Comparison

Reflow vs TEFpad

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Reflow

Create, edit, and share musical scores and guitar tablature. Supports multiple instruments, realistic playback, and import/export of various file formats. Ideal for songwriters and musicians looking to compose and practice.

Highlights
  • Tablature and notation editor
  • Import Guitar Pro and MIDI files
  • Realistic instrument playback
  • Instant web sharing
  • Multi-track scores
  • Chord diagrams
  • Edit while playing
Features
Read full description

Reflow is a tablature and notation editor for guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals. Write tabs, compose songs, import Guitar Pro and MIDI files, and hear everything played back with realistic instruments. Trusted by thousands of musicians for over a decade. Instant Web Share - Share any score as a web link — one tap, no account needed - Recipients get a full interactive player with audio playback and cursor tracking - Speed control and loop markers in the web player - Links expire after 7 days Import Your Files - Open Guitar Pro 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 files (.gp, .gp5) - Import Standard MIDI files with track mapping and quantization controls - Import MusicXML files - Access thousands of tabs shared online Tablature & Notation - Guitar, bass, banjo, ukulele, and any stringed instrument - Bends, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, harmonics, and all standard techniques - Lyrics with auto-advance — press Space or Hyphen to chain syllables across beats - Standard notation stays in sync above the tab staff - Custom tuning support Virtual Instruments - Interactive piano keyboard — tap to enter or preview notes - Interactive fretboard — see note names, tap to enter notes - Scale overlay — display any scale on the keyboard or fretboard Drum Notation - Full drum kit mapping on a standard percussion staff - Custom drum mapping editor — assign any MIDI note to any staff position - Enter beats with keyboard shortcuts, numeric keypad, or tap input Chord Diagrams - Built-in library with 89 chord types and voicings - Add diagrams above any beat - Chord names display automatically Multi-Track Scores - Combine guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals in one score - Solo, mute, and adjust volume and pan per track - Realistic instrument sounds across 128 instruments - Rack view with per-track controls and custom track colors Edit While It Plays - Edit your score during playback — hear changes in real time - Add notes, adjust dynamics, switch instruments without stopping Audio & Practice - High-quality instrument sounds with instant playback - Loop / A-B repeat — drag markers to loop any section - Adjustable playback speed from 0.25x to 2x - Metronome, precount, and playback tracking - MIDI input from external controllers View Modes - Continuous vertical scroll — modern reading experience - Page view with Fit Page Width - Free zoom and horizontal scroll Export & Share - Instant Web Share — temporary web link with interactive player - Export to MusicXML, GP5, GP7, MIDI, WAV, M4A, and PDF - Open your scores in Dorico, Sibelius, MuseScore, or Finale - Print your scores directly - Bundled sample songs to explore and learn from Keyboard Shortcuts - Full keyboard support on Mac and iPad with hardware keyboard - Works on all keyboard layouts — AZERTY, QWERTZ, and more Privacy First - All data stored locally on your device - iCloud backup and sync - No account, no login, no tracking - Works fully offline One-Time Purchase - Free to try — all features available in evaluation mode - Evaluation watermark and 10-measure export limit - Purchase once to remove the watermark and unlock full exports Download Reflow and start creating music today.

About

TEFpad

This app is a tablature editor for iOS devices that allows users to open, display, print, and play TablEdit files. It supports importing various music file formats and offers editing capabilities for creating new arrangements or modifying existing ones. Advanced features and unlimited saving are available through an in-app purchase.

Highlights
  • Import various music file formats
  • Create new tablature arrangements
  • Edit and save tablature files
  • Display tablature and standard notation
  • MIDI playback with real-time control
  • Export to PDF, ABC, MIDI, WAV, and Music XML
Features
Read full description

TEFpad is a tablature editor designed for the iPad that implements most features available in the TablEdit desktop program. It is also compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch. Just like TEFview for iOS, our free file viewer, TEFpad opens, displays, prints and plays all TablEdit files (.tef format). It imports as well many types of music files (ASCII tablatures, ABC files, MusicXML, MIDI, Guitar Pro, PowerTab...). In addition to this, TEFpad opens TabRite files and lets you create new tablature arrangements from scratch. The files you have created on your device with TEFpad can be edited and saved without any limitation. Warning: You can edit files not created with TEFpad or imported into TEFpad, but only the first 16 measures can be saved. Likewise the app does not allow copying the contents of one of these files into another .tef file. To get rid of these limitations, you can upgrade to TEFpad Pro (available as an In-App purchase). The .tef files saved with TEFpad can be opened and modified in the TablEdit desktop program that offers advanced capabilities not completely available in TEFpad. Please submit your suggestions and bug reports to http://www.tabledit.com/contact/feedback/ Specifications: - Open/Import TablEdit, ASCII, ABC, MIDI, Music XML, PowerTab, TABrite and GuitarPro files - Optical recognition of tablatures and scores (PDF or image) - Extracts TablEdit files contained in a zip archive - Display tablature and/or standard notation - English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Chinese and Italian language support - Embedded Help (tap the info button in the top-right corner of the screen) - File manager with subdirectory management - Email files as attachment - PDF export. The PDF can be emailed or opened in a third party app - iTunes file sharing - WIFI file sharing - Integration with the Files app - MIDI Playback with full real time control (speed, pitch, volume and MIDI instrument) - Metronome and count down settings - Ability to change the soundfont and to access all the presets - Playlist - Customize background color for screen, special keyboard, palettes, - Print to an Air Printer - ABC, MIDI, ASCII, WAV file, Music XML export - Time and Key signature setup along with a transpose feature - Measures management (Add/Delete/Copy/Move/Pick-up measure) - Instrument setup (String number, Tuning, Capo, Clef...) - Quantize notes (after a MIDI import) - Enter notes and rests in the tablature or standard notation - Edit notes (duration, velocity, special effect, staccato...) - Create chord diagrams - Insert text, tempo changes, pick strokes and fingerings and format them - Create and edit lyrics - Reading guides (repeats and endings) - Fingerboard or keyboard view - External keyboard support - Support for Page turners - Print options dialog - Support drum tabs and pedal steel guitar tabs - Simple grace note management - iPad Pro support

