# iWriteMusic SE vs CGDA Tuner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iWriteMusic SE at none against CGDA Tuner's 1. iWriteMusic SE also leads on ads (none vs shown). CGDA Tuner's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 5 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 5 weeks, CGDA Tuner daily. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | CGDA Tuner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **148** | — |
| Positive reviews | 56.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 19 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [Sijun Yang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819339978) |

## 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


### CGDA Tuner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cgda-tuner/id6759259835)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CGDA Tuner Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

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

### Is CGDA Tuner free?

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

### Do iWriteMusic SE or CGDA Tuner have ads?

CGDA Tuner shows ads; iWriteMusic SE does not.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic SE or CGDA Tuner?

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 5 weeks, and CGDA Tuner daily. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on October 19, 2026 and CGDA Tuner on October 14, 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.*