# StaffPad vs Quartet 4

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | StaffPad | Quartet 4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $49.99 | **$16.99** |
| Rating | [4.0 (563 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffpad/id1442074103/reviews) | **[4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-4/id6740534761/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **563** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **89.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#174** |
| Size | 1020 MB | 503 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.5** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [StaffPad Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1258751005) | [UK Music Apps Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/579320222) |

## 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


### Quartet 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-4/id6740534761)

**Currently charting:** #174 Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade song | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy 10 tokens | $8.99 | one-time |
| Buy 20 tokens | $14.99 | one-time |
| Buy 50 tokens | $22.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade all songs | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**Requested features**

- More guitar in rhythm section for future volumes


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*