Comparison

StaffPad vs Quartet 4

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

Head to head
About

StaffPad

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
Read full description

MADE FOR COMPOSERS ------------------------- StaffPad is designed for composers who want to write music effortlessly, using music notation and audio. Write your music using Apple Pencil, and the app will transform your writing into beautifully typeset notation that can be edited, played back, printed and shared. Record or import audio directly onto your score and edit it intuitively with Apple Pencil. Magically convert your real piano playing or existing recordings into notation using advanced on-device machine learning. Add video, smart symbols and use world leading sample libraries and mix your score with a suite of studio effects. From basic idea to a full film score; StaffPad is the easiest, most powerful and most intuitive way to compose music on iPad. WRITE NATURALLY ------------------- Write your score with the fluidity of natural handwriting. Use touch and Apple Pencil to quickly edit your notation. Transpose, repeat and structure your score with intuitive gestures and tools. Customise the tempo with a unique tempo staff (or import a tempo map from a MIDI file), add chords either manually or automatically with the chord staff. You can even copy music written in StaffPad into other apps, simply using the normal copy and paste functions. HEAR YOUR MASTERPIECE ---------------------------- With a groundbreaking playback engine and over 55 included instruments, StaffPad is ready to perform your written piece instantly. Add industry-standard sample libraries, adapted and customised for StaffPad, from some of the world's leading sample developers. This is a leap forward for composers working at the highest levels. SHARE WITH SCORESYNC --------------------------- Once you're ready to perform or record your work, tap the ScoreSync button in StaffPad and your score is instantly shared across a Wi-Fi network to any device running the free StaffPad Reader app (available in the App Store). The Readers present each individual musical part beautifully formatted, update in realtime with any changes you make to your score, handle automatic page turns, and play back in perfect time with a synchronised metronome, for capturing the perfect recording every time. IMPORT AND EXPORT --------------------------- StaffPad imports and exports MusicXML and MIDI files for easily working with other music apps. You can also export your playback as WAV, AAC or MP3. You can import audio files into your score, with support for most major audio formats. WORK WITH AUDIO AND VIDEO -------------------------------- For the first time, you can seamlessly mix audio with your notated score. Record directly onto the score canvas using your device's in-built microphones, or import loops, Tempo map freeform/rubato performances using the tempo staff. Add shine to your production with a suite of studio quality DSP effects, and polish with precise automation. PIANO AND MIDI CAPTURE --------------------------- Record your real piano and convert it into notation. Don't have a real piano? Don't worry - you can connect a USB or Bluetooth MIDI keyboard and record your performance in realtime, converting to notation as you play. PRINT / PDF ------------ As well as digital parts via ScoreSync, StaffPad will automatically format and print parts or export PDFs for you. Customise the paper size, bar number styles, number of bars per line, scaling, margins, multi-bar consolidation and more. StaffPad automatically formats the score for consistent presentation.

About

Quartet 4

Practice and perform jazz standards with high-quality backing tracks. Mute your instrument, change keys, adjust tempo, and loop sections for focused practice. Features animated chord diagrams and royalty-free multitrack exports for further creative use.

