Comparison

Notion vs Composer Pro

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Notion

Create dynamic musical compositions using traditional notation or guitar tablature. This app offers an intuitive touch-based interface, realistic playback with orchestral samples, and cross-platform syncing. Share or export your creations in various formats.

Highlights
  • Traditional musical notation
  • Guitar tablature
  • Intuitive touch interface
  • Realistic audio playback
  • Cross-platform syncing
  • Multiple export formats
Features
Read full description

With over 15 years in the App Store, Notion is a free, award-winning music composition tool for iOS, iPadOS, macOS and more! You’ll effortlessly create dynamic compositions in traditional musical notation or guitar tablature with its intuitive touch-based interface and incredibly broad editing capabilities. With a user-friendly interface and simple interactive piano keyboard, fretboard, drum pad, and even optional Handwriting Recognition, Notion makes it easy to get started composing your music. You can also hear your music performed with the most realistic playback possible, using real audio samples recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. Notion is a native cross-platform app, meaning you can write anywhere on any device without requiring a constant Internet connection. And when you’re back online, you’ll be able to sync your work across multiple devices through your preferred cloud provider. Start your work on one device and finish it on another. Once you are happy with your creation you can share the Notion file, or export as MIDI, MusicXML, PDF or as an audio file. You can even optionally transmit scores across a network with other instances of Notion, or between Notion and the Fender Studio Pro DAW. Compose, edit, and play back your music performed with real piano and orchestral samples recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios — along with outstanding sampled guitar, bass, drums and other popular instruments. And when you’re ready for more sounds, you’ll find the extensive library of Notion Add-on Soundsets to purchase as part of the Feature Bundle. To save space, the initial app download contains just piano — you can then manage which of the bundled Soundsets to have on your device or keep in the cloud, just tap on Sound Installation. Notion has been featured in various Apple campaigns including the Apple YourVerse television commercials, and has won several awards including a prestigious music industry NAMM TEC Award for Best Smartphone/Tablet App. What you get: Notion includes unlimited staves, comprehensive editing features and core orchestral and rhythm section Soundsets — all for free. You can optionally register (also for free!) to unlock an additional Soundset (containing Solo Strings, Classical Saxophones and Glockenspiel), and the multivoice function that allows writing in up to 4 voices per staff. Then for the full experience, either sign in with your Fender Studio Pro+ membership or purchase the Notion Feature Bundle. This unlocks Handwriting Recognition, Layout Controls, all the Expansion Soundsets (including many auxiliary instruments and additional articulations and effects), additional audio export formats (m4a, OPUS, FLAC), and direct score transfer with Notion and Fender Studio Pro running on the same network. Free: Unlimited staves All editing features Core Soundsets Export as MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML, MIDI, PDF, wav, mp3 Welcome Pack (register for free): Soundset including Solo Strings, Glockenspiel, Classical Saxophones Additionally write for voices 3 and 4 in a single staff Feature Bundle (in-app purchase or sign in with Fender Studio Pro+): Handwriting Recognition, powered by MyScript Available on iPhone, iPad and macOS (macOS with supporting graphics tablet or using Sidecar with compatible iPad) Automatic pen vs. finger recognition to switch between handwriting and edit mode Pressure-sensitive support for Apple Pencil Adjustable timer for Handwriting Recognition Override handwriting timer by double tapping Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) Layout Control All Expansion Soundsets Additional audio export formats (m4a, OPUS, FLAC) Transmit scores across a network with other instances of Notion, or between Notion and Fender Studio Pro

About

Composer Pro

Compose music scores with ease using a familiar keyboard layout. This app supports multiple parts, a wide range of instruments, and various musical symbols, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced musicians.

