Comparison

Symphony Pro vs iWriteMusic Pro SE

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

iWriteMusic Pro SE

Create professional music notation quickly and easily. Features fast note entry, extensive notation options, and playback for practice. Turn your musical ideas into finished scores with intuitive controls.

Highlights
  • Fast note entry
  • Extensive notation options
  • Scores and individual parts
  • Flexible page layouts
  • Playback for checking and practice
  • Intuitive controls
Features
Read full description

Less learning. More music. Professional notation without the lengthy learning process. Fast note entry with OneFlick, extensive notation options, scores and individual parts, flexible page layouts, and playback for checking and practice. With clear, intuitive controls, iWriteMusic helps you turn inspiration into finished notation. If you’re getting started with iWriteMusic, we recommend the integrated version. The integrated version is free to download, with features available through one-time in-app purchases. Future new features will also be offered in the integrated version. This SE version remains available to support existing users. For the time being, it will continue to receive bug fixes and OS compatibility updates, but it will not receive new features or support in-app purchases. Limits on the number of saved songs and playback duration, along with watermarks, apply.

Screenshots

Symphony Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: iWriteMusic Pro SE at Free against Symphony Pro's $14.99. iWriteMusic Pro SE also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Symphony Pro's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.5 vs 16.0). On review sentiment, ratings volume and ads 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

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iWriteMusic Pro SE holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 474 and 207 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of Symphony Pro's written reviews are positive against 53% of iWriteMusic Pro SE's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, iWriteMusic Pro SE every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Symphony Pro versus iWriteMusic Pro SE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSymphony ProiWriteMusic Pro SE
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating3.8 (474 ratings)4.5 (207 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.9% of reviews — better53.2% of reviews
Number of ratings474 — better207
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS13.5 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size365 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperXenon Labs, LLCiWriteMusicProject

Customer experience

Symphony Pro

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

iWriteMusic Pro SE

All ratings207 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral5.3%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews111 reviews
Positive53.2%
Neutral10.8%
Negative36.0%

User reviews

Symphony Pro

From 474 App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

iWriteMusic Pro SE

From 207 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 💡 Helpful for music writing
  • 👍 Useful for music teachers
  • 🚀 Functional free version
  • 👍 Good for small-scale composition

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🔧 Unintuitive interface
  • 🔧 Difficult to navigate
  • 🐛 Playback issues
  • 🔧 Fiddly note placement

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

iWriteMusic Pro SE

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Incorrect transposition of notes
  • Inability to save compositions
  • Overlapping/unreadable menu text
  • Freezing when trying to copy/paste
  • Inconsistent behavior when adding new measures

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more music notation options (e.g. glissando, ghost notes)
  • Improve playback to follow dynamics and expressions
  • Allow multiple key signatures in the same piece
  • Provide an undo/redo function
  • Implement a chord entry mode for guitarists

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Symphony Pro

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

iWriteMusic Pro SE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Symphony Pro free?
Symphony Pro costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is iWriteMusic Pro SE free?
iWriteMusic Pro SE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Symphony Pro or iWriteMusic Pro SE?
iWriteMusic Pro SE is rated higher. Symphony Pro averages 3.8 out of 5 from 474 ratings, while iWriteMusic Pro SE averages 4.5 from 207 ratings.
Do Symphony Pro or iWriteMusic Pro SE have ads?
Neither Symphony Pro nor iWriteMusic Pro SE shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Symphony Pro or iWriteMusic Pro SE?
Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, and iWriteMusic Pro SE every 2 weeks. Most recently, Symphony Pro was updated on November 6, 2026 and iWriteMusic Pro SE on November 6, 2026.

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