# iReal Pro vs NotateMe

The clearest difference is price: iReal Pro at $21.99 against NotateMe's $39.99. iReal Pro also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.6) and review sentiment (83% vs 45%). NotateMe's advantage is iOS requirement (6.0 vs 16.6). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

iReal Pro costs $21.99 and NotateMe $39.99 up front. iReal Pro sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and NotateMe sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

iReal Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iReal Pro has 11K ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of iReal Pro's written reviews are positive against 45% of NotateMe's.

iReal Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, NotateMe every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iReal Pro | NotateMe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$21.99** | $39.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireal-pro/id298206806/reviews)** | [2.6 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notateme/id699470139/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 26 |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 44.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 179 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **6.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Technimo LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/298206809) | [Neuratron Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/699470142) |

## What reviewers say

### iReal Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ireal-pro/id298206806)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Music, #24 Top Paid, #108 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

This app provides a virtual band accompaniment for musicians to practice with, offering realistic sounding instruments and a variety of styles. It also functions as a digital chord chart book, allowing users to create, edit, and share their own song charts.

**Highlights:** Virtual band accompaniment, Create, edit, and share chord charts, Thousands of downloadable songs, Chord diagrams and scale recommendations, Practice exercises and transposition, Export charts and audio, Cloud synchronization

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Blues style backing tracks | $6.99 | one-time |
| Salsa style backing tracks | $6.99 | one-time |
| Brazilian backing tracks | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for practicing and reading charts
- 👍 Versatile with ability to change keys, tempos, and styles
- 👍 Excellent community and support
- 🚀 Efficient for gigs and rehearsals
- 👍 Indispensable tool for jazz musicians

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with chord voicings and playback
- 🔧 Limited editing capabilities
- 🔧 Clunky interface for some users
- 💰 Expensive for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional skipping or timing issues with playback
- Trouble with registration and login process
- Compatibility issues with newer devices or operating systems

**Requested features**

- Add ability to write rhythm notation
- Integrate with Real Books
- Improve sound quality and add more instrument options
- Add melodies and lyrics support
- Improve chord editing and customization


### NotateMe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notateme/id699470139)

Compose and edit music notation using handwritten input. This app recognizes a wide range of musical symbols, allowing for creation of scores for various ensembles. Export your work in multiple formats or share it via email.

**Highlights:** Handwritten music recognition, Compose for solo instruments and ensembles, Edit and playback scores, Export as PDF, MusicXML, MIDI, Import MusicXML files, Dropbox synchronization, PhotoScore Add-In for printed music

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NotateMe PhotoScore IAP | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent handwriting recognition
- 🎼 Convenient for jotting down musical ideas
- 💾 Good integration with Dropbox and other apps
- 🎹 Useful for piano teachers and students
- 🎨 Creative tool for composers and arrangers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🤔 Steep learning curve and not very intuitive
- 🖋️ Struggles with complex notation and articulations
- 🔍 Inaccurate recognition of accidentals and ledger lines
- 💰 Expensive for the current feature set

**Reported bugs**

- Photoscore feature crashes frequently
- Notes and rests sometimes get misplaced or lost
- Inconsistent recognition of handwritten input

**Requested features**

- Ability to import and export MusicXML files
- More customization options for layout and formatting
- Support for additional articulations and notation symbols
- Improved palm rejection and stylus compatibility
- Transposition and chord symbol features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iReal Pro free?

iReal Pro costs $21.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is NotateMe free?

NotateMe costs $39.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iReal Pro or NotateMe?

iReal Pro is rated higher. iReal Pro averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while NotateMe averages 2.6 from 26 ratings.

### Do iReal Pro or NotateMe have ads?

Neither iReal Pro nor NotateMe shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iReal Pro or NotateMe?

iReal Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and NotateMe every 2 weeks. Most recently, iReal Pro was updated on October 20, 2026 and NotateMe on October 17, 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.*