# iWriteMusic Pro SE vs Notation Scanner

The clearest difference is price: iWriteMusic Pro SE at Free against Notation Scanner's $2.99. iWriteMusic Pro SE also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.1). Notation Scanner's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks) and device support (3 vs 1). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

iWriteMusic Pro SE is free to download; Notation Scanner costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

iWriteMusic Pro SE holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 207 and 736 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of iWriteMusic Pro SE's written reviews are positive against 50% of Notation Scanner's.

iWriteMusic Pro SE ships an update every 5 weeks, Notation Scanner every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iWriteMusic Pro SE | Notation Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.5 (207 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iwritemusic-pro-se/id490925777/reviews)** | [4.1 (736 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-scanner-sheet-music/id1260311003/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 207 | **736** |
| Positive reviews | **53.2% of reviews** | 49.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 19 MB | 168 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **9.0** |
| 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 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.

**Highlights:** Intuitive user interface, Efficient input systems (One-Flick & Traditional), Professional quality sheet music, Comprehensive notation elements, Useful playback options, Export to PDF, JPG, and MIDI

**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 Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-scanner-sheet-music/id1260311003)

This app allows users to scan and recognize sheet music using their device's camera or existing images. It functions as a sheet music reader and player, supporting over 100 instruments and offering playback controls. Users can also export their recognized scores in various formats.

**Highlights:** Scan sheet music via camera or image library, Recognize and playback music scores, Support for over 100 instruments, Adjust tempo and voice parts, Export as MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, PDF

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for learning and practicing music
- 🚀 Works well when the sheet music is clear
- 💡 Useful for choir and band members

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Struggles to recognize complex or low-quality sheet music
- 🔒 Forces users to leave 5-star reviews to unlock features
- 🔋 Slow scanning and processing times

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot recognize any photos or scans of sheet music
- Playback skips notes and has timing issues
- App crashes frequently when trying to scan music

**Requested features**

- Allow users to manually correct scanned music
- Improve recognition accuracy for different sheet music styles
- Add more instrument options beyond just piano


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iWriteMusic Pro SE free?

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

### Is Notation Scanner free?

Notation Scanner costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

iWriteMusic Pro SE is rated higher. iWriteMusic Pro SE averages 4.5 out of 5 from 207 ratings, while Notation Scanner averages 4.1 from 736 ratings.

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

Neither iWriteMusic Pro SE nor Notation Scanner shows ads.

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

iWriteMusic Pro SE ships an update every 5 weeks, and Notation Scanner every 2 weeks. Most recently, iWriteMusic Pro SE was updated on October 19, 2026 and Notation Scanner on October 22, 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.*