# iWriteMusic SE vs Crescendo Masters Edition

The clearest difference is rating: iWriteMusic SE at 4.4 against Crescendo Masters Edition's 3.9. iWriteMusic SE also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (148 vs 7). Crescendo Masters Edition's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Crescendo Masters Edition sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. iWriteMusic SE asks for nothing beyond the download.

iWriteMusic SE holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iWriteMusic SE has 148 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of iWriteMusic SE's written reviews are positive against 50% of Crescendo Masters Edition's.

iWriteMusic SE ships an update monthly, Crescendo Masters Edition fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | Crescendo Masters Edition |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews)** | [3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crescendo-masters-edition/id1641673402/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **148** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **56.8% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [NCH Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/349888537) |

## 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


### Crescendo Masters Edition

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crescendo-masters-edition/id1641673402)

Easily arrange professional-quality sheet music, guitar tabs, and percussion notation. Add notes, accidentals, text, and lyrics, then listen back to your compositions with MIDI playback. This tool is ideal for composers to write, save, and print their musical ideas.

**Highlights:** Create sheet music, guitar tabs, percussion notation, Change time and key signatures, Add whole to thirty-second notes with accidentals, Drag notes to adjust pitch and placement, Add text for titles, tempo, dynamics, lyrics, MIDI playback for compositions, Save and print music

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Features (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

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

### Is Crescendo Masters Edition free?

Crescendo Masters Edition is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, iWriteMusic SE or Crescendo Masters Edition?

iWriteMusic SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic SE averages 4.4 out of 5 from 148 ratings, while Crescendo Masters Edition averages 3.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic SE or Crescendo Masters Edition have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic SE nor Crescendo Masters Edition shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic SE or Crescendo Masters Edition?

iWriteMusic SE ships an update monthly, and Crescendo Masters Edition fortnightly. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on October 24, 2026 and Crescendo Masters Edition on October 24, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*