordion | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful composing tool
- 🎨 Intuitive handwriting interface
- 🎹 High-quality playback sounds
- 💻 Seamless iPad integration
- 🎨 Smooth workflow for sketching ideas

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent handwriting recognition
- 🔧 Steep learning curve
- 🔒 Requires Apple Pencil
- 💰 Expensive with additional purchases
- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to recognize certain note values
- Eraser function unreliable
- Inconsistent behavior when writing accidentals
- Crashes when attempting to create new scores
- Syncing and file management issues

**Requested features**

- Improved handwriting recognition
- More flexible note input options
- Cross-staff notation support
- Customizable UI and layout
- Better collaboration and sharing features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is touchscaper free?

touchscaper costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is StaffPad free?

StaffPad costs $49.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, touchscaper or StaffPad?

touchscaper is rated higher. touchscaper averages 4.9 out of 5 from 147 ratings, while StaffPad averages 4.0 from 563 ratings.

### Do touchscaper or StaffPad have ads?

Neither touchscaper nor StaffPad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, touchscaper or StaffPad?

touchscaper ships an update weekly, and StaffPad every 2 weeks. Most recently, touchscaper was updated on September 23, 2026 and StaffPad 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.*