# iWriteMusic SE vs Musicnotes Decks

The clearest difference is rating: iWriteMusic SE at 4.4 against Musicnotes Decks's 3.8. iWriteMusic SE also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (144 vs 27). Musicnotes Decks's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

iWriteMusic SE holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iWriteMusic SE has 144 ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 57% and 57% positive.

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 months, Musicnotes Decks every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | Musicnotes Decks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews)** | [3.8 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicnotes-decks/id547373642/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **144** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | 56.8% of reviews | **57.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 19 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [Musicnotes](https://appshunter.io/developer/369741037) |

## 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


### Musicnotes Decks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicnotes-decks/id547373642)

Learn essential music notation and theory with interactive flashcards. Master symbols, clefs, dynamics, timing, and sight-reading. Includes audio pronunciation for musical terms.

**Highlights:** Learn 50 musical notation symbols, Master Bass and Treble clefs, Understand dynamics and musical interpretation, Learn musical timing and rhythm, Improve sight-reading skills, Test knowledge with index cards, Audio pronunciation of musical terms

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

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

### Is Musicnotes Decks free?

Musicnotes Decks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iWriteMusic SE or Musicnotes Decks?

iWriteMusic SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic SE averages 4.4 out of 5 from 144 ratings, while Musicnotes Decks averages 3.8 from 27 ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic SE or Musicnotes Decks have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic SE nor Musicnotes Decks shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic SE or Musicnotes Decks?

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 months, and Musicnotes Decks every 15 months. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on September 20, 2026 and Musicnotes Decks on September 21, 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.*