Sibelius vs Glissandus Magic
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sibelius
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.
- Professional music notation
- Cross-platform synchronization
- High-quality sample library
- Apple Pencil and touch optimization
- Innovative note entry
- Command Search functionality
- Scalable subscription tiers
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Sibelius brings professional music notation to iPad and iPhone, putting the workflows used by countless composers, orchestrators, and arrangers at your fingertips. Seamlessly move between iPad, iPhone and desktop, and from studio to coffeeshop to scoring stage, and write anywhere inspiration strikes. # Work on scores anywhere Sibelius for mobile puts the #1 selling music notation program at your fingertips—literally. Work with the same tools and features used by countless composers and production houses every day on your iPad and iPhone. Whether writing down ideas, creating full-blown compositions, or reviewing scores, you have the freedom to create wherever you’re comfortable. #Take your portfolio to go Forget having to bring and break out your laptop when meeting with clients and collaborators. Instead, you can conveniently take the world’s most powerful notation toolset and your entire music portfolio with you wherever you go—ideal for those unexpected opportunities. And for tandemly working through last-minute revisions. # Hear your music in stunning detail Sibelius includes a high-quality sample library filled with a variety of musical instrumentation, so you can hear what your music will sound like when performed by real musicians. The Espressivo advanced notation interpretation even lets you adjust rhythm and swing to create a more humanistic feel. # Speed your workflow Sibelius for mobile is designed to take full advantage of Apple Pencil and iPad touch capabilities. Its elegant, streamlined interface provides the most intuitive and efficient workflows possible while supporting the same keyboard shortcuts you know and love from working on the desktop version, so you’ll feel right at home. # Get innovative note entry Experience the pen and paper workflow reimagined. Enter notes with the onscreen Keypad or a keyboard, and Sibelius takes care of all note layout. Touch a note and drag up or down to change its value, or drag left or right to add a flat or sharp. With an Apple Pencil, tap a note and tilt up or down to add a flat or sharp, or tilt left or right to choose the note value. # Have everything you need In addition to the Keypad, Sibelius for mobile features a Create menu that’s optimized for iOS, making it easy to add clefs, key signatures, time signatures, barlines, symbols, text styles, and more to your score from searchable galleries. You can also quickly search through all Sibelius commands using the Command Search, putting the entire app at your fingertips. # Move tiers to meet needs Sibelius is designed to grow with you to support your creative aspirations and project needs. From the introductory (and free) Sibelius First to the industry-standard Sibelius Ultimate, you can add more notation capabilities and instrument parts to take on more creative opportunities by simply upgrading your subscription tier. # Have everything on one creative platform Seamlessly move from desktop to tablet and back without ever having to import or export files. That’s because whether on mobile or desktop, you’re always in Sibelius. With files saved to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or other iOS-supported cloud service, you have easy anywhere access to all your ideas and scores. # Enable a hybrid workflow While Sibelius for mobile is fully featured, providing many of the same tools as its desktop counterpart, there are some notation and layout features only available in the desktop version, making it an integral part of a complete workflow (compare versions). Plus, the mobile version comes free with the desktop version, enabling you to work where and how you want.
Glissandus Magic
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What is Glissandus Magic? Glissandus Magic is an innovative app that offers four musical games designed with pedagogical principles and gamification concepts. It accompanies the sound exploration of the transparent piston flute, allowing interaction through touch or by controlling the air pressure when blowing. In a fun and engaging way, the app enhances phonorespiratory, auditory, and emotional skills. Key Musical Benefits - Develops sound direction awareness - Improves pitch accuracy and listening skills - Stimulates fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination - Strengthens conscious breathing - Encourages creativity and free play Who is it for? çPerfect for children (from 4 years old), young people, adults, teachers, and families who wish to discover the musical possibilities of the transparent piston flute together with the Glissandus Magic app. Main Features of the Glissandus Magic App and the Transparent Piston Flute: Game 1: Play with Your Finger Explore the different sounds you can create and their directionality by sliding or holding your finger on the piston. The integrated tuner (always green) indicates when the sound quality is correct. The note names and their alterations, displayed on the tuner, help position the piston precisely and relate it to the ellipse images. Game 2: Musical Mirror Synchronize your movements with those of the piston on the screen, as if looking in a mirror. Reach the green light by adjusting the air pressure and achieve perfect tuning. Games 3: Musical Journey Choose one of the two images that represent the sound being played. Then move the car — either with your finger or by blowing into the flute — controlling the pressure with the help of the tuner.del afinador.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Glissandus Magic at none against Sibelius's 2. Glissandus Magic also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Glissandus Magic asks for nothing beyond the download.
Sibelius ships an update every 2 months, Glissandus Magic every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sibelius | Glissandus Magic |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (1.8K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 35.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 — better | 13.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.4 GB | 56 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Avid® | Hogueit, S.L. |
Bugs and requests
Sibelius
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
7 requests- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management
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- Export options like MusicXML and PDF
- Customizable shortcuts and toolbars
Glissandus Magic
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sibelius
- Sibelius Artist for iOS1 Month trial$5.991 Month
- Sibelius Ultimate for iOS1 Month trial$12.991 Month
Glissandus Magic
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sibelius free?
Is Glissandus Magic free?
Do Sibelius or Glissandus Magic have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sibelius or Glissandus Magic?
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