Kantil vs iWriteMusic SE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kantil
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World's first iPhone/iPad implementation of the main instruments of a Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar! The Kantil is 10-key metallophone in the Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar that is the smallest in the gangsa. It produces the highest-pitched sounds and is important in supporting the main melody. A pair of kantil plays interlocking parts called kotekan. * Authentic sound bank sampled directly from real instruments * User interaction designed to replicate true playing experience * Playing sound can be stopped --- essential for Gamelan! * High-quality photos showcasing real instruments * Optimized for ultra-low latency audio playback * Zoomable views for detailed instrument exploration * Customizable display of cipher notations to suit your preferences * Completely ad-free for uninterrupted enjoyment
iWriteMusic SE
Create professional music notation quickly and easily. This app offers fast note entry, extensive notation options, and playback for checking your work. Turn your musical ideas into finished scores with intuitive controls.
- Fast note entry with OneFlick
- Extensive notation options
- Scores and individual parts
- Flexible page layouts
- Playback for checking and practice
- Intuitive controls
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Less learning. More music. Professional notation without the lengthy learning process. Fast note entry with OneFlick, extensive notation options, scores and individual parts, flexible page layouts, and playback for checking and practice. With clear, intuitive controls, iWriteMusic helps you turn inspiration into finished notation. If you’re getting started with iWriteMusic, we recommend the integrated version. The integrated version is free to download, with features available through one-time in-app purchases. Future new features will also be offered in the integrated version. This SE version remains available to support existing users. For the time being, it will continue to receive bug fixes and OS compatibility updates, but it will not receive new features or support in-app purchases. Limits on the number of saved songs and playback duration, along with watermarks, apply.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: iWriteMusic SE at Free against Kantil's $5.99. iWriteMusic SE also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 20 months) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On 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
iWriteMusic SE is free to download; Kantil costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Kantil ships an update every 20 months, iWriteMusic SE every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kantil | iWriteMusic SE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 4.4 (148 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 56.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 148 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 20 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | emacsian Company Limited | iWriteMusicProject |
Bugs and requests
Kantil
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
iWriteMusic SE
Reported bugs
20 issues- App crashes when adding rests at beginning of measure
- App crashes when adding/removing notation
- App freezes when entering notes on certain pitches
- App randomly quits during composition
- Note placement inaccuracy on iPhone with retina display
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- Notes appear in wrong location despite correct placement
- Playback cuts off after 30 seconds
- Playback audio not working despite phone not being muted
- Incorrect note playback (different octave than entered)
- Lyric input not functioning
- Crashes after large file operations
- Data loss when closing without saving
- Crashes when using multiple staves
- Crashes during save operation
- Crashes when reinstalling after purchase
- Watermark reappears after reinstall
- App becomes laggy over time
- Staccatos, crescendos, and accents not played back
- Ritards and accelerandos ignored in playback
- Trill notation not functioning properly
Requested features
20 requests- Auto-save functionality
- MusicXML file transfer support
- Guitar tablature (TAB) notation
- Ability to change time signature mid-composition
- Better grace note controls
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- Slur and tie playback support
- Crescendo and diminuendo playback
- More instrument templates (duets, trios)
- Audio sharing/export capability
- Arpeggio playback support
- Individual grace note value assignment
- Pianissimo (ppp) dynamic marking
- Bracket notation for grouped instruments
- More percussion instruments (Baritone, Euphonium, Mellophone)
- Text formatting (bold, italic)
- Customizable bottom navigation bar
- iPad-native version
- MIDI export to Logic Pro and Sibelius
- Searchable help guide with index
- Ability to extend bar lines across measures
In-app purchases
Kantil
No in-app purchases
iWriteMusic SE
No in-app purchases
