# Notation Scanner vs digitalScore

The clearest difference is price: digitalScore at Free against Notation Scanner's $2.99. digitalScore also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.1). Notation Scanner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

digitalScore is free to download; Notation Scanner costs $2.99 up front. digitalScore sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Notation Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

digitalScore holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 736 and 622 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of Notation Scanner's written reviews are positive against 44% of digitalScore's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Notation Scanner ships an update every 2 weeks, digitalScore every 9 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notation Scanner | digitalScore |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (736 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-scanner-sheet-music/id1260311003/reviews) | **[4.6 (622 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digitalscore-sheet-music-pdf/id1451089655/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **736** | 622 |
| Positive reviews | **49.5% of reviews** | 43.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 168 MB | 247 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) | [Symphonic Hub Sociedad Limitada](https://appshunter.io/developer/495844311) |

## What reviewers say

### Notation Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-scanner-sheet-music/id1260311003)

This app allows users to scan and recognize sheet music using their device's camera or existing images. It functions as a sheet music reader and player, supporting over 100 instruments and offering playback controls. Users can also export their recognized scores in various formats.

**Highlights:** Scan sheet music via camera or image library, Recognize and playback music scores, Support for over 100 instruments, Adjust tempo and voice parts, Export as MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, PDF

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for learning and practicing music
- 🚀 Works well when the sheet music is clear
- 💡 Useful for choir and band members

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Struggles to recognize complex or low-quality sheet music
- 🔒 Forces users to leave 5-star reviews to unlock features
- 🔋 Slow scanning and processing times

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot recognize any photos or scans of sheet music
- Playback skips notes and has timing issues
- App crashes frequently when trying to scan music

**Requested features**

- Allow users to manually correct scanned music
- Improve recognition accuracy for different sheet music styles
- Add more instrument options beyond just piano


### digitalScore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digitalscore-sheet-music-pdf/id1451089655)

This app provides a digital music stand for reading, annotating, and practicing sheet music. It offers hands-free page turns, editable annotations, and practice tools. Features like iCloud sync and collaboration modes enhance the musician's workflow.

**Highlights:** Visual library management with folders and smart organization, Hands-free page turns via gestures, pedals, or controllers, Editable annotations with Smart Eraser and Collage Tool, Practice tools including task marking, progress tracking, and metronome, Apple Intelligence integration for suggestions and practice insights, Collaboration features like SharePlay and Orchestra Mode, Built-in public domain music library

**Features:** Family Sharing, SharePlay, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sheet Music Premium, Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| 1-year Premium (Discount) | $9.99 | per year |
| Music Stand Premium, Yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to PRO with Discount | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pro Upgrade - Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Pro | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Innovative facial gesture page turning feature
- 📱 Works well on iPad with good performance
- 🎵 Excellent for digitizing physical sheet music
- ⚡ Faster and more responsive than competitors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 💰 Heavy paywall restricting basic features
- 📧 Non-responsive customer support
- 🔧 Buggy and unstable overall performance
- ❌ Data loss issues with scores disappearing

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when editing and arranging pages
- Annotations disappear when moving between layers
- Scores randomly disappear without recovery option
- PDF import fails or requires multiple attempts
- Renamed files revert to 'droppedScore'

**Requested features**

- Dark mode or adjustable brightness settings
- Android version availability
- Bluetooth page turning device support
- Replace/overwrite feature for duplicate imports
- Reorderable playlists


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notation Scanner free?

Notation Scanner costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is digitalScore free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notation Scanner or digitalScore?

digitalScore is rated higher. Notation Scanner averages 4.1 out of 5 from 736 ratings, while digitalScore averages 4.6 from 622 ratings.

### Do Notation Scanner or digitalScore have ads?

Neither Notation Scanner nor digitalScore shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notation Scanner or digitalScore?

Notation Scanner ships an update every 2 weeks, and digitalScore every 9 days. Most recently, Notation Scanner was updated on November 6, 2026 and digitalScore on November 6, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*