# Drillbook Next vs Sibelius

The clearest difference is price: Sibelius at Free against Drillbook Next's $9.99. Sibelius also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 19). Drillbook Next's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (69% vs 36%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sibelius is free to download; Drillbook Next costs $9.99 up front. Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Drillbook Next asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sibelius holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Drillbook Next's written reviews are positive against 36% of Sibelius's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Drillbook Next ships an update every 2 weeks, Sibelius every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drillbook Next | Sibelius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.4 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drillbook-next-director-version/id547116306/reviews) | **[4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **69.2% of reviews** | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 9 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scott Rundell](https://appshunter.io/developer/324469546) | [Avid®](https://appshunter.io/developer/436394595) |

## What reviewers say

### Drillbook Next

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drillbook-next-director-version/id547116306)

This app provides marching band and drum corps directors with a digital tool to visualize and manage marching show drills. It allows for the creation and import of coordinate sheets, enabling step-by-step playback and individual marcher tracking for enhanced rehearsal efficiency.

**Highlights:** Visualize marching show drills, Import coordinate sheets, Step-by-step show playback, Individual marcher tracking, Customizable set colors, Printable set cards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sibelius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259)

Professional music notation software is now available on mobile devices. Create, edit, and hear your compositions anywhere with a full suite of tools optimized for touch and stylus input. Seamlessly sync across platforms and access different feature tiers to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Professional music notation, Cross-platform synchronization, High-quality sample library, Apple Pencil and touch optimization, Innovative note entry, Command Search functionality, Scalable subscription tiers

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sibelius Artist for iOS | $5.99 | per month |
| Sibelius Ultimate for iOS | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🚀 Useful for composing on the go
- 💡 Good for making quick edits to existing scores
- 🎨 Stylish and professional-looking app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Difficulty unlocking full version and accessing features
- 💰 Subscription service is very expensive
- 🔇 Limited sound library and poor playback quality
- 📁 Unreliable saving and file management

**Reported bugs**

- Scores disappearing or not saving properly
- Subscription issues and inability to log in
- Crashes when performing basic actions
- Compatibility problems with newer iPad OS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drillbook Next free?

Drillbook Next costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sibelius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Drillbook Next or Sibelius?

Sibelius is rated higher. Drillbook Next averages 3.4 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Sibelius averages 4.2 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Drillbook Next or Sibelius have ads?

Neither Drillbook Next nor Sibelius shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drillbook Next or Sibelius?

Drillbook Next ships an update every 2 weeks, and Sibelius every 2 months. Most recently, Drillbook Next was updated on October 23, 2026 and Sibelius on October 24, 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.*