The Strad vs Metronaut Sheet Music
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Strad
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.
- 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
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The Strad is the most authoritative and influential string music magazine, read by makers, musicians and teachers since 1890. Every month it brings you the latest news, commentary and analysis, in-depth articles, interviews with star string players and retrospectives on great musicians of the past, masterclass sheet music section and much more. It is essential reading for anyone in the string music world. Subscribe today and get: • Interviews with star string players and retrospectives on the great musicians of the past • In-depth articles examining important and unusual instruments by master makers • Reports on the latest advances in science and technology, by leading contemporary luthiers • Trade Secrets contemporary luthiers share their innovative techniques for parts of the making process • In Focus: articles examining important and unusual instruments by master makes of the past • Making Matters: contemporary makers examine themes relevant to instrument and bow making today • Meet your Maker: players and makers give accounts of the commissioning process and its results • Masterclass sheet music section with commentary and annotations by international concert artists • News, comment and analysis from the string music world • Supplements including Cremona 2017, String Courses 2017, Degrees 2018 and Accessories 2017 Subscribe to the digital issue today: - Try before you buy with our FREE 30-DAY TRIAL available exclusively for Apple users. - Enjoy exclusive VIDEOS, AUDIO CLIPS and INTERACTIVE LINKS. - Download your issues INSTANTLY - Exclusive subscriber only SUPPLEMENTS ---------------------------------------------- This is a free app download. Within the app users can purchase the current issue and back issues. Subscriptions are also available within the application. A subscription will start from the latest regular issue at the time of purchase. -The subscription will renew automatically unless cancelled more than 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for the product. -You may turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions through your Account Settings, however you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period. -Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased. -If a subscription offers a free trial, at the end of the trial period, you will be charged the full price of the subscription. You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription settings on your iTunes account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Users can register for/ login to a pocketmags account in-app. This will protect their issues in the case of a lost device and allow browsing of purchases on multiple platforms. Existing pocketmags users can retrieve their purchases by logging into their account. We recommend loading the app for the first time in a wi-fi area so that all issue data is retrieved. If your app will not load past the splash page after a first install or an update, please delete and reinstall the app from the App Store Help and frequently asked questions can be accessed in-app and on pocketmags. If you have any problems at all please do not hesitate to contact us: help@pocketmags.com -------------------- You can find our privacy policy here: http://www.pocketmags.com/privacy.aspx You can find our terms and conditions here: http://www.pocketmags.com/terms.aspx
Metronaut Sheet Music
This app provides a vast library of sheet music and backing tracks for various instruments and skill levels. It offers features like automatic scrolling, tempo adjustment, and annotation to enhance practice sessions. Users can also record and share their performances.
- Thousands of sheet music and backing tracks
- Play-along with professional recordings
- Automatic music sheet scroll
- Adjustable accompaniment tempo
- Magic Mode for real-time tempo adaptation
- Annotate and print music sheets
- Loop and metronome for difficult sections
- Automatic transposition for different instruments
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#1 Intelligent Music Practice Tool — trusted by ABRSM, Buffet Crampon and Pleyel, and millions of practicing musicians and teachers worldwide. Play, teach and progress, in lessons or at home. Metronaut combines interactive sheet music, professional accompaniments and AI Feedback that listens to your playing. Rooted in research at IRCAM in Paris, Metronaut brings technology used in performances with leading orchestras worldwide to your everyday practice. YOUR INSTRUMENT, YOUR SCORE Explore over 20,000 high-quality sheet music titles, with new repertoire added regularly. Play pieces written for other instruments, too. Metronaut automatically adapts the sheet music to your instrument’s clef and range. Adjust the key, octave, clef or tuning reference; the accompaniment adapts while preserving its sound quality. HEAR WHAT TO IMPROVE WITH AI Feedback See how accurately you play, directly on your sheet music. Get instant visual feedback on pitch and rhythm, a performance rating from 0 to 100, and XP to track your progress. AI Feedback works with every piece and instrument, including acoustic piano and guitar. Use your microphone or connect a digital MIDI instrument. Get feedback even while playing along with accompaniment — no headphones needed. FOUR MODES, YOUR WAY TO PRACTICE • Listen — Get