# iWriteMusic SE vs Symphony

The clearest difference is price: iWriteMusic SE at Free against Symphony's $4.99. iWriteMusic SE also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Symphony's advantage is review sentiment (79% vs 57%) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). On rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

iWriteMusic SE is free to download; Symphony costs $4.99 up front. Symphony sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iWriteMusic SE asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for iWriteMusic SE against 4.4 for Symphony. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 148 and 515 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of iWriteMusic SE's written reviews are positive against 79% of Symphony's.

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 months, Symphony every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic SE | Symphony |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (148 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-se/id393614358/reviews) | [4.4 (515 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symphony-music-notation/id951251308/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 148 | **515** |
| Positive reviews | 56.8% of reviews | **79.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 19 MB | 279 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [Xenon Labs, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/327764518) |

## 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


### Symphony

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symphony-music-notation/id951251308)

Create musical scores and compositions directly on your iPhone. This app offers tools for adding notes, chords, and lyrics, with multi-track playback and various export options for sharing your work.

**Highlights:** Multi-staff & multi-voice editor, On-screen piano for quick composition, Live, low-latency, multi-track playback, Import MIDI, XML, and Symphony files, Export as PDF, MIDI, MusicXML, or audio, Chord charts and lead sheets, Tablature and standard notation editing

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Edition: Unlimited Projects & Exporting | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Versatile features
- 🎨 Great for composing on the go
- 🎶 Helpful for learning music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔀 Orientation and layout issues
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features
- 🎹 Limited MIDI and playback capabilities
- 📄 Formatting and printing problems

**Reported bugs**

- Notes stacking up when playing the piano
- Disappearing score symbols after saving and exiting
- Clef changes not showing up in the app
- Playback issues with continuing mid-bar
- Lag when re-entering the app

**Requested features**

- Add support for repeat marks and other advanced notation
- Improve voice management and editing tools
- Implement better file organization and folder support
- Enhance MIDI and audio export options
- Provide more customization and personalization settings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic SE free?

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

### Is Symphony free?

Symphony costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

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

iWriteMusic SE and Symphony are both rated 4.4 out of 5 on the App Store, from 148 and 515 ratings respectively.

### Do iWriteMusic SE or Symphony have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic SE nor Symphony shows ads.

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

iWriteMusic SE ships an update every 2 months, and Symphony every 4 weeks. Most recently, iWriteMusic SE was updated on October 15, 2026 and Symphony on October 15, 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.*