# iWriteMusic SE vs Prelude

The clearest difference is rating: iWriteMusic SE at 4.4 against Prelude's 3.0. iWriteMusic SE also leads on review sentiment (57% vs 17%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Prelude's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Prelude sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iWriteMusic SE asks for nothing beyond the download.

iWriteMusic SE holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iWriteMusic SE has 148 ratings behind it against 4, 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 17% of Prelude's.

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 5 weeks, Prelude every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | Prelude |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews)** | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prelude-score-editor/id620817095/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **148** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **56.8% of reviews** | 17.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [Felipe Braunger Valio Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda](https://appshunter.io/developer/615749291) |

## 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


### Prelude

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prelude-score-editor/id620817095)

Create and edit sheet music on your iPhone or iPad with a redesigned, modern interface. This intuitive score editor allows for quick composition anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Score editor, Sheet music viewer, Create custom scores, Intuitive interface, Mobile composition

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extended Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Simple interface
- 💡 Good for basic notation
- 💡 Potential for improvement
- 💡 Useful for teaching
- 💡 Easy to write notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🐛 Incorrect playback
- 🐛 Difficult editing
- 🐛 Limited features
- 🐛 Unintuitive controls

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Playback is incorrect (wrong notes, wrong rhythms)
- Notes don't line up correctly
- Accidentals are placed incorrectly
- Key signatures are incorrect

**Requested features**

- Add repeat signs
- Add ledger lines
- Add words to music
- Add slurs and ties
- Add beams for notes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

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

### Is Prelude free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iWriteMusic SE or Prelude?

iWriteMusic SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic SE averages 4.4 out of 5 from 148 ratings, while Prelude averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic SE or Prelude have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic SE nor Prelude shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic SE or Prelude?

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 5 weeks, and Prelude every 9 days. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on October 19, 2026 and Prelude on October 6, 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.*