Comparison

Samplr vs NotateMe

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

Head to head
About

Samplr

This app offers a unique multitouch interface for exploring and manipulating audio samples. Create music through various play modes, record gestures for sequencing, and experiment with audio effects. It's designed for audio experimentation, composition, and live performance.

Highlights
  • 8 distinct play modes (Slicer, Looper, Granular, etc.)
  • Gesture recorder for sequencing
  • Audio input recording and resampling
  • 6 sample slots with 16 voices each
  • 5 per-sample effects (Distortion, Reverb, etc.)
  • Import audio from cloud storage and other apps
Read full description

The app used by renowned musicians like Fred again.., Richard Devine, Apparat, Weval or Matmos live and in the studio. Samplr introduced a brand new way to make music, only possible on multitouch devices. Explore the samples melody and texture using the different play modes and create compositions with the gesture recorder. Samplr is the ideal tool for audio experimentation, music composition and live performance. USER REVIEWS “The most profound audio manipulation tool on iOS” 5 stars “There is NOTHING on the market hardware or software like this” 5 stars “Stunningly beautiful interface and exceptionally easy to use” 5 stars “This is the most musical app I've ever used. It's polished, it's musical, it's fun, it's inspiring” 5 stars “It’s the best realization of what touch screen sampling should be” 5 stars FEATURES • 8 play modes: Slicer, Looper, Granular, Tape, Scratch, Arpeggiator, Keyboard and Loop Player • Gesture recorder for sequencing • Audio input recording and resampling • 6 sample slots (x16 voices) • 5 effects per sample: Distortion, Filter, Amplitude Modulator, Feedback Delay and Reverb COMPATIBILITY • Ableton Link • MIDI Keyboard, Controller and Sync input • IAA (Inter-App Audio) • Audiobus Input and Output • WAV and AIFF file support • Import files from iCloud Drive, Dropbox, AudioShare, etc Learn more and see how it works on samplr.net. For feedback or support please reach out to support@samplr.net

About

NotateMe

Compose and edit music notation using handwritten input. This app recognizes a wide range of musical symbols, allowing for creation of scores for various ensembles. Export your work in multiple formats or share it via email.

Highlights
  • Handwritten music recognition
  • Compose for solo instruments and ensembles
  • Edit and playback scores
  • Export as PDF, MusicXML, MIDI
  • Import MusicXML files
  • Dropbox synchronization
  • PhotoScore Add-In for printed music
Features
Read full description

Ground-breaking music composition and notation software from Neuratron, featuring handwritten music recognition. Top 10 Music App in 62 countries! iPad Pro & Apple Pencil recommended for best results. - Quickly and accurately enter music notation with your finger or stylus. - Write music on the train, in a plane, by a lake, or just sitting comfortably on your sofa! - Simple, intuitive interface with little to distract you from your creativity - similar to writing with pen and paper, but with instant playback, editing and a score suitable for publishing at the end! - Write music for solo instruments (including voice and piano), drums or ensembles from string quartets and choirs to full orchestral scores. Includes support for transposing instruments. - PhotoScore Add-In (In-App Purchase): Take photos of printed sheet music with your device's camera, so you can play back and edit them with NotateMe! Recognizes 5-line staves and most markings including chords, flags, beams, rests, accidentals, articulation marks, clefs, key signatures, time signatures, tuplets, slurs, ties, hairpins and text including lyrics, dynamics and instrument names. Note: Requires 5MP camera & 1 GB RAM - so not for iPad 2, iPhone 4S, iPad Mini (1st gen) or earlier. - Email PDF, MusicXML and MIDI files of your scores to friends or other musicians. Open in other apps and desktop notation packages. Print to paper. - Import and edit MusicXML files (most music symbols supported). - Automatically sync your scores to Dropbox so you can edit them on your phone whilst you are out, and then on your tablet when you get back. - Great when learning or teaching music notation. - NotateMe recognises a wide range of music symbols, including notes (with solid, open, and slanted noteheads), flags, beams (even cross-staff*), leger lines, multiple voices per staff, chords, rests, accidentals (natural, sharp, double sharp & flat), articulation marks, augmentation dots, ties, slurs, hairpins, clef changes, key signatures. Barlines, clefs, time signatures and tuplets are added automatically. - Drag and drop (or set selected drawings to) further music symbols including cross noteheads, pedal markings, ornaments and appoggiatura. - Add chord-symbols, dynamics, technique, tempo changes and lyrics to your score. Write comments or ideas in 'red pen'. - If NotateMe doesn’t recognize your style immediately, keep at it, as it will adjust. Leave clear space between symbols and make markings clearer with further strokes if any transcription errors occur. If you experience problems, tap 'Help Improve NotateMe' from the Export menu and we will analyze your handwriting to help us improve NotateMe further. * Cross-staff beaming requires an iPad DEVICE REQUIREMENTS MINIMUM RECOMMENDED: iPhone 5/s/c, iPad (3rd gen onwards, iPad mini (2nd gen onwards), iPod Touch 5 onwards Screen size - 4 inches diagonal Writing implement - Finger or stylus PhotoScore Add-In: 5MP rear facing camera with auto-focus, 1 GB RAM. Good lighting conditions. Note: It may take a short while for you to become accustomed to aligning parts of musical symbols when writing using a finger, particularly on a smaller screen. WILL NOT RUN ON iPhone 3GS OR iPod Touch 4th Gen or earlier. RECOMMENDED: iPad Pro with Apple Pencil Screen size - 9.7+ inches diagonal PhotoScore Add-In: 5MP rear facing camera with auto-focus, 1 GB RAM. Good lighting conditions.

