# iWriteMusic Pro SE vs Notation Pad

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iWriteMusic Pro SE at none against Notation Pad's 10. iWriteMusic Pro SE also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.3) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). Notation Pad's advantage is ratings volume (5.3K vs 207) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notation Pad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. iWriteMusic Pro SE asks for nothing beyond the download.

iWriteMusic Pro SE holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notation Pad has 5.3K ratings behind it against 207, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 53% of iWriteMusic Pro SE's written reviews are positive against 56% of Notation Pad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iWriteMusic Pro SE ships an update every 2 weeks, Notation Pad monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic Pro SE | Notation Pad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (207 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-pro-se/id490925777/reviews)** | [4.3 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 207 | **5.3K** |
| Positive reviews | 53.2% of reviews | **55.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 19 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iWriteMusicProject](https://appshunter.io/developer/393551666) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### iWriteMusic Pro SE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-pro-se/id490925777)

Create professional music notation quickly and easily. Features fast note entry, extensive notation options, and playback for practice. Turn your musical ideas into finished scores with intuitive controls.

**Highlights:** Fast note entry, Extensive notation options, Scores and individual parts, Flexible page layouts, Playback for checking and practice, Intuitive controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Helpful for music writing
- 👍 Useful for music teachers
- 🚀 Functional free version
- 👍 Good for small-scale composition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔧 Unintuitive interface
- 🔧 Difficult to navigate
- 🐛 Playback issues
- 🔧 Fiddly note placement

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect transposition of notes
- Inability to save compositions
- Overlapping/unreadable menu text
- Freezing when trying to copy/paste
- Inconsistent behavior when adding new measures

**Requested features**

- Add more music notation options (e.g. glissando, ghost notes)
- Improve playback to follow dynamics and expressions
- Allow multiple key signatures in the same piece
- Provide an undo/redo function
- Implement a chord entry mode for guitarists


### Notation Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942)

Create, edit, and play sheet music with this comprehensive notation editor. Compose original pieces, transcribe existing music, and even collaborate in real-time. Ideal for musicians of all levels, from beginners learning notes to experienced composers.

**Highlights:** Real-time collaborative editing, MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, and PDF export, High-quality playback sound, Support for up to 8 staves, Over 100 instrument sounds, Lyric editing, Multi-voice support

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Guitar Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ensemble Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Brass Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Reed Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pipe Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Strings Instrument Group | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Instruments Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extras Package | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎼 Good for basic music notation
- 🎹 Helpful for piano/keyboard players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Many features locked behind paywall
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable at times
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to desktop apps
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription popup that cannot be closed
- Instruments turning into drums unexpectedly
- Inability to delete or modify certain elements

**Requested features**

- Add more instrument options
- Improve editing capabilities
- Allow changing key signatures and time signatures without premium
- Provide better tutorials and documentation
- Fix issues with note placement and playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic Pro SE free?

iWriteMusic Pro SE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Notation Pad free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iWriteMusic Pro SE or Notation Pad?

iWriteMusic Pro SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic Pro SE averages 4.5 out of 5 from 207 ratings, while Notation Pad averages 4.3 from 5.3K ratings.

### Do iWriteMusic Pro SE or Notation Pad have ads?

Neither iWriteMusic Pro SE nor Notation Pad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iWriteMusic Pro SE or Notation Pad?

iWriteMusic Pro SE ships an update every 2 weeks, and Notation Pad monthly. Most recently, iWriteMusic Pro SE was updated on November 6, 2026 and Notation Pad on November 6, 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.*