Comparison

Symphony Pro vs GM MIDI Player

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Symphony Pro

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
Read full description

Symphony Pro 6 is a complete and intuitive app for writing music notation on iPad. It allows you to compose music for just about any size ensemble, from piano, symphonies, band, lead sheets, chord charts, guitar tabs, and more. Starting Version 5, Symphony Pro now offers handwriting recognition as the only in-app purchase: Perfect with Apple Pencil, and works great with touch or capacitive stylus GETTING STARTED SP provides all of the key options to begin your work. Import a score via MusicXML, MXL, MIDI, or SP file from your computer, or from apps like Dropbox, Mail, iCloud Drive, or Safari. You can base your project on a template, or start a blank score and add additional parts later. EDITING To add notes, choose Pencil mode, and tap anywhere on a bar to begin editing right away. You can quickly specify note properties before or after placing notes. By switching to Select mode with one touch, you can also transpose, erase, cut, and paste multiple notes/tracks. With an on-screen instrument, a QWERTY keyboard, or Core MIDI compatible keyboard, you can quickly enter notes & chords in step entry mode. Record a part in real-time with on-screen instruments to transcribe into notation. Versions 4 & 5 take greater advantage of the iPad touchscreen. With shortcuts and contextual menus to edit note & bar properties, many of the commonly used editing commands are right at your fingertips. SP supports a wide range of notational elements for your composition. Including dynamics & articulations, time & key signature changes, clef changes, pedals, and repeat conventions. Edit chord symbols, lyrics, and annotations using the iPad’s standard keyboard. EXPORT & SHARE When you’re finished, print out your score with AirPrint, or export it as a PDF, MusicXML, AAC, MIDI, or Symphony file. Share files via email or directly to another computer or iPad via Dropbox/iCloud Drive. KEY FEATURES • Introducing Handwriting Recognition for Apple Pencil & touch • Starting Version 5, Handwriting is the only In-App Purchase to enable the complete app • Now download SP on your iPhone • 24+ professionally recorded and sound-designed acoustic instruments, free out of the box Earlier features offered free, to existing & new owners • 114 built-in instruments for playback, and auditioning the notes you entered • Create in standard music notation or tablature • Edit with an on-screen piano, QWERTY keyboard, or a MIDI input device • Dozens of shortcuts & gestures to edit & navigate • Reduce your score size, range, or combination of parts for viewing & editing* • Print directly to AirPrint • Up to 48 instruments, 100 staves, 4 voices/layers per score • Record a part in real-time with clicks at the beat with optional emphasis • Backup & sync your scores with iCloud* • Import MusicXML, MIDI, MXL, or Symphony files • Export as a PDF, MusicXML, MIDI, AAC, or Symphony file • Large selection of articulations & dynamics • Multi-measure rests, including automatic rests • Grace notes • Customizable noteheads & note colors • Chord symbol, lyric, and annotation tools • Edit the properties of multiple notes and rests simultaneously by multi-note select • Copy/Paste function supports partial & multi-bar/staff select • Unlimited undo/redo • Customizable stem directions & note beaming • Transposing & concert pitch score option • Change tempo or clef anywhere in score or bar • Stream audio or share your screen wirelessly with AirPlay • Advanced document management • Create your own custom project template or use a built-in one • Customizable part groupings for SATB and instrument families • Customizable chord symbol, lyric, and annotation font • Loop playback feature • Auto-save support * Previously paid, but now free upgrade in Version 5 For More information, please visit: • http://www.symphonypro.net • http://forums.symphonypro.net • Facebook page at www.facebook.com/symphonyapp • Learn about the iPhone-only app: bit.ly/symphonyiphone

About

GM MIDI Player

Play standard MIDI files on your iOS device with a built-in software synthesizer. Organize your music into playlists and share them seamlessly with other apps. Enjoy background playback and AirPlay support for a versatile listening experience.

Highlights
  • Plays standard MIDI files (.mid)
  • Built-in software synthesizer
  • Create and manage playlists
  • Seamless iOS file manager integration
  • Background Audio playback
  • AirPlay support
Features
Read full description

MIDI Still Lives! (Note: This is one of the first iOS apps we ever made and we still use it very often and want to share this pleasure with you. MIDI files remain fascinating and must never die!) GM MIDI Player is a free app for playing standard MIDI files (SMF) with the file extension *.mid, which integrates seamlessly into the iOS operating system (version 11 and higher). A software synthesizer in GM / GS standard is built-in. Play all the MIDI files from the Internet or the file system of your iOS device and create and manage your own collections and share these with other apps and people. - seamlessly integrated into the iOS file manager (files app) - iCloud and file sharing supported - "Open with" and "Send to" integrated - plays nearly all MIDI files in SMF format 0 and 1 - contains already hand-picked MIDI files in different styles - integrated software synthesizer with sequencer - 16-times mutitimbral, 128-part polyphonic - Over 300 'instruments' and various drum maps - GM / GS standards supported - Background Audio playback and Notification Center Support - AirPlay support of audio playback - supports connected remote controls for pause / resume - Help file and integrated connection to other Internet resources - Creation and management of own playlists possible Note: GM MIDI Player can NOT output MIDI signals via CoreMIDI or somehow interact with other audio apps (IAA). Also, to create and edit GM compatible files, please use an external MIDI sequencer or editor that is specialized for this. For questions and suggestions or problems,  please contact support: support@digitster.com.

Screenshots

Symphony Pro4 screens
GM MIDI Player4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GM MIDI Player at none against Symphony Pro's 2. GM MIDI Player also leads on price ($9.99 vs $14.99) and review sentiment (78% vs 56%). Symphony Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 52 months) and ratings volume (469 vs 19). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Symphony Pro costs $14.99 and GM MIDI Player $9.99 up front. Symphony Pro sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. GM MIDI Player asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GM MIDI Player holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symphony Pro has 469 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Symphony Pro's written reviews are positive against 78% of GM MIDI Player's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, GM MIDI Player every 52 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Symphony Pro versus GM MIDI Player: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSymphony ProGM MIDI Player
Price$14.99$9.99 — better
Rating3.8 (469 ratings)4.1 (19 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.7% of reviews77.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings469 — better19
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 52 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.512.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size365 MB28 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperXenon Labs, LLCJens Guell

Customer experience

Symphony Pro

All ratings469 ratings
Positive70.1%
Neutral9.8%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews406 reviews
Positive55.7%
Neutral16.5%
Negative27.8%

GM MIDI Player

All ratings19 ratings
Positive73.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative26.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%

Bugs and requests

Symphony Pro

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

GM MIDI Player

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Symphony Pro

One-time2
  • Version 4: Complete Features BundleFree
  • Handwriting Recognition Tool$9.99
None

GM MIDI Player

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Symphony Pro free?
Symphony Pro costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is GM MIDI Player free?
GM MIDI Player costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Symphony Pro or GM MIDI Player?
GM MIDI Player is rated higher. Symphony Pro averages 3.8 out of 5 from 469 ratings, while GM MIDI Player averages 4.1 from 19 ratings.
Do Symphony Pro or GM MIDI Player have ads?
Neither Symphony Pro nor GM MIDI Player shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Symphony Pro or GM MIDI Player?
Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, and GM MIDI Player every 52 months. Most recently, Symphony Pro was updated on September 26, 2026 and GM MIDI Player on September 18, 2026.

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