# Maestro vs Sibelius

The clearest difference is price: Sibelius at Free against Maestro's $2.99. Sibelius also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 57). Maestro's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (76% vs 36%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sibelius is free to download; Maestro costs $2.99 up front. Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Maestro asks for nothing beyond the download.

Maestro holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 57, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Maestro's written reviews are positive against 36% of Sibelius's.

Maestro ships an update every 10 months, Sibelius every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Maestro | Sibelius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maestro/id310068984/reviews)** | [4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 57 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.9% of reviews** | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Patrick Q. Kelly](https://appshunter.io/developer/310068987) | [Avid®](https://appshunter.io/developer/436394595) |

## What reviewers say

### Maestro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maestro/id310068984)

This app offers a visually engaging metronome designed for musicians and conductors. It provides animated beat patterns that mimic traditional conducting gestures, helping users maintain tempo and understand musical phrasing without relying solely on auditory cues. Practice with or without sound, and gain a deeper understanding of rhythmic structure.

**Highlights:** Animated beat patterns, Conductor's Point of View, Performer's Point of View, Adjustable tempo (16-256 bpm), 48 beat patterns, Optional beat subdivisions, Pick-up beats

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sibelius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259)

Professional music notation software is now available on mobile devices. Create, edit, and hear your compositions anywhere with a full suite of tools optimized for touch and stylus input. Seamlessly sync across platforms and access different feature tiers to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Professional music notation, Cross-platform synchronization, High-quality sample library, Apple Pencil and touch optimization, Innovative note entry, Command Search functionality, Scalable subscription tiers

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sibelius Artist for iOS | $5.99 | per month |
| Sibelius Ultimate for iOS | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🚀 Useful for composing on the go
- 💡 Good for making quick edits to existing scores
- 🎨 Stylish and professional-looking app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Difficulty unlocking full version and accessing features
- 💰 Subscription service is very expensive
- 🔇 Limited sound library and poor playback quality
- 📁 Unreliable saving and file management

**Reported bugs**

- Scores disappearing or not saving properly
- Subscription issues and inability to log in
- Crashes when performing basic actions
- Compatibility problems with newer iPad OS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Maestro free?

Maestro costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sibelius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Maestro or Sibelius?

Maestro is rated higher. Maestro averages 4.8 out of 5 from 57 ratings, while Sibelius averages 4.2 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Maestro or Sibelius have ads?

Neither Maestro nor Sibelius shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Maestro or Sibelius?

Maestro ships an update every 10 months, and Sibelius every 2 months. Most recently, Maestro was updated on October 17, 2026 and Sibelius on October 15, 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.*