Highlights
  • Live jazz backing tracks
  • Mute your instrument
  • Change key and tempo
  • Looping for practice
  • Animated chord diagrams
  • Multitrack export
  • Playlist creation
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Practice and perform jazz standards on another level with Quartet. And with a host of brand-new features, the top-selling jazz play along apps just got even better. No subscriptions. No in-app purchases. Volume 4 includes another 100 stunning jazz standards recorded exclusively by 6 of the world’s best jazz musicians. All ‘live’ studio recordings with intros, endings and top line solos. Whether you play jazz piano, guitar, saxophone, trumpet, bass, drums…simply mute your instrument from the Quartet for the ultimate jazz play along. And for jazz singers too, each edition of Quartet is an unrivalled collection of jazz backing tracks powerful enough to gig with. Change key on the fly. Speed up or slow down the audio seamlessly. Loop sections and slow them right down for practice. Select the number of repeats. Choose from preset mixes or create your own custom mix using the new onboard mixer. Arrange each song exactly the way you want it with the new ‘Arranger’ feature. Add a touch of reverb and you’re good to go. Improve your skills with full screen animated chord diagrams for Piano, Guitar and Ukulele. Search the entire Quartet song library (650 songs) by composer, style, BPM, associated artist and more. Build and share multi-app playlists and easily export PDF chord charts for every song. Export your stereo mix or export the multitrack if you want to develop the high quality separated parts in GarageBand or whatever DAW you use. Either way, all recordings are offered to you royalty-free giving you endless creative possibilities. The 100 jazz standards in Quartet Volume 4 include improvisations in the style of… ‘Affirmation’, ‘Água de Beber’, ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band’, ‘Blue in Green’, ‘Born to Be Blue’, ‘Cinema Paradiso’, ‘Chicken’, ‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye’, ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love’, ‘Got a Match?’, ‘Here There and Everywhere’, ‘I Get a Kick out of You’, ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’, ‘La Fiesta’, ‘Manhattan’, ‘Nothing Personal’, ‘Poinciana’, ‘Save Your Love for Me’, ‘Social Call’, ‘Surrey with the Fringe on Top’… and 80 more. Install Quartet on all of your iOS devices plus your Mac devices (M series only) at no extra cost. Ready to take your jazz standards to another level? Hear more at www.quartetapp.com Featured artists on Quartet Volume 4 Guitar Nigel Price Nigel has recorded with many big-name artists, performing on over 50 albums, most recently Van Morrison’s studio album ‘Keep Me Singing’. A former member of The James Taylor Quartet, Nigel was voted the UK’s ‘Best Guitarist’ in the 2016 British Jazz Awards and is “…probably the most dynamic and gifted guitarist on the British jazz scene today” [All About Jazz]. Trumpet Steve Fishwick Steve has performed and recorded with many leading European jazz musicians including Sir John Dankworth, George Mraz, Dado Moroni, Claus Raibler, Tony Lakatos and the WDR big band. In the USA, Steve has performed and recorded with Anita O' Day, Ron Carter, Jimmy Heath, Peter Erskine, Eric Harland, Scott Hamilton, Herb Geller Saxophones and Flutes Andy Panayi Credits include Shirley Bassey, Jessye Norman, Paul McCartney, Seth MacFarlane, Elaine Paige, Elvis Costello, Georgie Fame, Helen Shapiro, Madeline Bell, Patty Austin, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis, Billy Cobham Piano Graham Harvey Credits include Incognito (MD), Stacey Kent, George Benson, M People, Hamish Stuart, The Jones Girls, Philip Bailey, Chaka Khan, The BBC Big Band, Madeline Bell, Jocelyn Brown, Mica Paris, Sir Cliff Richard Bass Geoff Gascoyne Credits include Jamie Cullum (MD), Sting, Van Morrison, Bill Bruford, Mari Wilson, Paloma Faith, Georgie Fame, Gloria Estefan, Guy Barker, Charlie Watts, Chris Standring, Everything But The Girl, Benny Golson, Jacqui Dankworth, John Martyn, Eartha Kitt Drums Sebastiaan de Krom Credits include Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, Phil Woods, Dave Holland, Jamie Cullum, Guy Barker, Wynton Marsalis

Screenshots

Quartet 44 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Quartet 4 at 89% against StaffPad's 40%. Quartet 4 also leads on price ($16.99 vs $49.99) and rating (4.6 vs 4.0). StaffPad's advantage is ratings volume (563 vs 12) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

StaffPad costs $49.99 and Quartet 4 $16.99 up front. StaffPad sells 12 one-off in-app purchases and Quartet 4 sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Quartet 4 holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StaffPad has 563 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of StaffPad's written reviews are positive against 89% of Quartet 4's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StaffPad ships an update every 2 weeks, Quartet 4 every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
StaffPad versus Quartet 4: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStaffPadQuartet 4
Price$49.99$16.99 — better
Rating4.0 (563 ratings)4.6 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.0% of reviews89.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings563 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#174 — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS14.5 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size1020 MB503 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStaffPad Ltd.UK Music Apps Ltd

Customer experience

StaffPad

All ratings563 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral5.2%
Negative21.0%
Written reviews527 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral12.1%
Negative47.8%

Quartet 4

All ratings12 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative8.3%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive89.5%
Neutral5.3%
Negative5.3%

User reviews

StaffPad

From 563 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Quartet 4

From 12 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Superb interface
  • 🎨 Accurately labels tracks by style
  • 🎶 Live instrument recordings
  • 🔀 Ability to separate and send tracks
  • 🎨 High-quality presentation and performance

Bugs and requests

StaffPad

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

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

Quartet 4

Requested features

1 request
  • More guitar in rhythm section for future volumes

In-app purchases

12 purchases

StaffPad

One-time12
  • Toy GlockenspielFree
  • StaffPad Essential GuitarsFree
  • Retro KeyboardsFree
Show 9 more
  • Muse StringsFree
  • Muse ChoirFree
  • Muse WoodwindsFree
  • Muse PercussionFree
  • Muse BrassFree
  • Muse HarpFree
  • Muse KeysFree
  • Muse Guitars Vol. 1Free
  • StaffPad Essentials: AccordionFree
5 purchases

Quartet 4

One-time5
  • Upgrade song$0.99
  • Buy 10 tokens$8.99
  • Buy 20 tokens$14.99
Show 2 more
  • Buy 50 tokens$22.99
  • Upgrade all songs$39.99

Questions

Is StaffPad free?
StaffPad costs $49.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Quartet 4 free?
Quartet 4 costs $16.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, StaffPad or Quartet 4?
Quartet 4 is rated higher. StaffPad averages 4.0 out of 5 from 563 ratings, while Quartet 4 averages 4.6 from 12 ratings.
Do StaffPad or Quartet 4 have ads?
Neither StaffPad nor Quartet 4 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StaffPad or Quartet 4?
StaffPad ships an update every 2 weeks, and Quartet 4 every 5 weeks. Most recently, StaffPad was updated on September 24, 2026 and Quartet 4 on September 26, 2026.

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