# The Strad vs Metronaut Sheet Music

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Strad | Metronaut Sheet Music |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633/reviews) | **[4.4 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metronaut-sheet-music/id1202148484/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | **59.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 21 MB | 171 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Newsquest Specialist Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/511856637) | [Antescofo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1183041911) |

## 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 (10)**

| 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 |
| The Strad Magazine 2 back issue bundle | $7.99 | one-time |


### Metronaut Sheet Music

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metronaut-sheet-music/id1202148484)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, SharePlay, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $20.00 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $47.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $47.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.49 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.49 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $59.00 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $99.00 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $200.00 | per year |
| Piece | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great practice tool
- 👍 Helpful for learning music
- 🎶 Variety of classical pieces
- 🎧 High-quality accompaniment
- ⏱️ Adjustable tempo and key

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model is expensive
- 🔒 Limited free content
- 🔍 Frustrating search/discovery
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🎻 Lacking instrument-specific content

**Reported bugs**

- Accompaniment not in sync with solo
- Metronome issues
- Crashes on certain devices
- Subscription issues and billing problems

**Requested features**

- Add more instrument options
- Improve search and browsing
- Offer a one-time purchase option
- Implement better syncing across devices
- Add more advanced classical repertoire


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Strad free?

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

### Is Metronaut Sheet Music free?

Metronaut Sheet Music is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Strad or Metronaut Sheet Music?

Metronaut Sheet Music is rated higher. The Strad averages 4.3 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Metronaut Sheet Music averages 4.4 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do The Strad or Metronaut Sheet Music have ads?

Neither The Strad nor Metronaut Sheet Music shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Strad or Metronaut Sheet Music?

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, and Metronaut Sheet Music every 4 days. Most recently, The Strad was updated on November 10, 2026 and Metronaut Sheet Music on November 11, 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.*