# iWriteMusic SE vs Guitar Notation

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iWriteMusic SE at none against Guitar Notation's 6. iWriteMusic SE also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). Guitar Notation's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Guitar Notation sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. iWriteMusic SE asks for nothing beyond the download.

iWriteMusic SE holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 148 and 248 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of iWriteMusic SE's written reviews are positive against 58% of Guitar Notation's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iWriteMusic SE ships an update monthly, Guitar Notation every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | Guitar Notation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews)** | [4.0 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitar-notation-tabs-and-chords/id1144464459/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 148 | **248** |
| Positive reviews | 56.8% of reviews | **58.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 19 MB | 153 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### iWriteMusic SE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358)

Create professional-quality sheet music efficiently, even on small screens. This app offers intuitive interfaces and powerful tools for musicians of all levels, from beginners to professionals. Easily compose, edit, and share your musical ideas.

**Highlights:** Intuitive and simple user interface, Highly efficient input systems (One-Flick & Traditional), Professional quality sheet music creation, Supports major notation elements, Useful playback options for practice, Data and sheet music sharing (PDF, JPG, MIDI)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎼 Comprehensive notation tools and features
- 👍 Intuitive interface for music composition
- 🎵 Wide range of instruments available
- 💾 Easy saving and exporting to PDF
- 🎹 Playback functionality for reviewing compositions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 😤 Difficult and unintuitive note input
- 🔧 Poor user interface design
- 📖 Confusing and poorly organized help documentation
- ⚠️ Inaccurate instrument sound playback

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Auto-save functionality
- MusicXML file transfer support
- Guitar tablature (TAB) notation
- Ability to change time signature mid-composition
- Better grace note controls


### Guitar Notation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitar-notation-tabs-and-chords/id1144464459)

This app allows guitar enthusiasts to read, compose, edit, and play back guitar sheet music. It supports multi-track tabs, chord charts, and various notation elements, enabling users to create music on the go.

**Highlights:** Read, compose, and edit guitar sheet music, Playback functionality with high-quality sound, Multi-track tab support, Chord chart configuration, Export in MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, and PDF formats, Supports up to 8 staff for editing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Access Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Guitar Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bass Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Extras Package | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app
- 🚀 Useful
- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Excellent tool
- 👍 Nice app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Excessively paid version
- 🐛 Buggy and constantly asking to pay
- 🚫 Free version is basically unusable
- 🚫 Can't even use anything but 4/4
- 🚫 No tutorial on how to use

**Reported bugs**

- Audio playback only works through Bluetooth
- Can't create a D chord, forces barre chord
- Freezes on login screen
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add ability to change tuning
- Add palm muting feature
- Add more examples
- Add instructions/tutorial
- Add ability to transpose


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

iWriteMusic SE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Guitar Notation free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iWriteMusic SE or Guitar Notation?

iWriteMusic SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic SE averages 4.4 out of 5 from 148 ratings, while Guitar Notation averages 4.0 from 248 ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic SE or Guitar Notation have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic SE nor Guitar Notation shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic SE or Guitar Notation?

iWriteMusic SE ships an update monthly, and Guitar Notation every 4 months. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on October 24, 2026 and Guitar Notation on October 24, 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.*