# The Strad vs digitalScore

The clearest difference is update cadence: digitalScore at every 9 days against The Strad's every 7 months. digitalScore also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (621 vs 38). The Strad's advantage is review sentiment (52% vs 44%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 digitalScore sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

digitalScore holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: digitalScore has 621 ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of The Strad's written reviews are positive against 44% of digitalScore's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, digitalScore every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Strad | digitalScore |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633/reviews) | **[4.6 (621 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digitalscore-sheet-music-pdf/id1451089655/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **621** |
| Positive reviews | **52.0% of reviews** | 43.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 249 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Newsquest Specialist Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/511856637) | [Symphonic Hub Sociedad Limitada](https://appshunter.io/developer/495844311) |

## 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 |


### digitalScore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digitalscore-sheet-music-pdf/id1451089655)

This app is a comprehensive digital music studio designed for musicians. It offers advanced library management, performance-ready reading features, and editable annotations. Practice tools, collaboration features, and a large catalog of public domain music are also included.

**Highlights:** Visual library management with custom folders, Performance-ready reading with hands-free page turns, Editable annotations with smart eraser, Practice tools including metronome and recorder, Collaboration and sync across devices, Access to public domain classical music

**Features:** Family Sharing, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sheet Music Premium, Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| 1-year Premium (Discount) | $9.99 | per year |
| Music Stand Premium, Yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| Upgrade to PRO with Discount | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pro Upgrade - Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Pro | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Innovative facial gesture page turning feature
- 📱 Works well on iPad with good performance
- 🎵 Excellent for digitizing physical sheet music
- ⚡ Faster and more responsive than competitors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 💰 Heavy paywall restricting basic features
- 📧 Non-responsive customer support
- 🔧 Buggy and unstable overall performance
- ❌ Data loss issues with scores disappearing

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when editing and arranging pages
- Annotations disappear when moving between layers
- Scores randomly disappear without recovery option
- PDF import fails or requires multiple attempts
- Renamed files revert to 'droppedScore'

**Requested features**

- Dark mode or adjustable brightness settings
- Android version availability
- Bluetooth page turning device support
- Replace/overwrite feature for duplicate imports
- Reorderable playlists


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Strad free?

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

### Is digitalScore free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Strad or digitalScore?

digitalScore is rated higher. The Strad averages 4.3 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while digitalScore averages 4.6 from 621 ratings.

### Do The Strad or digitalScore have ads?

Neither The Strad nor digitalScore shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Strad or digitalScore?

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, and digitalScore every 9 days. Most recently, The Strad was updated on October 29, 2026 and digitalScore on October 27, 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.*