# Dorico vs Practice Pet!

The clearest difference is price: Dorico at Free against Practice Pet!'s $0.99. Dorico also leads on ratings volume (2.3K vs 13). Practice Pet!'s advantage is review sentiment (83% vs 55%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Dorico is free to download; Practice Pet! costs $0.99 up front. Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Practice Pet! sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Practice Pet! holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dorico has 2.3K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Dorico's written reviews are positive against 83% of Practice Pet!'s.

Dorico ships an update every 3 weeks, Practice Pet! every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dorico | Practice Pet! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews) | **[5.0 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/practice-pet/id6757760868/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.3K** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 55.4% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 975 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) | [Alvin Simpson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868752543) |

## 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


### Practice Pet!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/practice-pet/id6757760868)

This app transforms music practice into a game by letting you care for a virtual pet that thrives on your playing time. It automatically detects practice sessions, tracks your streaks, and offers extensive customization for pets and rooms. Connect with friends, climb leaderboards, and level up your musical journey.

**Highlights:** Automatic practice detection, Virtual pet care and happiness, Daily streak tracking, Pet and room customization, Social features with friends, Leaderboards and achievements, Leveling system

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Handful of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Piggy Bank | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Gems | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sack of Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dragon's Hoard | $9.99 | one-time |
| Treasure Chest | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dorico free?

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

### Is Practice Pet! free?

Practice Pet! costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dorico or Practice Pet!?

Practice Pet! is rated higher. Dorico averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while Practice Pet! averages 5.0 from 13 ratings.

### Do Dorico or Practice Pet! have ads?

Neither Dorico nor Practice Pet! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dorico or Practice Pet!?

Dorico ships an update every 3 weeks, and Practice Pet! every 11 days. Most recently, Dorico was updated on November 7, 2026 and Practice Pet! on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*