PlayScore 2 vs Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PlayScore 2
Scan sheet music from photos or PDFs and have it played back. Adjust instruments, tempo, and transposition. Export your scores as MusicXML and MIDI for further editing.
- Scan music from photos and PDFs
- Playback with scrolling notation
- Adjust volume, instrument, and transposition
- Smart metronome with time signature recognition
- Export as MusicXML and MIDI
- Create 'Playable Score' documents
Read full descriptionHide full description
Play all kinds of music direct from photos, images and PDF scores. Export as MusicXML and MIDI Snap music with your camera or import images and PDFs. PlayScore will play them right back to you, scrolling through the song following measure by measure • Adjust volume, instrument and transposition for each staff • Accompany yourself while you sing or play your instrument - PlayScore 2 will even count you in! • Playback with smart metronome that understands time signatures • Create Playable Score Documents that anyone can play back by downloading PlayScore 2 • Export Full Notation MusicXML to score editors with text, dynamics, articulation and more PlayScore 2 reads and plays all kinds of music straight off the page† such as: • Songs • Piano, organ, guitar • Hymns • Solos and Sonatas • Chamber, band and orchestral Choirs and ensembles - Learning a new piece? Create a Playable Score, so each member can listen to their part on its own or standing out from the others. • 19 high quality instruments per staff to choose from • Change tempo (even while playing) • Tap anywhere to play, or drag with a finger to create a loop • Mute and adjust volume, and change instrument for each staff individually • Transpose the whole song or by instrument (transposing instruments) * Adjustable multi-measure count-in and metronome * Swing playback • Adjustable dynamic range PlayScore 2 makes it easy to create multi-page Playable Scores: • Rearrange recapture or delete pages • Select a page range in a PDF • Clip and mask • Search and sort by title or composer Subscriptions - Even without a subscription you can • Play and interact with any PlayScore Playable Score • Play pages of music in unlimited staves from a photo • Create and share single page playable documents PlayScore 2 Productivity subscription • Create and play multi-staff, multi-page scores captured with the camera or imported as images • Export your documents for anyone to play • Interact with scores, auto-transpose transposing instruments, export MIDI files PlayScore 2 Professional subscription • Create Playable Score documents from PDF scores that anyone can play • Export any score as MIDI and MusicXML containing full notation and text Productivity and Professional versions are available as 1-month or 12-month auto-renewing subscriptions. • The payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Your account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • You may manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings on-line after purchase Important: Capturing copyrighted music without the copyright holder's permission is illegal. PlayScore 2 recognises full music notation – see full spec at playscore.co † please see online help for exclusions Terms of use: https://playscore.co/terms-of-use
Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde
Transform sheet music into an interactive learning experience. Scan, transpose, and practice with virtual instrument displays and customizable tools. Ideal for musicians of all levels to improve their skills.
- Accurate sheet music scanning
- Effortless transposition
- Virtual instrument display
- Customized practice tools
- Seamless export options
- Multi-instrument support
Read full descriptionHide full description
TURN YOUR SHEET MUSIC INTO INTERACTIVE PRACTICE ▶ Scan printed sheet music, photos, and files ▶ Loop sections, adjust tempo, and transpose keys ▶ Export your music as MusicXML, MIDI, or PDF Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned musician, Halbestunde helps you practice smarter, play better, and work with your sheet music more easily. It turns scanned music into an interactive sheet music reader, so you can hear, adjust, repeat, and practice at your own pace. HIGHLIGHTS THAT MUSICIANS LOVE: + ACCURATE SCANNING MADE SIMPLE: Recognize sheet music with high precision, even from old or lower-quality sources. + TRANSPOSITION MADE EASY: Adjust keys to suit your vocal or instrumental range. If a key has too many flats, transpose the piece into a key that is easier for you to practice. + SEAMLESS EXPORT OPTIONS: Export your scanned music as MusicXML for Flat.io, Dorico, MuseScore, and other notation or composition tools. You can also export as MIDI or PDF. + CUSTOMIZED PRACTICE TOOLS: Focus on tricky sections with looping, playback, tempo control, and key changes. + LYRICS AND VOICE SUPPORT: Scan lyrics and practice vocal pieces using Voice as one of the available playback sounds. + USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN: Navigate through features intuitively, save time, and focus on making music. KEY FEATURES TO ELEVATE YOUR PRACTICE: • SMART SHEET SCAN: Transform printed sheet music into a digital, interactive experience with strong scanning accuracy, even for old or worn-out sheets. • MUSIC SYMBOL RECOGNITION: Recognize notes, rhythm, lyrics, and music symbols from staccato to forte. • PLAYBACK AND PRACTICE TOOLS: Listen to your sheet music, slow down difficult parts, loop sections, and practice at your own pace. • SEAMLESS TRANSPOSITION: Adjust keys to suit your vocal or instrumental range. • MULTI-INSTRUMENT SUPPORT: Practice with 24 instrument and voice options, including