# StaffPad vs Quartet 6

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Quartet 6 at 100% against StaffPad's 40%. Quartet 6 also leads on price ($16.99 vs $49.99) and rating (5.0 vs 4.0). StaffPad's advantage is ratings volume (643 vs 24). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

StaffPad costs $49.99 and Quartet 6 $16.99 up front. StaffPad sells 12 one-off in-app purchases. Quartet 6 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Quartet 6 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StaffPad has 643 ratings behind it against 24, 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 100% of Quartet 6's.

StaffPad ships an update fortnightly, Quartet 6 every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | StaffPad | Quartet 6 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $49.99 | **$16.99** |
| Rating | [4.0 (643 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffpad/id1442074103/reviews) | **[5.0 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-6/id6753187058/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **643** | 24 |
| Positive reviews | 39.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 1.0 GB | 522 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 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, Vision Pro support

**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 6

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-6/id6753187058)

Enhance your jazz performance with a vast library of live-recorded standards. Mute your instrument to play along, change keys, adjust tempo, and loop sections for focused practice. Features animated chord diagrams and royalty-free multitrack exports for further development.

**Highlights:** Live jazz standards play-along, Mute instrument tracks, Adjustable tempo and key, Looping practice sections, Animated chord diagrams, Multitrack audio export, Royalty-free content

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StaffPad free?

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

### Is Quartet 6 free?

Quartet 6 costs $16.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, StaffPad or Quartet 6?

Quartet 6 is rated higher. StaffPad averages 4.0 out of 5 from 643 ratings, while Quartet 6 averages 5.0 from 24 ratings.

### Do StaffPad or Quartet 6 have ads?

Neither StaffPad nor Quartet 6 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StaffPad or Quartet 6?

StaffPad ships an update fortnightly, and Quartet 6 every 2 weeks. Most recently, StaffPad was updated on October 26, 2026 and Quartet 6 on October 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.*