# StaffPad vs Composer Pro

The clearest difference is price: Composer Pro at Free against StaffPad's $49.99. Composer Pro also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (72% vs 40%). StaffPad's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Composer Pro is free to download; StaffPad costs $49.99 up front. StaffPad sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Composer Pro sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Composer Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 563 and 672 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of StaffPad's written reviews are positive against 72% of Composer Pro's.

StaffPad ships an update every 2 weeks, Composer Pro every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | StaffPad | Composer Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $49.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (563 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffpad/id1442074103/reviews) | **[4.5 (672 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/composer-pro-sheet-music-maker/id1551925812/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 563 | **672** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **72.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 1020 MB | 154 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.5 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [StaffPad Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1258751005) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### StaffPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffpad/id1442074103)

Compose music effortlessly on your iPad with intuitive handwriting input and advanced notation tools. Convert your playing into sheet music, record and edit audio directly on the score, and utilize powerful playback with professional sample libraries. Seamlessly share your work with others using the companion reader app.

**Highlights:** Handwriting music notation with Apple Pencil, Convert audio recordings to notation, Record and edit audio on score, Professional playback with sample libraries, Seamless sharing via ScoreSync, Import/export MusicXML and MIDI

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Toy Glockenspiel | Free | one-time |
| StaffPad Essential Guitars | Free | one-time |
| Retro Keyboards | Free | one-time |
| Muse Strings | Free | one-time |
| Muse Choir | Free | one-time |
| Muse Woodwinds | Free | one-time |
| Muse Percussion | Free | one-time |
| Muse Brass | Free | one-time |
| Muse Harp | Free | one-time |
| Muse Keys | Free | one-time |
| Muse Guitars Vol. 1 | Free | one-time |
| StaffPad Essentials: Accordion | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful composing tool
- 🎨 Intuitive handwriting interface
- 🎹 High-quality playback sounds
- 💻 Seamless iPad integration
- 🎨 Smooth workflow for sketching ideas

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent handwriting recognition
- 🔧 Steep learning curve
- 🔒 Requires Apple Pencil
- 💰 Expensive with additional purchases
- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to recognize certain note values
- Eraser function unreliable
- Inconsistent behavior when writing accidentals
- Crashes when attempting to create new scores
- Syncing and file management issues

**Requested features**

- Improved handwriting recognition
- More flexible note input options
- Cross-staff notation support
- Customizable UI and layout
- Better collaboration and sharing features


### Composer Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/composer-pro-sheet-music-maker/id1551925812)

Compose music scores with ease using a familiar keyboard layout. This app supports multiple parts, a wide range of instruments, and various musical symbols, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced musicians.

**Highlights:** Keyboard-style note input, Support for up to 8 parts, Over 100 instruments, Variety of music symbols, Configurable parts and settings, Instrument transposition, Export without watermark

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Access | $49.99 | per year |
| Pro Access | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🎼 Helpful for composing music
- 🎹 Good for beginners
- 💡 Allows creating sheet music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model too expensive
- 🔒 Limited features in free version
- 📢 Too many ads
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Forced to pay for basic functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Notes sometimes placed incorrectly
- Measures and compositions randomly deleted
- Inability to restore deleted content

**Requested features**

- Add more instruments beyond piano
- Allow changing time signatures and key signatures without subscription
- Improve note editing and placement
- Add export options to save/share compositions
- Provide more music notation tools and dynamics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StaffPad free?

StaffPad costs $49.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Composer Pro free?

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

### Which has better reviews, StaffPad or Composer Pro?

Composer Pro is rated higher. StaffPad averages 4.0 out of 5 from 563 ratings, while Composer Pro averages 4.5 from 672 ratings.

### Do StaffPad or Composer Pro have ads?

Neither StaffPad nor Composer Pro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StaffPad or Composer Pro?

StaffPad ships an update every 2 weeks, and Composer Pro every 6 weeks. Most recently, StaffPad was updated on September 24, 2026 and Composer Pro on September 24, 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.*