Notate + Play = music notebook vs Riff Stash
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Notate + Play = music notebook
This music app helps you transcribe songs by ear, analyze chords and tempo, and create sheet music. It syncs audio with scores, allowing you to practice and refine your playing with features like adjustable speed and metronome.
- Chord and tempo analysis
- Sheet music scanning and creation
- Audio and score synchronization
- Adjustable audio speed
- Metronome with auto-scrolling
- Video recording of performances
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Music & Audio Note brings recording, transcription by ear, and sheet music creation together in one app. From audio or from paper scores. Analyze the chords and melody of your favorite songs or standards, write them straight into the score, and practice until they're second nature. See the audio player and staff paper on the same screen. Works with any instrument — guitar, piano, and more. Built for anyone who wants to really play a song, whether for singing along with guitar, covers, or jam sessions. 【Start with Analysis】 ・Chord Analysis: Instantly see the chord progression of any song. Just tap "Analyze" to detect and display it automatically, cutting way down on transcription time. ・Tempo & Beat Analysis: "Beat Analyze" automatically detects the song's tempo and downbeats, so you don't have to mark them by hand. ・Sheet Music Scanner (NEW): Import sheet music from your camera or photo library and automatically recognize the notes. Review and correct the results to create a score (.mnote). *Recognition accuracy is currently limited, so this feature is meant to be checked and corrected by hand. Use it as a draft tool to save yourself from starting from scratch. *Audio analysis works with your own recordings or files you've obtained yourself. It does not support songs from your Apple Music library. 【Keep Using It After You Analyze】 Analysis isn't the finish line — it's the starting point. Once you know the chords and rhythm, write them into the score, sync them with the audio, and keep practicing until you reach the performance you're after. 1 Link Audio and Score Link your audio to the score and sync playback position with measures. 2 Enter Rhythm and Pitch Separately From an ear-training perspective, you can input rhythm and pitch independently. 3 Sheet Music Viewer Import lead sheets (PDF or photos) you already have and view them alongside your analysis results. 4 Adjust Audio Speed Slow down fast tempos to nail the timing of chord changes. 5 Add and Edit Tracks Freely add and edit tracks for chords, notes, text, and audio. 6 Metronome The page scrolls automatically in time with the tempo and time signature set in the score. 7 Second Voice Part Support Select a Note Track under "Edit track(s)" and turn on "Second Voice Part" to enter it. 8 Slur and Text Input Select a range of notes to bring up a popup for adding slurs and text. 9 Video Recording Record video of your own performance to keep as a reference. 10 Vertical Scroll View the score with vertical scrolling. Switch this on in Settings.
Riff Stash
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Made for ideas in progress. You know the feeling. Inspiration strikes, you grab your phone, strum a riff into a voice memo… and it joins the hundreds of other "New Recording 47" clips you'll never open again. That's how great ideas die. Riff Stash is the home for your musical ideas — so the riff you caught at 1am is still there, named, tagged and ready, when you're back with your guitar. CAPTURE MORE THAN AUDIO • Record riffs and ideas with a built-in recorder and waveform • Add chords and fretboard / chord-box diagrams • Write lyrics and notes right next to the audio • Set the tuning and capo so you remember how to play it • Snap photos of pdeals, scribbled tab or gear settings • Organise everything into collections and ideas FIND IT LATER • Full-text search across titles, lyrics, notes, tempo and tuning • Favourites for the ideas you keep coming back to • Sort by date, name or number of takes YOURS, EVERYWHERE, SAFELY • Syncs across iPhone and iPad with iCloud • Export a full backup of your library — audio and images included • Import audio straight from other apps Whether it's a two-bar riff, a full song sketch, or a reference sheet for a cover you're learning, Riff Stash keeps it organised and out of the voice-memo graveyard. Start with 60 days free access , then keep everything editable with an annual subscription. SUBSCRIPTION • Riff Stash Annual — £14.99/year (prices may vary by region) • Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase • Auto-renews unless turned off at least 24 hours before renewal • Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings • If your subscription lapses, Riff Stash becomes read-only — you can still open, review and play everything, and renewing restores full creative access Terms of Use: https://www.riffstash.info/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://www.riffstash.info/privacy-policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Notate + Play = music notebook at weekly against Riff Stash's monthly. Notate + Play = music notebook also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Notate + Play = music notebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Riff Stash sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Notate + Play = music notebook ships an update weekly, Riff Stash monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Notate + Play = music notebook | Riff Stash |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 26.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 49 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kunio Arai | Wolfen Consulting Ltd |
In-app purchases
Notate + Play = music notebook
- Usage License3 Days trial$0.991 Month
- Subscription license3 Days trial$5.991 Year
- Unlimited License$14.99
Riff Stash
- Riff Stash2 Months trial$14.991 Year
Questions
Is Notate + Play = music notebook free?
Is Riff Stash free?
Do Notate + Play = music notebook or Riff Stash have ads?
Which is updated more often, Notate + Play = music notebook or Riff Stash?
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