Comparison

Notion vs Autograph Notation

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

Autograph Notation

Features
Read full description

Autograph turns handwriting into engraved music notation. Write a note with Apple Pencil and it becomes a properly engraved note right where you wrote it: on the staff, at the right pitch, in the right place in the bar. WRITE THE WAY YOU THINK • Handwrite notes, rests and more with Apple Pencil • Or tap to place notes, type with the number keys, or play them in from a MIDI keyboard. Every method makes the same edits. • Pencil writes, finger scrolls and zooms, so the page never gets in your way NOTATION THAT LOOKS PUBLISHED • Engraved with the Bravura music font • Automatic beaming, spacing, accidentals and page layout • Multiple voices, chords, ties, slurs, tuplets, grace notes and rolled chords • Time and key signatures, clefs, dynamics, articulations and repeats • Lyrics, including multiple verses, and chord symbols • Piano and multi-staff scores HEAR IT AND SHARE IT • Play your score back and follow along bar by bar • Export to PDF for printing • Import and export MusicXML and MEI, to work with other notation software PAY ONCE Autograph is free to download. Every feature is unlocked for 28 days. After that, a single one-time purchase keeps editing unlocked for good, with no subscription. Reading, playback and export stay free forever, so your scores are never locked away. Autograph works on iPad, and supports the first-generation Apple Pencil.

Screenshots

Notion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Autograph Notation at every 2 days against Notion's every 6 weeks. Notion's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15 vs 17.0). On price, 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 Autograph Notation sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notion ships an update every 6 weeks, Autograph Notation every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Notion versus Autograph Notation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotionAutograph Notation
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.1 (70 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews42.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings70 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPad, Mac
Requires iOS15 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size146 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFender DigitalTimothy Williams

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

Autograph Notation

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notion

One-time1
  • Feature Bundle$14.99
1 purchases

Autograph Notation

One-time1
  • Unlock Editing$29.99

Questions

Is Notion free?
Notion is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Autograph Notation free?
Autograph Notation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Notion or Autograph Notation have ads?
Neither Notion nor Autograph Notation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Notion or Autograph Notation?
Notion ships an update every 6 weeks, and Autograph Notation every 2 days. Most recently, Notion was updated on November 9, 2026 and Autograph Notation on November 6, 2026.

Other comparisons