# Music Drawing Notation vs Staventabs

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Music Drawing Notation at none against Staventabs's 3. Music Drawing Notation also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). Staventabs's advantage is review sentiment (65% vs 31%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Staventabs sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Music Drawing Notation asks for nothing beyond the download.

Music Drawing Notation ships an update every 11 months, Staventabs every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Music Drawing Notation | Staventabs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.8 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staventabs-compose-and-notate/id947545539/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **70** |
| Positive reviews | 31.4% of reviews | **64.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 16 MB | 121 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Virtual Sheet Music LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895663647) | [Ivan Korovin](https://appshunter.io/developer/937929054) |

## 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


### Staventabs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staventabs-compose-and-notate/id947545539)

Compose and edit musical scores and tablature with a user-friendly interface. Create new pieces from scratch or templates, input notes intuitively, and enhance your compositions with advanced editing tools. Practice your songs with playback and metronome features, and manage your projects seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Score and tablature editing, Intuitive note input, Virtual piano and fingerboard, Instrument previews, Playback and metronome, AI-powered scale suggestions, MIDI and MusicXML import/export

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced composing | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited projects | $10.99 | one-time |
| Additional instruments | $10.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient music notation
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🎨 Customizable chord diagrams
- 💾 Supports multiple file formats
- 🎶 Realistic instrument sounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 💰 Paywall for basic features
- 🔀 Inconsistent note/chord handling
- 🔍 Unclear documentation
- 🔊 Lagging playback

**Reported bugs**

- Imported MIDI files lose instrument assignments
- Disappearing projects after updates
- Inability to adjust note lengths in piano roll
- Metronome not audible over instrument playback

**Requested features**

- Add support for grace notes and ornaments
- Implement repeat/coda symbols
- Allow custom font and layout options
- Integrate MIDI input and output
- Improve chord recognition accuracy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Music Drawing Notation free?

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

### Is Staventabs free?

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

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

Neither Music Drawing Notation nor Staventabs shows ads.

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

Music Drawing Notation ships an update every 11 months, and Staventabs every 3 weeks. Most recently, Music Drawing Notation was updated on September 19, 2026 and Staventabs on September 13, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*