Highlights
  • Keyboard-style note input
  • Support for up to 8 parts
  • Over 100 instruments
  • Variety of music symbols
  • Configurable parts and settings
  • Instrument transposition
  • Export without watermark
Features
Read full description

A handy sheet music writer app, make writing sheet music feels like typing notes. Tap on the keys with notation in a familiar keyboard layout. Provide a very easy way to compose music score. Support up to 8 parts, over 100 instruments, variety of music symbols and notations. It is very friendly for rookies while professional enough for experts. --------------------------------- UNLIMITED ACCESS SUBSCRIPTION - Support up to 8 parts - Config parts(add, delete, reorder) - Change key for each part - Change beat type and tempo - Config clef for each staff - Config sound for each part - No watermark image export - No Ads - Support 2nd voice part - Transpose instruments - Change keyboard size - Import data file - Unlock all 100+ instruments - The subscriptions are $9.99 monthly and $49.99 yearly with free trial - Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that service, where applicable - Terms of use: https://service.notationpad.com/terms_service.html

Screenshots

Notion4 screens
Composer Pro4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Composer Pro at 4.5 against Notion's 3.1. Composer Pro also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 42%) and ratings volume (700 vs 71). Notion's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Notion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Composer Pro sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Composer Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Composer Pro has 700 ratings behind it against 71, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Notion's written reviews are positive against 72% of Composer Pro's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notion ships an update every 6 weeks, Composer Pro every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Notion versus Composer Pro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotionComposer Pro
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (71 ratings)4.5 (700 ratings) — better
Positive reviews42.2% of reviews71.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings71700 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS1515.0
Further details — not scored
Size146 MB161 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFender Digital嵩 张

Customer experience

Notion

All ratings68 ratings
Positive45.6%
Neutral11.8%
Negative42.6%
Written reviews510 reviews
Positive42.2%
Neutral16.1%
Negative41.8%

Composer Pro

All ratings685 ratings
Positive86.4%
Neutral5.5%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews260 reviews
Positive71.5%
Neutral7.7%
Negative20.8%

User reviews

Notion

From 71 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🎨 Great sound quality and instrument samples
  • 💡 Handwriting recognition feature
  • 🔗 Seamless integration with desktop version
  • 👍 Useful for composing on the go

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • 🔀 Inconsistent and buggy note/chord entry
  • 💸 Expensive in-app purchases for full functionality
  • 🤔 Unintuitive interface and steep learning curve
  • 🔍 Poor documentation and support

Composer Pro

From 700 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🎼 Helpful for composing music
  • 🎹 Good for beginners
  • 💡 Allows creating sheet music

Room to improve

  • 💰 Subscription model too expensive
  • 🔒 Limited features in free version
  • 📢 Too many ads
  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 🔒 Forced to pay for basic functionality

Bugs and requests

Notion

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inability to change key signatures mid-piece
  • Incorrect transposition of notes and chords
  • Text formatting and positioning issues
  • Unreliable MIDI file import/export
  • Playback distortion and timing issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to customize note beaming and stem direction
  • Option to display note letter names
  • Improved handwriting recognition for complex rhythms
  • Folder organization for better file management
  • Keyboard shortcuts for power users

Composer Pro

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Notes sometimes placed incorrectly
  • Measures and compositions randomly deleted
  • Inability to restore deleted content

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more instruments beyond piano
  • Allow changing time signatures and key signatures without subscription
  • Improve note editing and placement
  • Add export options to save/share compositions
  • Provide more music notation tools and dynamics

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notion

One-time1
  • Feature Bundle$14.99
4 purchases

Composer Pro

Subscriptions4
  • Unlimited Access$6.997 Days
  • Pro Access$9.991 Month
  • Pro Access$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Pro Access7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Notion free?
Notion is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Composer Pro free?
Composer Pro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notion or Composer Pro?
Composer Pro is rated higher. Notion averages 3.1 out of 5 from 71 ratings, while Composer Pro averages 4.5 from 700 ratings.
Do Notion or Composer Pro have ads?
Neither Notion nor Composer Pro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notion or Composer Pro?
Notion ships an update every 6 weeks, and Composer Pro every 2 months. Most recently, Notion was updated on November 10, 2026 and Composer Pro on November 11, 2026.

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