# iWriteMusic SE vs Staventabs

The clearest difference is rating: iWriteMusic SE at 4.4 against Staventabs's 3.8. iWriteMusic SE also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3). Staventabs's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Staventabs sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. iWriteMusic SE asks for nothing beyond the download.

iWriteMusic SE holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 144 and 70 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of iWriteMusic SE's written reviews are positive against 65% of Staventabs's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 months, Staventabs every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | Staventabs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (144 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews)** | [3.8 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staventabs-compose-and-notate/id947545539/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **144** | 70 |
| Positive reviews | 56.8% of reviews | **64.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [Ivan Korovin](https://appshunter.io/developer/937929054) |

## 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


### Staventabs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staventabs-compose-and-notate/id947545539)

Compose and edit musical scores and tablature with a user-friendly interface. Create new pieces from scratch or templates, input notes intuitively, and enhance your compositions with advanced editing tools. Practice your songs with playback and metronome features, and manage your projects seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Score and tablature editing, Intuitive note input, Virtual piano and fingerboard, Instrument previews, Playback and metronome, AI-powered scale suggestions, MIDI and MusicXML import/export

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced composing | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited projects | $10.99 | one-time |
| Additional instruments | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient music notation
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🎨 Customizable chord diagrams
- 💾 Supports multiple file formats
- 🎶 Realistic instrument sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💰 Paywall for basic features
- 🔀 Inconsistent note/chord handling
- 🔍 Unclear documentation
- 🔊 Lagging playback

**Reported bugs**

- Imported MIDI files lose instrument assignments
- Disappearing projects after updates
- Inability to adjust note lengths in piano roll
- Metronome not audible over instrument playback

**Requested features**

- Add support for grace notes and ornaments
- Implement repeat/coda symbols
- Allow custom font and layout options
- Integrate MIDI input and output
- Improve chord recognition accuracy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

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

### Is Staventabs free?

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

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

iWriteMusic SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic SE averages 4.4 out of 5 from 144 ratings, while Staventabs averages 3.8 from 70 ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic SE or Staventabs have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic SE nor Staventabs shows ads.

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

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 months, and Staventabs every 3 weeks. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on September 20, 2026 and Staventabs on September 13, 2026.

---

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