Comparison

Score Creator vs Symphony

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

Head to head
About

Score Creator

Easily compose and edit sheet music on your mobile device. This app simplifies music creation with a text-keyboard-like interface for notes and chords, supports multiple instruments and clefs, and allows for lyric and chord symbol writing. It's ideal for songwriters, teachers, and students.

Highlights
  • Compose music scores with various clefs and symbols
  • Write lyrics and chord symbols
  • Multi-track support for different instruments
  • Playback sound for each instrument
  • Transpose songs and import/export MIDI/MusicXML
  • Export to PDF and audio files
  • Editing assistant features
Features
Read full description

Score Creator is a music composition application that is specially designed for mobile platforms. It's a simple but powerful music creation tool that caters to your need to write music on the go. *** The app's user experience is completely optimized to make composing music on mobile devices easier and faster than ever. No more "tapping and zooming" the screen just to add a music note or a chord symbol. No more "dragging and dropping" from the palette just to add a sharp/flat sign. All you need to do to write a song is tap the keyboards (notes and chords) that are designed like a text keyboard. COMPOSING MUSIC IS NOW AS SIMPLE AS TEXTING YOUR FRIENDS! *** Apart from being a songwriting app for songwriters, Score Creator also functions as a music teaching and learning tool for music teachers and students. Teachers can teach students how to read music notation by directly entering music notes into the app and playing back the song, while music students can practice by themselves by notating their favorite songs in the app and playing along with their own musical instruments. *** The app is a perfect tool for writing different types of sheet music, including lead sheets, solo instrument scores, SATB choir scores, sheet music for brass & woodwind bands, and more. *** FEATURES: - Compose music scores. The app supports treble, alto, bass and neutral clefs, with a wide range of notes and music symbols: note lengths, time signatures, key signatures, slurs, ties, dynamics, articulations & ornaments, and more. - Write lyrics. - Write chord symbols. - Multiple tracks with different instruments: piano, guitar, violin, saxophone, drums, flute, horn, tuba, ukulele, mandolin, and more. - Scores for transposing instruments: saxophone (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone), Bb clarinet, Bb trumpet, and more. - Playback sound for each instrument. - Transpose songs into any key. - Import songs from MIDI & MusicXML files. - Change clef, time/key signature and tempo in the middle of a song. - Export songs to MIDI or MusicXML files so that they can be imported into other apps such as Finale, Encore, MuseScore, and Sibelius. The files can be copied to your computer or sent via email. - Send exported MIDI files to other apps on your current device. - Import MIDI files from other apps. - Export songs to PDF files. - Export songs to audio files (.wav, .mp3). - Editing features: multi-note selection, copy & paste, undo & redo, and more. - SCAN SHEET MUSIC FROM PHOTOS. - SCAN SHEET MUSIC FROM PDF FILES. *** End User License Agreement: https://www.termsfeed.com/eula/c6cf438c81097acbfd5a7d51600b6bba *** Privacy policy: The app does not collect or store any kind of personal information.

About

Symphony

Create musical scores and compositions directly on your iPhone. This app offers tools for adding notes, chords, and lyrics, with multi-track playback and various export options for sharing your work.

Highlights
  • Multi-staff & multi-voice editor
  • On-screen piano for quick composition
  • Live, low-latency, multi-track playback
  • Import MIDI, XML, and Symphony files
  • Export as PDF, MIDI, MusicXML, or audio
  • Chord charts and lead sheets
  • Tablature and standard notation editing
Features
Read full description

Symphony is the premiere notation app and notepad for professional musicians, composers, and students alike, allowing to you create anything from piano sheet music to large orchestrations directly on your iPhone. The Pencil tool allows you to tap anywhere on the canvas to quickly add notes and chords with the multi-staff & multi-voice editor. Powerful editing features like vertical drag to transpose and On-Screen piano lets you compose even more quickly. Switch to the other Select tool to highlight one or more notes to modify duration, transpose, erase, cut, or paste multiple tracks & bars anywhere you want. To hear your performance, choose from 100+ acoustic instruments available for live, low-latency, multi-track playback. Import an existing Symphony/SP project or a MIDI/XML file to bring your music collection to life, with an interactive score display & interface optimized for the small screen. To send your work to a different editor or to a sheet music viewer, Symphony can print your score with AirPrint, share it as a PDF attachment, or as a MIDI, MusicXML, or audio file to DropBox and iCloud Drive. More Features: • Write notes using direct touch, an on-screen instrument, a MIDI input device, or even a QWERTY keyboard • Notate beautifully formatted chord charts & lead sheets using the Chord Symbol and Lyric tools. • Import MusicXML, MIDI, MXL, or Symphony files • Export as a PDF, MusicXML, MIDI, AAC, or Symphony file • Print the score from your iPad with AirPrint • Edit grace notes and percussion/drum set notation • Intuitive score and document navigation • Up to 15 instruments, 45 staves, 4 voices/layers per score • Record MIDI to notation in real-time using a click track • Backup & sync scores with iCloud • Edit tablature and standard music notation • Large selection of articulations & dynamics in the Expressions menu • Copy/Paste function can select multiple measures & staves, and cut single or multiple voices/layers • Unlimited undo and redo • Customizable stem directions & note beaming • Transposing instruments & concert pitch options • Change tempo or clef at any point in the score • Stream audio or share your screen wirelessly with AirPlay • Advanced document management support • Customizable part groupings for SATB and instrument families • Customizable chord symbol, lyric, and annotation font • Loop playback between a region selection • Auto-save For more info, please visit: • Product overview: http://symphonypro.net/iphone • Ask support questions by visiting forums.symphonypro.net • Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/symphonyapp ************************************************** • Symphony iPhone is now a paid app before download: – Free Edition users who have never upgraded can now enable Symphony: Full Edition by rating or reviewing the app

