# Drillbook Next vs Dorico

The clearest difference is price: Dorico at Free against Drillbook Next's $9.99. Dorico also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 19). Drillbook Next's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (69% vs 55%). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Dorico is free to download; Drillbook Next costs $9.99 up front. Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Drillbook Next asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dorico holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dorico has 2.3K 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 55% of Dorico'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, Dorico every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drillbook Next | Dorico |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.4 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drillbook-next-director-version/id547116306/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 19 | **2.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **69.2% of reviews** | 55.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 9 MB | 975 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scott Rundell](https://appshunter.io/developer/324469546) | [Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/316698251) |

## 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


### Dorico

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dorico-compose-music/id1556625090)

Create professional music notation and compositions with this powerful app. Easily input notes, edit performances, and share your work in various formats. It's suitable for beginners and professionals alike.

**Highlights:** Compose music notation, On-screen keyboard, drum pads, fretboard, MIDI editing tools, PDF, audio, MusicXML export, Print to AirPrint, Read mode with annotation, Automatic engraving

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dorico Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Dorico Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Dorico Lifetime Unlock | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful and full-featured notation app on iPad
- 👍 Seamless integration with desktop version
- 🚀 Efficient workflow with keyboard shortcuts
- 👍 Impressive engraving and layout capabilities
- 🚀 Comprehensive feature set for composing and arranging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Subscription-only model, no option to purchase outright
- 🐛 Glitchy touch/scroll functionality
- 🐛 Inability to delete clefs or access certain settings
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance on older iPad models

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening or editing projects
- Corrupted/lost files after app crashes
- Unresponsive keyboard and note input issues
- Scrolling and UI glitches, especially in Engrave mode
- Incompatibility with certain iPad models and iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Support for Apple Pencil and handwriting input
- Improved file management and organization
- Expanded audio unit/plugin integration
- More customization options for layout and engraving
- Ability to export/import flows and projects between iPad and desktop


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drillbook Next free?

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

### Is Dorico free?

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

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

Dorico is rated higher. Drillbook Next averages 3.4 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Dorico averages 4.6 from 2.3K ratings.

### Do Drillbook Next or Dorico have ads?

Neither Drillbook Next nor Dorico shows ads.

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

Drillbook Next ships an update every 2 weeks, and Dorico every 3 weeks. Most recently, Drillbook Next was updated on November 1, 2026 and Dorico on November 3, 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.*