# Symphony Pro vs Notation Pad

The clearest difference is price: Notation Pad at Free against Symphony Pro's $14.99. Notation Pad also leads on rating (4.3 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (5.3K vs 469). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Notation Pad is free to download; Symphony Pro costs $14.99 up front. Symphony Pro sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Notation Pad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notation Pad holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notation Pad has 5.3K ratings behind it against 469, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 56% and 56% positive.

Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, Notation Pad monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Symphony Pro | Notation Pad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.8 (469 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symphony-pro-music-notation/id412380315/reviews) | **[4.3 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 469 | **5.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 55.7% of reviews | **55.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 365 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.5 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Xenon Labs, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/327764518) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### Symphony Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/symphony-pro-music-notation/id412380315)

Compose music notation on your iPad with intuitive handwriting recognition or traditional input methods. Create scores for various ensembles, import and export in multiple formats, and utilize a wide range of notational elements. Enjoy built-in instruments for playback and auditioning.

**Highlights:** Handwriting recognition for Apple Pencil and touch, Compose for various ensembles, Import/export MusicXML, MIDI, and more, On-screen instrument input, Real-time recording and transcription, Wide range of notational elements, Print via AirPrint

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Version 4: Complete Features Bundle | Free | one-time |
| Handwriting Recognition Tool | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Handwriting recognition is great
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🎨 Flexible for composing and arranging
- 💰 Good value for the price
- 🎹 Works well with Apple Pencil

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Clunky and unintuitive interface
- 🔊 Poor sound quality of instruments
- 🔒 Issues with saving and exporting files
- 🤔 Steep learning curve for some features

**Reported bugs**

- Project menu disappears unexpectedly
- Ties and tuplets not working correctly
- Inconsistent behavior when zooming and panning
- Instruments not transposing properly
- Frequent crashes when editing complex scores

**Requested features**

- Add guitar metronome
- Improve text and lyrics handling
- Allow more customization of page layout
- Implement better transposition and chord features
- Provide more orchestral percussion instruments


### Notation Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942)

Create, edit, and play sheet music with this comprehensive notation editor. Compose original pieces, transcribe existing music, and even collaborate in real-time. Ideal for musicians of all levels, from beginners learning notes to experienced composers.

**Highlights:** Real-time collaborative editing, MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, and PDF export, High-quality playback sound, Support for up to 8 staves, Over 100 instrument sounds, Lyric editing, Multi-voice support

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Guitar Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ensemble Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Brass Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Reed Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pipe Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Strings Instrument Group | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Instruments Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extras Package | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎼 Good for basic music notation
- 🎹 Helpful for piano/keyboard players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Many features locked behind paywall
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable at times
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to desktop apps
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription popup that cannot be closed
- Instruments turning into drums unexpectedly
- Inability to delete or modify certain elements

**Requested features**

- Add more instrument options
- Improve editing capabilities
- Allow changing key signatures and time signatures without premium
- Provide better tutorials and documentation
- Fix issues with note placement and playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Symphony Pro free?

Symphony Pro costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Notation Pad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Symphony Pro or Notation Pad?

Notation Pad is rated higher. Symphony Pro averages 3.8 out of 5 from 469 ratings, while Notation Pad averages 4.3 from 5.3K ratings.

### Do Symphony Pro or Notation Pad have ads?

Neither Symphony Pro nor Notation Pad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Symphony Pro or Notation Pad?

Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, and Notation Pad monthly. Most recently, Symphony Pro was updated on September 26, 2026 and Notation Pad on September 24, 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.*