# Reflow vs Prelude

The clearest difference is rating: Reflow at 3.5 against Prelude's 3.0. Reflow also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 17%) and ratings volume (33 vs 4). Prelude's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reflow sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $34.99 per year and Prelude sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Reflow holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reflow has 33 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Reflow's written reviews are positive against 17% of Prelude's.

Reflow ships an update every 2 weeks, Prelude every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reflow | Prelude |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reflow-score-editor/id517574672/reviews)** | [3.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prelude-score-editor/id620817095/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **33** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **44.0% of reviews** | 17.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 101 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gargant](https://appshunter.io/developer/412446995) | [Felipe Braunger Valio Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda](https://appshunter.io/developer/615749291) |

## What reviewers say

### Reflow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reflow-score-editor/id517574672)

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:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reflow Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Reflow — Full Version | $14.99 | one-time |


### Prelude

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prelude-score-editor/id620817095)

Create and edit sheet music on your iPhone or iPad with a redesigned, modern interface. This intuitive score editor allows for quick composition anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Score editor, Sheet music viewer, Create custom scores, Intuitive interface, Mobile composition

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extended Version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Simple interface
- 💡 Good for basic notation
- 💡 Potential for improvement
- 💡 Useful for teaching
- 💡 Easy to write notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🐛 Incorrect playback
- 🐛 Difficult editing
- 🐛 Limited features
- 🐛 Unintuitive controls

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Playback is incorrect (wrong notes, wrong rhythms)
- Notes don't line up correctly
- Accidentals are placed incorrectly
- Key signatures are incorrect

**Requested features**

- Add repeat signs
- Add ledger lines
- Add words to music
- Add slurs and ties
- Add beams for notes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reflow free?

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

### Is Prelude free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reflow or Prelude?

Reflow is rated higher. Reflow averages 3.5 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Prelude averages 3.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Reflow or Prelude have ads?

Neither Reflow nor Prelude shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reflow or Prelude?

Reflow ships an update every 2 weeks, and Prelude every 9 days. Most recently, Reflow was updated on October 23, 2026 and Prelude on October 6, 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.*