# Drum Notation by Beat Note vs MetroBPM

The clearest difference is price: Drum Notation by Beat Note at Free against MetroBPM's $3.99. Drum Notation by Beat Note also leads on ratings volume (87 vs 6) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). MetroBPM's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Drum Notation by Beat Note is free to download; MetroBPM costs $3.99 up front. Drum Notation by Beat Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.69 per month. MetroBPM asks for nothing beyond the download.

MetroBPM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drum Notation by Beat Note has 87 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Drum Notation by Beat Note ships an update every 9 days, MetroBPM every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drum Notation by Beat Note | MetroBPM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-notation-by-beat-note/id1539132475/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metrobpm-live-beat-detector/id6670410153/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **87** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 82.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 81 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kick Snare Hat Apps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/945994325) | [Qi Yang](https://appshunter.io/developer/6814670818) |

## What reviewers say

### Drum Notation by Beat Note

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-notation-by-beat-note/id1539132475)

Create, practice, and share drum music notation with ease. This app transforms sequenced beats into professional sheet music, offering tools for composition, transcription, and interactive teaching. Enhance your drumming journey with customizable practice sessions and high-quality export options.

**Highlights:** Sequencer to notation conversion, Compose and transcribe drum beats, Customizable practice sessions, Interactive teaching tools, High-quality PDF and image export, Multiple notation voicing options

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Educator Tier Monthly (No Trial) | $6.69 | per month |
| Creator Tier Monthly (No Trial) | $13.49 | per month |
| Educator Tier Annual (No Trial) | $59.99 | per year |
| Educator Tier Annual + Free Trial | $59.99 | per year |
| Creator Tier Annual + Free Trial | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Quick and efficient notation
- 🎶 Great sound playback
- 💡 Excellent for teaching and learning
- ✍️ Simple to write exercises and ideas

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 💸 High annual cost
- 🆓 Limited free version
- 🚫 No one-time purchase option
- 🤔 Subscription model makes little sense to some

**Reported bugs**

- Preview rarely matches notes on staff
- Sometimes doesn't play any notes
- Sounds not always appropriate for instrument voicing
- Editing measures is inconvenient
- Free trial charged immediately

**Requested features**

- 7/8 time signature support
- Syncing between devices
- Web version
- Native Mac/Windows apps
- Add text or notes to notations


### MetroBPM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metrobpm-live-beat-detector/id6670410153)

This app provides a real-time tempo detector and metronome for musicians. It uses your device's microphone to analyze rhythmic music and offers customizable metronome sounds and visualizations. Optimized for live performance with a modern design and live activity support.

**Highlights:** Real-time tempo detection, Live metronome with selectable sounds, Tempo history plot, Tap-to-detect tempo, App icon shortcuts, Live Activity & Dynamic Island support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drum Notation by Beat Note free?

Drum Notation by Beat Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MetroBPM free?

MetroBPM costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Drum Notation by Beat Note or MetroBPM?

MetroBPM is rated higher. Drum Notation by Beat Note averages 4.6 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while MetroBPM averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Drum Notation by Beat Note or MetroBPM have ads?

Neither Drum Notation by Beat Note nor MetroBPM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drum Notation by Beat Note or MetroBPM?

Drum Notation by Beat Note ships an update every 9 days, and MetroBPM every 3 weeks. Most recently, Drum Notation by Beat Note was updated on October 27, 2026 and MetroBPM on October 24, 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.*