# Cymbal Builder vs Sibelius

The clearest difference is rating: Cymbal Builder at 5.0 against Sibelius's 4.2. Cymbal Builder also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Sibelius's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 42 months) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 17). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Cymbal Builder asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cymbal Builder holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Cymbal Builder ships an update every 42 months, Sibelius every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cymbal Builder | Sibelius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cymbal-builder/id1352632459/reviews)** | [4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 42 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Byrne Cymbals](https://appshunter.io/developer/1573307927) | [Avid®](https://appshunter.io/developer/436394595) |

## What reviewers say

### Cymbal Builder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cymbal-builder/id1352632459)

Calculate cymbal weight ranges and visualize bow animations. This tool provides sonic guidelines based on weight, bow depth, and bell size, helping musicians understand cymbal design.

**Highlights:** Cymbal weight categorization, Sonic guideline based on design, Bow animation slider, Analysis of weight, bow depth, and bell size, Quantifiable design factors

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sibelius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259)

Professional music notation software is now available on mobile devices. Create, edit, and hear your compositions anywhere with a full suite of tools optimized for touch and stylus input. Seamlessly sync across platforms and access different feature tiers to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Professional music notation, Cross-platform synchronization, High-quality sample library, Apple Pencil and touch optimization, Innovative note entry, Command Search functionality, Scalable subscription tiers

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sibelius Artist for iOS | $5.99 | per month |
| Sibelius Ultimate for iOS | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🚀 Useful for composing on the go
- 💡 Good for making quick edits to existing scores
- 🎨 Stylish and professional-looking app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Difficulty unlocking full version and accessing features
- 💰 Subscription service is very expensive
- 🔇 Limited sound library and poor playback quality
- 📁 Unreliable saving and file management

**Reported bugs**

- Scores disappearing or not saving properly
- Subscription issues and inability to log in
- Crashes when performing basic actions
- Compatibility problems with newer iPad OS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cymbal Builder free?

Cymbal Builder is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sibelius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cymbal Builder or Sibelius?

Cymbal Builder is rated higher. Cymbal Builder averages 5.0 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Sibelius averages 4.2 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Cymbal Builder or Sibelius have ads?

Neither Cymbal Builder nor Sibelius shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cymbal Builder or Sibelius?

Cymbal Builder ships an update every 42 months, and Sibelius every 2 months. Most recently, Cymbal Builder was updated on October 3, 2026 and Sibelius on October 25, 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.*