# Simmons Drums Advanced vs Drum Notation by Beat Note

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Drum Notation by Beat Note at 83% against Simmons Drums Advanced's 20%. Drum Notation by Beat Note also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.4) and update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). Simmons Drums Advanced's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (12.3 vs 15.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drum Notation by Beat Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.69 per month. Simmons Drums Advanced asks for nothing beyond the download.

Drum Notation by Beat Note holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drum Notation by Beat Note has 83 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Simmons Drums Advanced's written reviews are positive against 83% of Drum Notation by Beat Note's.

Simmons Drums Advanced ships an update monthly, Drum Notation by Beat Note every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simmons Drums Advanced | Drum Notation by Beat Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simmons-drums-advanced/id1329013623/reviews) | **[4.7 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-notation-by-beat-note/id1539132475/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **83** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 93 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.3** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Simmons Innovations Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1236886059) | [Kick Snare Hat Apps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/945994325) |

## What reviewers say

### Simmons Drums Advanced

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simmons-drums-advanced/id1329013623)

Record, edit, and add custom sounds to your electronic drum kits. This app allows you to create a personalized sound library and improve your playing with playback manipulation tools.

**Highlights:** Record real-world sounds, Edit custom samples, Add sounds to drum kits, Create a personal sound library, Remote kit and sound editing, Play Along function with speed manipulation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Drum Notation by Beat Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-notation-by-beat-note/id1539132475)

Create, practice, and share drum music notation with ease. This app transforms sequenced beats into professional sheet music, offering tools for composition, transcription, and interactive teaching. Enhance your drumming journey with customizable practice sessions and high-quality export options.

**Highlights:** Sequencer to notation conversion, Compose and transcribe drum beats, Customizable practice sessions, Interactive teaching tools, High-quality PDF and image export, Multiple notation voicing options

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Educator Tier Monthly (No Trial) | $6.69 | per month |
| Creator Tier Monthly (No Trial) | $13.49 | per month |
| Educator Tier Annual (No Trial) | $59.99 | per year |
| Educator Tier Annual + Free Trial | $59.99 | per year |
| Creator Tier Annual + Free Trial | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Quick and efficient notation
- 🎶 Great sound playback
- 💡 Excellent for teaching and learning
- ✍️ Simple to write exercises and ideas

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 💸 High annual cost
- 🆓 Limited free version
- 🚫 No one-time purchase option
- 🤔 Subscription model makes little sense to some

**Reported bugs**

- Preview rarely matches notes on staff
- Sometimes doesn't play any notes
- Sounds not always appropriate for instrument voicing
- Editing measures is inconvenient
- Free trial charged immediately

**Requested features**

- 7/8 time signature support
- Syncing between devices
- Web version
- Native Mac/Windows apps
- Add text or notes to notations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simmons Drums Advanced free?

Simmons Drums Advanced is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Drum Notation by Beat Note free?

Drum Notation by Beat Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Simmons Drums Advanced or Drum Notation by Beat Note?

Drum Notation by Beat Note is rated higher. Simmons Drums Advanced averages 2.4 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Drum Notation by Beat Note averages 4.7 from 83 ratings.

### Do Simmons Drums Advanced or Drum Notation by Beat Note have ads?

Neither Simmons Drums Advanced nor Drum Notation by Beat Note shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simmons Drums Advanced or Drum Notation by Beat Note?

Simmons Drums Advanced ships an update monthly, and Drum Notation by Beat Note every 9 days. Most recently, Simmons Drums Advanced was updated on September 10, 2026 and Drum Notation by Beat Note on September 19, 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.*