Comparison

TEFpad vs Staventabs

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

Head to head
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

About

Staventabs

Compose and edit musical scores and tablature with a user-friendly interface. Create new pieces from scratch or templates, input notes intuitively, and enhance your compositions with advanced editing tools. Practice your songs with playback and metronome features, and manage your projects seamlessly.

Highlights
  • Score and tablature editing
  • Intuitive note input
  • Virtual piano and fingerboard
  • Instrument previews
  • Playback and metronome
  • AI-powered scale suggestions
  • MIDI and MusicXML import/export
Features
Read full description

A simple notation and tab editor, Staventabs could become your indispensable helper in music creation. Use smart and convenient tools of Staventabs for composing and improving scores on your iPad or iPhone. Get inspired by viewing majestic classics scores or practicing good old jazz. Easily edit sheet music and tablature with user friendly interface like never before. Share musical inspiration with your band using Staventabs files. Create music • Start your new score from the scratch or with one of the two dozen templates² • Enter notes with intuitive instrument-independent interface or virtual Piano Keyboard • Explore and edit your score with sophisticated Piano Roll and Drums Editor • Choose from 22 groups of the instruments (keyboards, guitars, strings, drums, percussions, etc.)² listening their preview fragments • Use context-sensitive selection for bars, chords and tracks • Modify notes with dots, tuplets and ties • Make your music alive with lyrics • Customize clefs, key signatures and time signatures for bars • Change dynamics • Switch between enharmonic equivalents of the notes • Use customizable voices • Setup tunings with the large value of presets • Navigate around the score with Tracks board • Easily copy, paste and remove selected areas • Switch fast between tablature and stave inputs • Edit tabs with easy-to-use numeric keypad or virtual Fingerboard • Input notes by Staff Positions • Set the visibility for instrument parts in the score • Edit title and information about creators • Select and customize horizontal, vertical or page layout for your score • Use Scientific or Helmholtz pitch notation when entering notes • Add repeat signs and volta brackets • Don’t worry about losing data thanks to auto-saving • Connect your MIDI devices to Staventabs Practice your songs • Play the whole composition or selected fragment • Customize metronome clicking and countdown • Change track’s audio properties on-the-fly • Loop the playback of the desired part Improve compositions • Mark non-playable objects with "Highlight issues" • Use the "Starred scales" AI to determine the chromatic scales most similar to the selected area • Adjust the semitones of the selected area notes to the chromatic scale • Customize the chromatic scale for adjustment³ • Diminish, augment and subdivide note values • Transpose pitches by semitones Manage projects • Browse your projects with convenient file manager • Store your compositions in iCloud Drive and keep them up-to-date across all your iOS devices • Create new projects and duplicate existing (up to three editable projects in free version)¹ • Listen to preview fragments of the scores directly from the files menu • Open SNT, MIDI, MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML (MXL), Guitar Pro (GPX, GP5, GP4, GP3) and Karaoke (KAR) files • Edit MIDI, MusicXML, MXL, Guitar Pro and Karaoke files¹ • Organize your files from a desktop computer using iTunes or iCloud Drive • Open files from Mail and other applications (Dropbox, Box, etc.) • Convert files between supported formats¹ Share your brand-new hits with friends • Email your scores and tabs right from Staventabs • Print your score¹ • Export to PDF and MPEG-4 AAC¹ Features marked with superscript numbers are available via the corresponding in-app purchases: ¹ Unlimited Projects ² Additional Instruments ³ Advanced Composing

Screenshots

TEFpad4 screens
Staventabs4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Staventabs at Free against TEFpad's $5.99. Staventabs also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). TEFpad's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.4). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Staventabs is free to download; TEFpad costs $5.99 up front. TEFpad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Staventabs sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. 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 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 70 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 64% and 65% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TEFpad ships an update every 5 months, Staventabs every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TEFpad versus Staventabs: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTEFpadStaventabs
Price$5.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (46 ratings) — better3.8 (70 ratings)
Positive reviews64.4% of reviews64.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4670 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB121 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperTablEditIvan Korovin

Customer experience

TEFpad

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

Staventabs

All ratings70 ratings
Positive65.7%
Neutral11.4%
Negative22.9%
Written reviews227 reviews
Positive64.8%
Neutral12.3%
Negative22.9%

User reviews

TEFpad

From 46 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive usability
  • 🎵 Versatile for music notation
  • 🎸 Excellent for tablature
  • 📱 Mobile convenience
  • 💡 Powerful features for price

Room to improve

  • 👎 Manual difficult to use
  • 🖱️ Clunky interface
  • 🐞 Buggy performance
  • 💸 Expensive Pro version
  • 📚 Incomplete help files

Staventabs

From 70 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Efficient music notation
  • 👍 Intuitive interface
  • 🎨 Customizable chord diagrams
  • 💾 Supports multiple file formats
  • 🎶 Realistic instrument sounds

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 💰 Paywall for basic features
  • 🔀 Inconsistent note/chord handling
  • 🔍 Unclear documentation
  • 🔊 Lagging playback

Bugs and 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

Staventabs

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Imported MIDI files lose instrument assignments
  • Disappearing projects after updates
  • Inability to adjust note lengths in piano roll
  • Metronome not audible over instrument playback

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for grace notes and ornaments
  • Implement repeat/coda symbols
  • Allow custom font and layout options
  • Integrate MIDI input and output
  • Improve chord recognition accuracy

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TEFpad

One-time1
  • TEFpad Pro$19.99
3 purchases

Staventabs

One-time3
  • Advanced composing$9.99
  • Unlimited projects$10.99
  • Additional instruments$10.99

Questions

Is TEFpad free?
TEFpad costs $5.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Staventabs free?
Staventabs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TEFpad or Staventabs?
TEFpad is rated higher. TEFpad averages 4.2 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Staventabs averages 3.8 from 70 ratings.
Do TEFpad or Staventabs have ads?
Neither TEFpad nor Staventabs shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TEFpad or Staventabs?
TEFpad ships an update every 5 months, and Staventabs every 3 weeks. Most recently, TEFpad was updated on September 23, 2026 and Staventabs on September 13, 2026.

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