piano, strings, brass, woodwinds, guitar, ukulele, bass, and voice. WHY MUSICIANS LOVE HALBESTUNDE: ***** “I’m scanning recently all my classical music and export them into music score. This app helped me a lot with that!” ***** “The scanning accuracy is surprisingly precise, saving me an immense amount of time I'd otherwise spend on manual input.” ***** “I feel I’m learning a lot faster than with other methods I tried.” WHO IS IT FOR? • Music students mastering theory and performance. • Teachers looking for advanced tools to support their students. • Professionals and hobbyists seeking to simplify their practice sessions. • Singers and vocalists who want to scan lyrics, hear playback, and practice vocal music. EXPERIENCE BETTER MUSIC PRACTICE Discover how Halbestunde can support your music practice. Start your 7-day free trial and use accurate sheet music scanning, playback, transposition, and export tools in one app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde at fortnightly against PlayScore 2's every 2 months. PlayScore 2's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 36%) and ratings volume (4.8K vs 1.5K). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. PlayScore 2 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 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 — 4.2 for PlayScore 2 against 4.3 for Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.8K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of PlayScore 2's written reviews are positive against 36% of Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde's.
PlayScore 2 ships an update every 2 months, Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | PlayScore 2 | Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (4.8K ratings) | 4.3 (1.5K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.3% of reviews — better | 36.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4.8K — better | 1.5K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #150 — better | #152 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16 — better | 17 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 93 MB | 129 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Organum Limited | Halbestunde GmbH |
Customer experience
PlayScore 2
Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde
User reviews
PlayScore 2
From 4.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Excellent app for learning music
- 👍 User-friendly and easy to use
- 🎉 Impressive music recognition capabilities
- 💡 Helpful for practicing and isolating parts
- 🎨 Versatile playback options (tempo, instrument)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inconsistent note/rhythm recognition
- 🔢 Limitations on number of pages scanned
- 🔇 Issues with volume and audio quality
- 🤔 Struggles with complex or handwritten scores
- 💰 Subscription-based model
Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde
From 1.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate scanning
- ⚙️ Helpful for music students
- 🎶 Good for practicing
- 🔍 Works well with classical music
- 🔁 Useful transposition feature
Room to improve
- 🔒 Locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Inaccurate note recognition
- 🔇 Poor audio playback quality
- 🚫 Lack of instrument options
- ⏱️ Slow processing times
Bugs and requests
PlayScore 2
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes and freezes when scanning/importing
- Playback issues with timing and note accuracy
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- Exporting to MIDI/MusicXML not working as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to import PDFs and multiple pages
- Improved support for transposition and clef changes
- Metronome functionality and count-in feature
- Annotation and score editing capabilities
- Organizational tools (folders, playlists)
Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes when trying to play back music
- Fails to recognize certain music notation
- Issues with scanning PDFs and images
- Incorrect tempo and timing in playback
Requested features
5 requests- Add support for percussion instruments
- Improve scanning accuracy for complex rhythms
- Allow editing of scanned music
- Provide more free sheet music options
- Implement a metronome feature
In-app purchases
PlayScore 2
- PlayScore Productivity$5.991 Month
- PlayScore 2 Professional month$6.991 Month
- PlayScore Productivity$34.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- PlayScore 2 Professional year$59.991 Year
Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde
- VIRTUOSO one month$6.991 Month
- MAESTRO 1 month$12.991 Month
- 3 month subscription$19.993 Months
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Yearly subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- 6 months subscription$32.996 Months
- Yearly Subscription14 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Yearly subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- VIRTUOSO one year7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Yearly subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- MAESTRO 1 year7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Halbestunde Lifetime Pro$79.99
Questions
Is PlayScore 2 free?
Is Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde free?
Which has better reviews, PlayScore 2 or Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde?
Do PlayScore 2 or Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde have ads?
Which is updated more often, PlayScore 2 or Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde?
Which is more popular, PlayScore 2 or Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde?
Other comparisons