Screenshots

NotateMe4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Samplr at $19.99 against NotateMe's $39.99. Samplr also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.6) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). NotateMe's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads 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

Samplr costs $19.99 and NotateMe $39.99 up front. NotateMe sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Samplr asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Samplr holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Samplr has 149 ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Samplr's written reviews are positive against 45% of NotateMe's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Samplr ships an update every 3 months, NotateMe every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 25, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
Samplr versus NotateMe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSamplrNotateMe
Price$19.99 — better$39.99
Rating4.7 (149 ratings) — better2.6 (26 ratings)
Positive reviews79.5% of reviews — better44.5% of reviews
Number of ratings149 — better26
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.06.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarcos AlonsoNeuratron Ltd

Customer experience

Samplr

All ratings149 ratings
Positive93.3%
Neutral1.3%
Negative5.4%
Written reviews404 reviews
Positive79.5%
Neutral7.2%
Negative13.4%

NotateMe

All ratings26 ratings
Positive38.5%
Neutral3.8%
Negative57.7%
Written reviews173 reviews
Positive44.5%
Neutral12.1%
Negative43.4%

User reviews

Samplr

From 149 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive and responsive interface
  • 🎨 Powerful sample manipulation capabilities
  • 🎶 Excellent for live performance and sound design
  • 💰 Great value for the price
  • 🎉 Inspiring and creative app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
  • 🔌 Lack of audio import/export options
  • 🔀 Difficulty with sample organization and management
  • 🔇 Missing features like panning, MIDI support, and AUv3

NotateMe

From 26 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent handwriting recognition
  • 🎼 Convenient for jotting down musical ideas
  • 💾 Good integration with Dropbox and other apps
  • 🎹 Useful for piano teachers and students
  • 🎨 Creative tool for composers and arrangers

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🤔 Steep learning curve and not very intuitive
  • 🖋️ Struggles with complex notation and articulations
  • 🔍 Inaccurate recognition of accidentals and ledger lines
  • 💰 Expensive for the current feature set

Bugs and requests

Samplr

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Recording functionality not working as expected
  • Dropbox integration causing crashes
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Implement Ableton Link for better sync
  • Add support for more audio file formats
  • Improve sample import/export workflow
  • Introduce a more robust sequencing and automation system
  • Provide multi-channel audio output

NotateMe

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Photoscore feature crashes frequently
  • Notes and rests sometimes get misplaced or lost
  • Inconsistent recognition of handwritten input

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to import and export MusicXML files
  • More customization options for layout and formatting
  • Support for additional articulations and notation symbols
  • Improved palm rejection and stylus compatibility
  • Transposition and chord symbol features

In-app purchases

None

Samplr

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

NotateMe

One-time1
  • NotateMe PhotoScore IAP$29.99

Questions

Is Samplr free?
Samplr costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is NotateMe free?
NotateMe costs $39.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Samplr or NotateMe?
Samplr is rated higher. Samplr averages 4.7 out of 5 from 149 ratings, while NotateMe averages 2.6 from 26 ratings.
Do Samplr or NotateMe have ads?
Neither Samplr nor NotateMe shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Samplr or NotateMe?
Samplr ships an update every 3 months, and NotateMe every 2 weeks. Most recently, Samplr was updated on July 25, 2026 and NotateMe on September 9, 2026.

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