# Dorico vs Quartet 4

The clearest difference is price: Dorico at Free against Quartet 4's $16.99. Dorico also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 20). Quartet 4's advantage is review sentiment (89% vs 55%). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Dorico is free to download; Quartet 4 costs $16.99 up front. Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Quartet 4 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 4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dorico has 2.2K ratings behind it against 20, 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 89% of Quartet 4's.

Dorico ships an update every 3 weeks, Quartet 4 monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dorico | Quartet 4 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $16.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews) | **[4.7 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-4/id6740534761/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews | **89.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| 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 4

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quartet-4/id6740534761)

Practice and perform jazz standards with high-quality backing tracks. Mute your instrument, change keys, adjust tempo, and loop sections for focused practice. Features animated chord diagrams and royalty-free multitrack exports for further creative use.

**Highlights:** Live jazz backing tracks, Mute your instrument, Change key and tempo, Looping for practice, Animated chord diagrams, Multitrack export, Playlist creation

**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 interface
- 🎨 Accurately labels tracks by style
- 🎶 Live instrument recordings
- 🔀 Ability to separate and send tracks
- 🎨 High-quality presentation and performance

**Requested features**

- More guitar in rhythm section for future volumes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dorico free?

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

### Is Quartet 4 free?

Quartet 4 costs $16.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dorico or Quartet 4?

Quartet 4 is rated higher. Dorico averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Quartet 4 averages 4.7 from 20 ratings.

### Do Dorico or Quartet 4 have ads?

Neither Dorico nor Quartet 4 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dorico or Quartet 4?

Dorico ships an update every 3 weeks, and Quartet 4 monthly. Most recently, Dorico was updated on October 27, 2026 and Quartet 4 on October 28, 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.*