# The Strad vs Henle Library

The clearest difference is rating: The Strad at 4.3 against Henle Library's 2.9. The Strad also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 34%). Henle Library's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Strad sells 24 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 3 months and Henle Library sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Strad holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 37 and 91 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of The Strad's written reviews are positive against 34% of Henle Library's.

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, Henle Library every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Strad | Henle Library |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633/reviews)** | [2.9 (91 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henle-library/id1021283948/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 37 | **91** |
| Positive reviews | **52.0% of reviews** | 34.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Newsquest Specialist Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/511856637) | [Guenter Henle Verlag](https://appshunter.io/developer/1416460395) |

## What reviewers say

### The Strad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633)

Access the world's leading string music magazine, featuring interviews, in-depth articles on instruments, and masterclass sheet music. Explore the latest news, commentary, and analysis for makers, musicians, and teachers.

**Highlights:** Interviews with star string players, In-depth articles on instruments, Masterclass sheet music section, News, comment, and analysis, Exclusive videos and audio clips, Interactive links

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

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Strad | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| The Strad | $59.99 | per year |
| June 2012 (id:736861) | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2012 (id:736003) | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 2013 and De... (id:738002) | $4.99 | one-time |
| February 2014 (id:738506) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2013 (id:736381) | $4.99 | one-time |
| November 2013 (id:735750) | $4.99 | one-time |
| March 2016 (id:738737) | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 2020 And De... (id:771419) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2017 (id:757689) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2024 (pp:1024896) | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2019 an... (id:762634) | $4.99 | one-time |
| April 2016 (id:745918) | $4.99 | one-time |
| July 2017 (id:757679) | $4.99 | one-time |
| November 2017 (id:757687) | $4.99 | one-time |
| February 2019 (id:766008) | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2020 (id:771411) | $4.99 | one-time |
| October 2018 (id:762640) | $4.99 | one-time |
| July 2024 (pp:1024926) | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2025 a... (pp:1110854) | $5.99 | one-time |
| The Strad Magazine 2 back issue bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Great Instruments (id:810171) | $14.99 | one-time |
| The Strad | $179.99 | one-time |


### Henle Library

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/henle-library/id1021283948)

Access high-quality digital Urtext editions of classical music scores on your tablet. Practice, rehearse, and perform with a range of interactive features designed for musicians of all levels. Enjoy annotations, metronome, playback, and more.

**Highlights:** Digital Urtext editions, Customizable score purchases, Print and export PDFs, Score modification and annotations, Metronome and recording, Part and score switching, Explanatory notes access

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 22 Credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| 55 Credits | $5.99 | one-time |
| 100 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| 200 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| 300 Credits | $29.99 | one-time |
| 500 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| 1000 Credits | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 High-quality Henle urtext editions
- ✏️ Annotation and marking capabilities
- 🎵 Beautiful score formatting and rendering
- 🎚️ Customizable spacing and sizing options
- 🎹 Multiple fingering/bowing variants available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Annotations frequently disappear or get lost
- ✏️ Eraser function unreliable and non-intuitive
- 🖊️ Apple Pencil annotation tools difficult to use
- 📖 Multi-movement scores split into individual pieces
- 🖨️ Poor print quality with severe aliasing

**Reported bugs**

- Annotations deleted after app updates or restarts
- Eraser function fails to remove marks consistently
- Marks don't record when crossing between staff lines
- App crashes when opening purchased scores
- Purchased scores disappear from library

**Requested features**

- Undo/redo functionality for annotations
- Ability to print entire multi-movement pieces together
- Half-page turning option for performers
- Playlist or collection grouping system
- Individual score parts (not just full scores)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Strad free?

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

### Is Henle Library free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Strad or Henle Library?

The Strad is rated higher. The Strad averages 4.3 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while Henle Library averages 2.9 from 91 ratings.

### Do The Strad or Henle Library have ads?

Neither The Strad nor Henle Library shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Strad or Henle Library?

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, and Henle Library every 2 months. Most recently, The Strad was updated on September 26, 2026 and Henle Library on September 26, 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.*