# IMSLP vs Dorico

IMSLP and Dorico both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 70% of IMSLP's written reviews are positive against 55% of Dorico's. IMSLP also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). Dorico's advantage is ratings volume (2.3K vs 515). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IMSLP sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month and Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for IMSLP against 4.6 for Dorico. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 515 and 2.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of IMSLP's written reviews are positive against 55% of Dorico's.

IMSLP ships an update every 10 days, Dorico every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IMSLP | Dorico |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (515 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imslp/id1373671782/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 515 | **2.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **70.1% of reviews** | 55.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 232 MB | 975 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Project Petrucci LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1373671781) | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) |

## What reviewers say

### IMSLP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imslp/id1373671782)

Access a vast digital library of classical music scores on your iOS device. Enjoy full access to commercial recordings, instant downloads, and new uploads with a membership subscription. Support the music community while exploring a comprehensive collection.

**Highlights:** Browse IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library, View musical scores, Access commercial recordings, Instant downloads, Access new uploads instantly, Membership subscription benefits

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Membership Subscription | $3.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Integrated IMSLP library
- 👍 Well-made app
- 👍 Game changer for musicians
- 👍 Indispensable for professionals and amateurs
- 👍 Fantastic offering

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes when zooming in and annotating
- 💰 Money grabbing with constant subscription prompts
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Annotation issues and lost data
- 🐛 Battery drain on iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening scores
- Scores disappearing from library
- Login issues and lost data
- Incompatibility with older devices after updates
- Annotation issues causing loss of data

**Requested features**

- Predictive text for score annotations
- Ability to restore original zoom settings
- Metric to indicate device performance during page turns
- Folder-like organization system
- Color wheel and custom pen/highlighter options


### 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 IMSLP free?

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

### Is Dorico free?

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

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

Dorico is rated higher. IMSLP averages 4.6 out of 5 from 515 ratings, while Dorico averages 4.6 from 2.3K ratings.

### Do IMSLP or Dorico have ads?

Neither IMSLP nor Dorico shows ads.

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

IMSLP ships an update every 10 days, and Dorico every 3 weeks. Most recently, IMSLP was updated on November 6, 2026 and Dorico on November 8, 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.*