# touchscaper vs Dorico

The clearest difference is price: Dorico at Free against touchscaper's $4.99. Dorico also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 156). touchscaper's advantage is review sentiment (93% vs 55%) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Dorico is free to download; touchscaper costs $4.99 up front. Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. touchscaper asks for nothing beyond the download.

touchscaper holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dorico has 2.2K ratings behind it against 156, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of touchscaper's written reviews are positive against 55% of Dorico's.

touchscaper ships an update weekly, Dorico every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | touchscaper | Dorico |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.9 (156 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/touchscaper/id1250344299/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 156 | **2.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **93.2% of reviews** | 55.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 359 MB | 975 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rob Jackson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072346998) | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) |

## 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


### Dorico

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090)

Create professional music notation and compositions with this powerful app. Easily input notes, edit performances, and share your work in various formats. It's suitable for beginners and professionals alike.

**Highlights:** Compose music notation, On-screen keyboard, drum pads, fretboard, MIDI editing tools, PDF, audio, MusicXML export, Print to AirPrint, Read mode with annotation, Automatic engraving

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dorico Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Dorico Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Dorico Lifetime Unlock | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and full-featured notation app on iPad
- 👍 Seamless integration with desktop version
- 🚀 Efficient workflow with keyboard shortcuts
- 👍 Impressive engraving and layout capabilities
- 🚀 Comprehensive feature set for composing and arranging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription-only model, no option to purchase outright
- 🐛 Glitchy touch/scroll functionality
- 🐛 Inability to delete clefs or access certain settings
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on older iPad models

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening or editing projects
- Corrupted/lost files after app crashes
- Unresponsive keyboard and note input issues
- Scrolling and UI glitches, especially in Engrave mode
- Incompatibility with certain iPad models and iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Support for Apple Pencil and handwriting input
- Improved file management and organization
- Expanded audio unit/plugin integration
- More customization options for layout and engraving
- Ability to export/import flows and projects between iPad and desktop


## Frequently asked questions

### Is touchscaper free?

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

### Is Dorico free?

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

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

touchscaper is rated higher. touchscaper averages 4.9 out of 5 from 156 ratings, while Dorico averages 4.6 from 2.2K ratings.

### Do touchscaper or Dorico have ads?

Neither touchscaper nor Dorico shows ads.

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

touchscaper ships an update weekly, and Dorico every 3 weeks. Most recently, touchscaper was updated on October 22, 2026 and Dorico on October 27, 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.*