to know the piece and hear your part before you play. • Sight-read — Take your time. The cursor advances when you play the right note or chord, without accompaniment. • Practice — Build accuracy at a steady tempo, with accompaniment when available. Start slowly and increase the speed as you improve. • Interpret (AI Tempo) — Accompaniment that follows your lead, adapting to your tempo in real time for expressive phrasing. Use AI Feedback alongside Sight-read, Practice or Interpret (AI Tempo). RECORD AND REPLAY WITH YOUR SHEET MUSIC Record audio or video and replay your performance in sync with your sheet music. Teachers can assign pieces and playlists, then exchange recordings privately with students between lessons. Share your performances with the Metronaut community, too. TOOLS TO MAKE EVERY SESSION COUNT • Practice offline with downloaded pieces, even without an internet connection. • Repeat difficult passages with loops and a metronome. • Add annotations, highlights and musical markings. • Tune your instrument with the built-in tuner. • Stay in sync with automatic Bluetooth audio delay compensation. • Read comfortably with zoom, scrolling and page-turn options. • Print sheet music where available. • Practice piano one hand at a time on supported pieces, while Metronaut plays the other. MUSIC FOR EVERY STAGE Explore classical, pop, jazz and film music, alongside exercises, methods and études, with pieces and arrangements from beginner to expert. Find music for piano, violin, cello, guitar, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, viola, voice and many other instruments. Enjoy solo pieces and accompaniments recorded by professional musicians, from piano to full orchestra. METRONAUT PREMIUM Download the app, browse the catalog and listen to previews for free. Premium unlocks the full library, professional accompaniments and smart practice tools. Choose a monthly or annual subscription. Eligible users can try the annual plan free for 7 days. Plans and prices are shown in the app and may vary by region. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase or when the free trial ends. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Renewal is charged within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account subscription settings. Any unused trial period is forfeited when you purchase a subscription, where applicable. Help: https://community.metronautapp.com/ Terms: https://www.metronautapp.com/eula/ Privacy: https://www.metronautapp.com/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: The Strad at free with in-app purchases against Metronaut Sheet Music's subscription. The Strad also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). Metronaut Sheet Music's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 38). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. The Strad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 3 months and Metronaut Sheet Music sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $20.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for The Strad against 4.4 for Metronaut Sheet Music. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Metronaut Sheet Music has 1.2K ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of The Strad's written reviews are positive against 60% of Metronaut Sheet Music's.
The Strad ships an update every 7 months, Metronaut Sheet Music every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Strad | Metronaut Sheet Music |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (38 ratings) | 4.4 (1.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | 59.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 38 | 1.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 171 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Newsquest Specialist Media Limited | Antescofo |
Customer experience
The Strad
Metronaut Sheet Music
Bugs and requests
The Strad
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Metronaut Sheet Music
Reported bugs
4 issues- Accompaniment not in sync with solo
- Metronome issues
- Crashes on certain devices
- Subscription issues and billing problems
Requested features
5 requests- Add more instrument options
- Improve search and browsing
- Offer a one-time purchase option
- Implement better syncing across devices
- Add more advanced classical repertoire
In-app purchases
The Strad
- The Strad1 Month trial$14.993 Months
- The Strad1 Month trial$59.991 Year
- June 2012 (id:736861)$4.99
- September 2012 (id:736003)$4.99
- May 2013 and De... (id:738002)$4.99
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- February 2014 (id:738506)$4.99
- December 2013 (id:736381)$4.99
- November 2013 (id:735750)$4.99
- March 2016 (id:738737)$4.99
- The Strad Magazine 2 back issue bundle$7.99
Metronaut Sheet Music
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$20.001 Month
- Monthly Subscription$47.991 Month
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$47.991 Month
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- Yearly Subscription$49.491 Year
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$49.491 Year
- Yearly Subscription$59.001 Year
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$99.001 Year
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$200.001 Year
- Piece$4.99
Questions
Is The Strad free?
Is Metronaut Sheet Music free?
Which has better reviews, The Strad or Metronaut Sheet Music?
Do The Strad or Metronaut Sheet Music have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Strad or Metronaut Sheet Music?
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