# Music Reader vs Sibelius

The clearest difference is ads: Sibelius at none against Music Reader's shown. Sibelius also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 192) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). Music Reader's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (51% vs 36%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Music Reader holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 192, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Music Reader's written reviews are positive against 36% of Sibelius's.

Music Reader ships an update every 4 months, Sibelius every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Music Reader | Sibelius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (192 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-reader-sheet-music-note/id1491308446/reviews)** | [4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 192 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 183 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) | [Avid®](https://appshunter.io/developer/436394595) |

## What reviewers say

### Music Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-reader-sheet-music-note/id1491308446)

This app is a comprehensive tool for sheet music. It allows users to view, learn, listen, mark, and play musical scores. It supports various music genres and instruments, acting as a portable songbook and powerful player.

**Highlights:** View and play sheet music, Mark and annotate scores, Import MusicXML and NotationPad files, Supports dark mode, Transposition (PRO), Change instrument parts (PRO)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Access | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Access | $14.99 | per year |
| Pro Access | $14.99 | per year |


### Sibelius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259)

Professional music notation software is now available on mobile devices. Create, edit, and hear your compositions anywhere with a full suite of tools optimized for touch and stylus input. Seamlessly sync across platforms and access different feature tiers to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Professional music notation, Cross-platform synchronization, High-quality sample library, Apple Pencil and touch optimization, Innovative note entry, Command Search functionality, Scalable subscription tiers

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sibelius Artist for iOS | $5.99 | per month |
| Sibelius Ultimate for iOS | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🚀 Useful for composing on the go
- 💡 Good for making quick edits to existing scores
- 🎨 Stylish and professional-looking app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Difficulty unlocking full version and accessing features
- 💰 Subscription service is very expensive
- 🔇 Limited sound library and poor playback quality
- 📁 Unreliable saving and file management

**Reported bugs**

- Scores disappearing or not saving properly
- Subscription issues and inability to log in
- Crashes when performing basic actions
- Compatibility problems with newer iPad OS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Music Reader free?

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

### Is Sibelius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Music Reader or Sibelius?

Music Reader is rated higher. Music Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 192 ratings, while Sibelius averages 4.2 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Music Reader or Sibelius have ads?

Music Reader shows ads; Sibelius does not.

### Which is updated more often, Music Reader or Sibelius?

Music Reader ships an update every 4 months, and Sibelius every 2 months. Most recently, Music Reader was updated on October 26, 2026 and Sibelius on October 27, 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.*