Comparison

Symphony Pro vs Johar

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

Johar

Discover live music performances happening nearby in real-time. Artists can create their own performance spaces and attract local audiences. The platform aims to integrate art into daily life and empower artists.

Highlights
  • Real-time location-based discovery
  • Find nearby artists performing
  • Artists can drop beacons
  • Attract local audience members
  • Integrate artistic performances into daily life
  • Artist control over performance
Read full description

The Johar platform was built on the idea that individual expression fuels society and that too often our societal structures get in the way of individuals being able to reach audiences. The Johar platform uses a real-time, location based mechanism to let you know when there are any artists performing around you so you can spice up your life with little to no effort! As an artist, you can go to a location of your choice, drop a beacon, and pull in audience members from the area directly around you in real-time. Our goal is to enrich the lived experience by integrating artistic performances into the daily lives of our users and giving more agency and control to the artist to decide where, when, and how to perform.

Screenshots

Symphony Pro4 screens
Johar2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Johar at Free against Symphony Pro's $14.99. Johar also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Symphony Pro's advantage is ratings volume (469 vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). On 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

Johar is free to download; Symphony Pro costs $14.99 up front. Symphony Pro sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Johar asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Johar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symphony Pro has 469 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, Johar every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Symphony Pro versus Johar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSymphony ProJohar
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating3.8 (469 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings469 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo—
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.513.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size365 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperXenon Labs, LLCFarhan Khera

Customer experience

Symphony Pro

All ratings469 ratings
Positive70.1%
Neutral9.8%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews476 reviews
Positive55.9%
Neutral16.4%
Negative27.7%

Johar

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Johar

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

Johar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Symphony Pro free?
Symphony Pro costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Johar free?
Johar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Symphony Pro or Johar?
Johar is rated higher. Symphony Pro averages 3.8 out of 5 from 469 ratings, while Johar averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Which is updated more often, Symphony Pro or Johar?
Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, and Johar every 2 months. Most recently, Symphony Pro was updated on October 20, 2026 and Johar on September 19, 2026.

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