# Sibelius vs StkCtrl

The clearest difference is review sentiment: StkCtrl at 100% against Sibelius's 36%. StkCtrl also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (4.6 vs 4.2). Sibelius's advantage is price (Free vs $0.99) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 9). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sibelius is free to download; StkCtrl costs $0.99 up front. Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. StkCtrl asks for nothing beyond the download.

StkCtrl holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Sibelius's written reviews are positive against 100% of StkCtrl's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sibelius | StkCtrl |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259/reviews) | **[4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stkctrl/id1529211274/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 1.4 GB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Avid®](https://appshunter.io/developer/436394595) | [N. Wheeler](https://appshunter.io/developer/312350021) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### StkCtrl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stkctrl/id1529211274)

This app offers daily rhythm challenges to improve drumming skills. It features adjustable tempo, interactive play-along audio, and flexible sticking exercises to enhance versatility and control.

**Highlights:** Daily rhythm challenges, Adjustable tempo, Interactive play-along audio, Flexible sticking exercises, Skill improvement tools

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sibelius free?

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

### Is StkCtrl free?

StkCtrl costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sibelius or StkCtrl?

StkCtrl is rated higher. Sibelius averages 4.2 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while StkCtrl averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do Sibelius or StkCtrl have ads?

Neither Sibelius nor StkCtrl shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sibelius or StkCtrl?

Sibelius ships an update every 2 months, and StkCtrl every 2 months. Most recently, Sibelius was updated on October 13, 2026 and StkCtrl on October 15, 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.*