Screenshots

Score Creator4 screens
Symphony4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Score Creator at Free against Symphony's $4.99. Score Creator also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 4 weeks). Symphony's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 3.5) and review sentiment (79% vs 60%). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Score Creator is free to download; Symphony costs $4.99 up front. Score Creator sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Symphony sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Symphony holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 494 and 515 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Score Creator's written reviews are positive against 79% of Symphony's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Score Creator ships an update every 10 days, Symphony every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Score Creator versus Symphony: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScore CreatorSymphony
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating3.5 (494 ratings)4.4 (515 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.5% of reviews79.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings494515 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS1510.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size301 MB279 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTRAN PHUONGXenon Labs, LLC

Customer experience

Score Creator

All ratings494 ratings
Positive59.7%
Neutral15.0%
Negative25.3%
Written reviews615 reviews
Positive60.5%
Neutral15.6%
Negative23.9%

Symphony

All ratings515 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral7.2%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews204 reviews
Positive79.4%
Neutral6.9%
Negative13.7%

User reviews

Score Creator

From 494 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Great for composing music on the go
  • 💡 Useful for learning and practicing music
  • 👍 Intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Helpful for arranging and transcribing music

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🔇 Poor sound quality of instruments
  • 🔇 Lack of dynamics and articulation support
  • 🔇 Limited range of instruments
  • 💰 Paywall for advanced features

Symphony

From 515 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Intuitive interface
  • 💡 Versatile features
  • 🎨 Great for composing on the go
  • 🎶 Helpful for learning music

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔀 Orientation and layout issues
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features
  • 🎹 Limited MIDI and playback capabilities
  • 📄 Formatting and printing problems

Bugs and requests

Score Creator

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Sudden loss of data and unsaved work
  • Playback issues, including notes not playing correctly
  • Instrument key signatures not working as expected
  • App crashing on launch or when opening certain scores
  • Inability to edit or modify existing compositions

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add more percussion instruments
  • Implement dynamics, articulations, and expression markings
  • Allow for more than 2 instruments in the free version
  • Improve the drum notation and playback
  • Add support for chords, trills, and other advanced notation
Show 2 more
  • Implement a swing/shuffle feature
  • Improve the transposition and key signature handling

Symphony

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Notes stacking up when playing the piano
  • Disappearing score symbols after saving and exiting
  • Clef changes not showing up in the app
  • Playback issues with continuing mid-bar
  • Lag when re-entering the app

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for repeat marks and other advanced notation
  • Improve voice management and editing tools
  • Implement better file organization and folder support
  • Enhance MIDI and audio export options
  • Provide more customization and personalization settings

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Score Creator

Subscriptions5
  • One-month full version$4.991 Month
  • Basic user - one year$6.993 Months
  • Three-month full version$10.993 Months
Show 2 more
  • Basic user - one year$20.991 Year
  • One-year full version$32.991 Year
One-time2
  • Basic user - full version$69.99
  • Lifetime full version$98.99
1 purchases

Symphony

One-time1
  • Full Edition: Unlimited Projects & ExportingFree

Questions

Is Score Creator free?
Score Creator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Symphony free?
Symphony costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Score Creator or Symphony?
Symphony is rated higher. Score Creator averages 3.5 out of 5 from 494 ratings, while Symphony averages 4.4 from 515 ratings.
Do Score Creator or Symphony have ads?
Neither Score Creator nor Symphony shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Score Creator or Symphony?
Score Creator ships an update every 10 days, and Symphony every 4 weeks. Most recently, Score Creator was updated on October 20, 2026 and Symphony on October 18, 2026.

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