# Music Drawing Notation vs PianoGato

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Music Drawing Notation at none against PianoGato's 1. PianoGato's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 11 months) and review sentiment (50% vs 31%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PianoGato sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Music Drawing Notation asks for nothing beyond the download.

Music Drawing Notation ships an update every 11 months, PianoGato every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Music Drawing Notation | PianoGato |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pianogato/id523376496/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | 31.4% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Virtual Sheet Music LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895663647) | [Tanadium Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/523376499) |

## What reviewers say

### Music Drawing Notation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/music-drawing-notation/id462760600)

Easily compose music on a staff using your finger. Add notes, chords, rests, sharps, and flats. Save your creations and export them as MIDI or MP3 files via email.

**Highlights:** Draw notes on music staff, Move and edit notes, Change note duration, Add sharps, flats, and chords, Save and archive compositions, Export as MIDI or MP3

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### PianoGato

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pianogato/id523376496)

Compose and play back your piano music with standard notation. This app offers basic composition tools for free, with an optional upgrade for advanced features. Share your creations and learn music symbols.

**Highlights:** Compose music using standard notation, Playback compositions, Adjust playback settings, Create playlists, Export as Lilypond source files, Share compositions

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PianoGato Composer Extras Package | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Music Drawing Notation free?

Music Drawing Notation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PianoGato free?

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

### Do Music Drawing Notation or PianoGato have ads?

Neither Music Drawing Notation nor PianoGato shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Music Drawing Notation or PianoGato?

Music Drawing Notation ships an update every 11 months, and PianoGato every 5 weeks. Most recently, Music Drawing Notation was updated on October 18, 2026 and PianoGato on October 11, 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.*