Screenshots

Reflow4 screens
TEFpad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Reflow at Free against TEFpad's $5.99. Reflow also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months). TEFpad's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.5) and review sentiment (64% vs 45%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Reflow is free to download; TEFpad costs $5.99 up front. Reflow sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $34.99 per year and TEFpad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TEFpad holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 33 and 46 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Reflow's written reviews are positive against 64% of TEFpad's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Reflow ships an update every 2 weeks, TEFpad every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Reflow versus TEFpad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterReflowTEFpad
PriceFree — better$5.99
Rating3.5 (33 ratings)4.2 (46 ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.5% of reviews64.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3346 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.411.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size101 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGargantTablEdit

Customer experience

Reflow

All ratings33 ratings
Positive60.6%
Neutral9.1%
Negative30.3%
Written reviews110 reviews
Positive44.5%
Neutral13.6%
Negative41.8%

TEFpad

All ratings46 ratings
Positive80.4%
Neutral6.5%
Negative13.0%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive64.4%
Neutral11.9%
Negative23.8%

Bugs and requests

Reflow

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

TEFpad

Reported bugs

42 issues
  • Rating pop-ups ignore iOS settings
  • Pro version disappeared after purchase
  • App crashes when printing
  • Audio quits playing
  • Adding pull-offs creates ties across bars
Show 37 more
  • Imported Guitar Pro files have errors (triplets, repeat barlines)
  • Triplet button inconsistency
  • App crashes
  • Work not saved when app crashes
  • Song title not saved
  • Dulcimer TAB not working
  • Tab won't switch to dulcimer DAD TAB
  • Highlighting and repeating passages is difficult
  • Vertical highlighter does not work
  • Notes muted during playback due to highlighter issues
  • File corruption
  • PTB files corrupt
  • 1/8 beat time signature issues
  • Cannot save as a different name (overwrites original)
  • Inserting double bar that cannot be removed
  • Reversing tablature issues
  • Changing instrument destroys file
  • Automatic rests not working correctly
  • Saving files beyond 16th measure is lost
  • Unable to close options popup
  • Notes and playback are 1 octave apart
  • Triplets not entering correctly
  • Saving a tab deleted it
  • Spontaneously closes without saving
  • Cannot view bar being edited
  • Cannot delete bars without tempo/key dialog
  • Cannot delete notes without undo/select/cut
  • Cannot save more than 16 bars of a file
  • Sudden crashes after update
  • Cannot close options popup
  • Cannot add bars after Pro upgrade
  • Cannot change instrument after import
  • Cannot find how to change tempo
  • Cannot change instrument assignment and volume
  • Deleting past 16th measure on import
  • Pages reflow on zoom
  • Cannot select multiple measures/notes

Requested features

21 requests
  • Search function for manual
  • Support for Apple Magic Keyboard
  • Simultaneous input of text, chords, and TAB numbers
  • Ability to change instrument display on sidebar
  • Ability to make font larger
Show 16 more
  • Add title on first page
  • Add D.S. al Coda and Fine
  • Add lyrics and chord notation
  • Files app support (iOS 11 folder support)
  • Open in functionality
  • Custom instrument input (number of strings, string notes)
  • Solfege notation conversion
  • Ability to change pedal steel pedal assignments
  • Ability to customize button placement and size
  • Swing eighth notes setting
  • Better scrolling
  • Custom tuning transpose functionality
  • Cut-and-paste between files/tunings
  • Easier to delete bars/notes
  • Delete notes without undoing/cutting
  • Double tap to open file

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Reflow

Subscriptions1
  • Reflow Premium7 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Reflow — Full Version$14.99
1 purchases

TEFpad

One-time1
  • TEFpad Pro$19.99

Questions

Is Reflow free?
Reflow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TEFpad free?
TEFpad costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Reflow or TEFpad?
TEFpad is rated higher. Reflow averages 3.5 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while TEFpad averages 4.2 from 46 ratings.
Do Reflow or TEFpad have ads?
Neither Reflow nor TEFpad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Reflow or TEFpad?
Reflow ships an update every 2 weeks, and TEFpad every 5 months. Most recently, Reflow was updated on September 10, 2026 and TEFpad on September 23, 2026.

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