# Music Reader vs Melody

The clearest difference is rating: Music Reader at 4.5 against Melody's 3.4. Music Reader also leads on ratings volume (192 vs 7) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). Melody's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Music Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Melody sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 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 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Music Reader has 192 ratings behind it against 7, 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 50% of Melody's.

Music Reader ships an update every 4 months, Melody every 3 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Music Reader | Melody |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (192 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-reader-sheet-music-note/id1491308446/reviews)** | [3.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melody/id6444390338/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **192** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 183 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) | [Andrey Ufimcev](https://appshunter.io/developer/930416851) |

## 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 |


### Melody

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melody/id6444390338)

Record and visualize songs played on your digital piano. Connect your device via USB to capture performances and export them as videos. Ideal for musicians looking to share their playing.

**Highlights:** Record digital piano performances, Visualize songs, Export as video, USB connection for iPhone/iPad, Free to download

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Melody Pro | $0.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Music Reader free?

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

### Is Melody free?

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

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

Music Reader is rated higher. Music Reader averages 4.5 out of 5 from 192 ratings, while Melody averages 3.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do Music Reader or Melody have ads?

Music Reader shows ads; Melody does not.

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

Music Reader ships an update every 4 months, and Melody every 3 months. Most recently, Music Reader was updated on November 3, 2026 and Melody on November 3, 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.*