# PlayScore 2 vs Music Calculator

The clearest difference is monetization model: PlayScore 2 at free with in-app purchases against Music Calculator's subscription. PlayScore 2 also leads on ratings volume (4.8K vs 2) and chart position (#148 vs unranked). Music Calculator's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (67% vs 50%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PlayScore 2 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Music Calculator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PlayScore 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PlayScore 2 has 4.8K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of PlayScore 2's written reviews are positive against 67% of Music Calculator's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

PlayScore 2 ships an update every 2 months, Music Calculator every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PlayScore 2 | Music Calculator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (4.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playscore-2/id1449591118/reviews)** | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-calculator-notation/id1615462763/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.8K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 50.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#148** | — |
| Size | 93 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Organum Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422471846) | [JET Powered Apps Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/507429865) |

## What reviewers say

### PlayScore 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playscore-2/id1449591118)

**Currently charting:** #148 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PlayScore Productivity | $5.99 | per month |
| PlayScore 2 Professional month | $6.99 | per month |
| PlayScore Productivity | $34.99 | per year |
| PlayScore 2 Professional year | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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)


### Music Calculator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-calculator-notation/id1615462763)

This app allows musicians to input musical notation and instantly hear it played back with accurate pitch and timing. It's designed for practicing difficult passages, improving sight-reading, and building musical confidence through features like slowing down playback and looping sections.

**Highlights:** Input and play back musical notation, Accurate pitch, timing, and tempo playback, Slow down and loop passages for practice, Calculator-style interface for intuitive input, Supports complex rhythms and tuplets, 25 realistic instrument sounds, Save and load musical passages

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Music Calculator Pro | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PlayScore 2 free?

PlayScore 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Music Calculator free?

Music Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PlayScore 2 or Music Calculator?

PlayScore 2 is rated higher. PlayScore 2 averages 4.2 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while Music Calculator averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do PlayScore 2 or Music Calculator have ads?

Neither PlayScore 2 nor Music Calculator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PlayScore 2 or Music Calculator?

PlayScore 2 ships an update every 2 months, and Music Calculator every 10 days. Most recently, PlayScore 2 was updated on October 26, 2026 and Music Calculator on October 25, 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.*