# Dorico vs Quartet 3

The clearest difference is price: Dorico at Free against Quartet 3's $16.99. Dorico also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 22). Quartet 3's advantage is review sentiment (90% vs 55%). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Dorico is free to download; Quartet 3 costs $16.99 up front. Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Quartet 3 sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Dorico against 4.7 for Quartet 3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dorico has 2.2K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of Dorico's written reviews are positive against 90% of Quartet 3's.

Dorico ships an update every 3 weeks, Quartet 3 monthly. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dorico | Quartet 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $16.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews) | **[4.7 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-3/id6740534501/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 22 |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews | **90.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 975 MB | 528 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) | [UK Music Apps Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/579320222) |

## What reviewers say

### Dorico

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090)

Create professional music notation and compositions with this powerful app. Easily input notes, edit performances, and share your work in various formats. It's suitable for beginners and professionals alike.

**Highlights:** Compose music notation, On-screen keyboard, drum pads, fretboard, MIDI editing tools, PDF, audio, MusicXML export, Print to AirPrint, Read mode with annotation, Automatic engraving

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dorico Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Dorico Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Dorico Lifetime Unlock | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and full-featured notation app on iPad
- 👍 Seamless integration with desktop version
- 🚀 Efficient workflow with keyboard shortcuts
- 👍 Impressive engraving and layout capabilities
- 🚀 Comprehensive feature set for composing and arranging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription-only model, no option to purchase outright
- 🐛 Glitchy touch/scroll functionality
- 🐛 Inability to delete clefs or access certain settings
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on older iPad models

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening or editing projects
- Corrupted/lost files after app crashes
- Unresponsive keyboard and note input issues
- Scrolling and UI glitches, especially in Engrave mode
- Incompatibility with certain iPad models and iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Support for Apple Pencil and handwriting input
- Improved file management and organization
- Expanded audio unit/plugin integration
- More customization options for layout and engraving
- Ability to export/import flows and projects between iPad and desktop


### Quartet 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-3/id6740534501)

Enhance your jazz performance and practice with live studio recordings of jazz standards. Mute your instrument to play along, change keys, adjust tempo, and loop sections for focused learning. Features animated chord diagrams and playlist creation for seamless practice sessions.

**Highlights:** Live jazz standards play-along, Mute your instrument, Change key and tempo, Loop sections for practice, Animated chord diagrams, Multi-app playlist creation, Multitrack export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade song | $0.99 | one-time |
| Buy 10 tokens | $8.99 | one-time |
| Buy 20 tokens | $14.99 | one-time |
| Buy 50 tokens | $22.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade all songs | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Superb tool for drum teachers
- 👍 Huge selection of styles and tempos
- 👍 Ability to mute drums for playing along
- 👍 High-quality audio recordings
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use interface


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dorico free?

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

### Is Quartet 3 free?

Quartet 3 costs $16.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dorico or Quartet 3?

Quartet 3 is rated higher. Dorico averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Quartet 3 averages 4.7 from 22 ratings.

### Do Dorico or Quartet 3 have ads?

Neither Dorico nor Quartet 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dorico or Quartet 3?

Dorico ships an update every 3 weeks, and Quartet 3 monthly. Most recently, Dorico was updated on October 25, 2026 and Quartet 3 on October 25, 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.*