Comparison

SimpNote vs JamKoo

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

Head to head
About

SimpNote

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
Read full description

The Jianpu Studio for iPhone & iPad Write, notate and play numbered notation — made for touch. Jianpu is faster than staff notation when you write songs. We built the notation tool we always wished existed on mobile. == FEATURES == [FAST NOTATION] Designed from the ground up for mobile writing - Numbered notation input: up to five octaves, from 32nd notes to whole notes - Lyrics in any language your phone can type - Rich symbol set: slurs, bar lines, legato lines, grace notes, ornaments, repeats - Rhythm X notation - One-tap score info: title, subtitle, key, time signature, composer - Score search: find any piece by title in seconds [PLAYBACK] Notation you can actually hear - Play your score, with sound as you type - Switch instruments and play multiple voices - Play a selection, set the tempo, auto-repeat inside repeat signs - Drag the playback and metronome volume sliders at any time - Choose where the playhead stops when a score ends [MAKE IT YOURS] Your work is more than notes - Page backgrounds: pick a preset or a photo from your library - Adjust paper colour and margins - Set colour and size separately for notes, lyrics, title, subtitle, key/time and composer [EXPORT & SHARE] Better shared than kept - Export images straight to your photo library - Export PDF for printing and layout - Export MIDI to keep arranging in professional music software - Export audio to listen back anytime - Export MusicXML to edit in other notation apps - Network printing, AirDrop, WeChat and other apps - Save to iCloud == Terms Of Use == http://179music.com/2019/09/20/Terms_of_Service/

About

JamKoo

Create and record music with realistic virtual instruments. Mix backing tracks, practice with various instruments, and share your performances with a community. Supports MIDI controllers and custom instrument libraries.

Highlights
  • Realistic virtual instruments
  • MIDI controller support
  • Backing track mixing and recording
  • Custom instrument library import
  • Layered recording
  • MP3 export
  • Score import and viewing
Features
Read full description

JamKoo is designed for live performance worship band and practice. JamKoo can turn your old keyboard to a realistic grand piano. JamKoo allows you to mix and record backing track with realistic virtual instruments. Application Scenario - Wind MIDI controller: add a background music, pick a saxophone or trumpet tone. Add some reverb FX, and practice anytime without disturbing others. - Piano: Connect your keyboard to iPad, iPhone via USB-MIDI or Bluetooth MIDI. Play and record your performance with this app, share the recording with your teacher. The piano sound and tuning is more realistic than an ordinary electric piano. - Electronic drum practice, import a classic rock track, pick a drum kit, and record your performance while adjusting the background volume and minimizing the reverb FX of the instrument. Recordings can be sent to other members of the band. Elegant and powerful Designed for music practice and live performances, the user who likes music is freed from the complexity of recording interfaces and can focus on the music itself. Sophistication doesn't necessitate complexity. Built-in high quality and deep sound library Pre-installed with a number of fine-tuned and rich sound sources, from a comprehensive instrument package containing 138 instruments to 7 Chinese musical instrument packages with outstanding sound. This is a musical weapon at your fingertips. Post&share in a flash Your works deserve more listeners! Harvest likes by posting at JamKoo community. Add your own instrument library If the pre-installed hundreds of instruments are not enough, you can also add your own instrument library and download the Soundfont format library to your own JamKoo library. Main features: - Support USB, Bluetooth MIDI source selection. - Pre-installed a set of high quality comprehensive sound library. - Pre-installed a set of Chinese musical instrument library. - Support individual patch transpose, octave, reverb. - Import backing track music from Music library or iCloud, dropbox etc. - Layered recording with backing track, as well as solo recording. - Support export to MP3 file. - Support AE-05/01 program change on the fly. - pitch bend range, sustain pedal. - Pro version users can add third party Soundfont format sound library. - Import and view scores in various format. - Support score page turning and patch scrolling by MIDI pedal Facebook Page: @RobkooMusic Twitter: @Robkoo_Music Feedback: contact@robkoo.com

Screenshots

SimpNote4 screens
JamKoo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: JamKoo at 12.0 against SimpNote's 18.6. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. SimpNote sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and JamKoo sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SimpNote against 4.4 for JamKoo. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 74 and 39 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of SimpNote's written reviews are positive against 76% of JamKoo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SimpNote ships an update every 6 weeks, JamKoo every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
SimpNote versus JamKoo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimpNoteJamKoo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (74 ratings) — better4.4 (39 ratings)
Positive reviews72.2% of reviews76.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings74 — better39
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB288 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer炯龙 吴Robkoo Information & Technologies Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

SimpNote

All ratings74 ratings
Positive89.2%
Neutral2.7%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews97 reviews
Positive72.2%
Neutral11.3%
Negative16.5%

JamKoo

All ratings36 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral5.6%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral17.6%
Negative5.9%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

SimpNote

Subscriptions3
  • 月度会员$2.991 Month
  • 季度会员$6.993 Months
  • 年度会员$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • 永久会员$39.99
9 purchases

JamKoo

Subscriptions3
  • JamKoo Premium (monthly)7 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • JamKoo Premium (quarterly)7 Days trial$0.993 Months
  • JamKoo Premium (yearly)7 Days trial$0.991 Year
One-time6
  • Taste of FireworksFree
  • Shakuhachi$0.99
  • Kong Audio Erhu$1.99
Show 3 more
  • Kong Audio Qudi$1.99
  • Kong Audio Hulusi$1.99
  • Kong Audio Suona$1.99

Questions

Is SimpNote free?
SimpNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is JamKoo free?
JamKoo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SimpNote or JamKoo?
SimpNote is rated higher. SimpNote averages 4.4 out of 5 from 74 ratings, while JamKoo averages 4.4 from 39 ratings.
Do SimpNote or JamKoo have ads?
Neither SimpNote nor JamKoo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SimpNote or JamKoo?
SimpNote ships an update every 6 weeks, and JamKoo every 4 weeks. Most recently, SimpNote was updated on November 11, 2026 and JamKoo on November 11, 2026.

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