# iWriteMusic Pro vs Dorico

iWriteMusic Pro and Dorico both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of iWriteMusic Pro's written reviews are positive against 55% of Dorico's. Dorico's advantage is ratings volume (2.3K vs 533). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iWriteMusic Pro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for iWriteMusic Pro against 4.6 for Dorico. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 533 and 2.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of iWriteMusic Pro's written reviews are positive against 55% of Dorico's.

iWriteMusic Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, Dorico every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic Pro | Dorico |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (533 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-pro/id466261478/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 533 | **2.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **74.9% of reviews** | 55.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 975 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) |

## What reviewers say

### iWriteMusic Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-pro/id466261478)

Create beautiful, professional-quality sheet music with an intuitive interface. This app offers efficient input systems, comprehensive notation tools, and useful playback options for musicians of all levels. Easily share your compositions as PDFs, JPGs, or MIDI files.

**Highlights:** Intuitive and simple user interface, Efficient One-Flick and Traditional Entry Systems, Professional quality sheet music creation, Comprehensive notation element support, Useful playback options with mixer, Export to PDF, JPG, and MIDI, Easy score and parts management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced File Management | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Useful features for composing and arranging
- 👍 Good value for the price
- 🚀 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Stability issues after updates
- 🐛 Unreliable playback and MIDI export
- 🔒 Lack of file management options
- 💡 Limited notation options (e.g. dynamics, articulations)

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save or export files after iOS 7 update
- Crashing when editing certain notation elements
- Playback issues with repeat signs and tempo changes

**Requested features**

- MusicXML import/export support
- Ability to change note sizes and fonts
- More time signature options
- Improved copy/paste functionality
- Folder organization for saved files


### Dorico

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090)

Create professional music notation and compositions with this powerful app. Easily input notes, edit performances, and share your work in various formats. It's suitable for beginners and professionals alike.

**Highlights:** Compose music notation, On-screen keyboard, drum pads, fretboard, MIDI editing tools, PDF, audio, MusicXML export, Print to AirPrint, Read mode with annotation, Automatic engraving

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dorico Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Dorico Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Dorico Lifetime Unlock | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and full-featured notation app on iPad
- 👍 Seamless integration with desktop version
- 🚀 Efficient workflow with keyboard shortcuts
- 👍 Impressive engraving and layout capabilities
- 🚀 Comprehensive feature set for composing and arranging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription-only model, no option to purchase outright
- 🐛 Glitchy touch/scroll functionality
- 🐛 Inability to delete clefs or access certain settings
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on older iPad models

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening or editing projects
- Corrupted/lost files after app crashes
- Unresponsive keyboard and note input issues
- Scrolling and UI glitches, especially in Engrave mode
- Incompatibility with certain iPad models and iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Support for Apple Pencil and handwriting input
- Improved file management and organization
- Expanded audio unit/plugin integration
- More customization options for layout and engraving
- Ability to export/import flows and projects between iPad and desktop


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic Pro free?

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

### Is Dorico free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iWriteMusic Pro or Dorico?

iWriteMusic Pro is rated higher. iWriteMusic Pro averages 4.7 out of 5 from 533 ratings, while Dorico averages 4.6 from 2.3K ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic Pro or Dorico have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic Pro nor Dorico shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic Pro or Dorico?

iWriteMusic Pro ships an update every 2 weeks, and Dorico every 3 weeks. Most recently, iWriteMusic Pro was updated on November 6, 2026 and Dorico on November 8, 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.*