# iWriteMusic SE vs Sheet Music Maker & Scanner

The clearest difference is rating: iWriteMusic SE at 4.4 against Sheet Music Maker & Scanner's 2.6. iWriteMusic SE also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (57% vs 33%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sheet Music Maker & Scanner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. iWriteMusic SE asks for nothing beyond the download.

iWriteMusic SE holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iWriteMusic SE has 148 ratings behind it against 5, 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 33% of Sheet Music Maker & Scanner's.

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 weeks, Sheet Music Maker & Scanner every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | Sheet Music Maker & Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews)** | [2.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheet-music-maker-and-scanner/id6471382037/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **148** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **56.8% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 19 MB | 498 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## What reviewers say

### iWriteMusic SE

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

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.

**Highlights:** Fast note entry with OneFlick, Extensive notation options, Scores and individual parts, Flexible page layouts, Playback for checking and practice, Intuitive controls

**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


### Sheet Music Maker & Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheet-music-maker-and-scanner/id6471382037)

This app helps musicians of all levels learn, create, compose, and write songs. It offers tools for editing PDFs, organizing lyrics with AI assistance, and digitizing paper music sheets. Sync your work across devices and share it easily.

**Highlights:** Compose and customize melodies with templates, Edit and annotate PDF sheet music, AI-assisted lyric writing, Digitize paper music sheets via scanning, iCloud synchronization across devices, Import PDF sheet music from external platforms, Organize music with folders and notebooks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sheet Music Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Sheet Music Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| Full Pro Unlock | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

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

### Is Sheet Music Maker & Scanner free?

Sheet Music Maker & Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, iWriteMusic SE or Sheet Music Maker & Scanner?

iWriteMusic SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic SE averages 4.4 out of 5 from 148 ratings, while Sheet Music Maker & Scanner averages 2.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic SE or Sheet Music Maker & Scanner have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic SE nor Sheet Music Maker & Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic SE or Sheet Music Maker & Scanner?

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 weeks, and Sheet Music Maker & Scanner every 9 days. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on November 10, 2026 and Sheet Music Maker & Scanner on November 4, 2026.

---

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