NotationPlayer vs Trad Buddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NotationPlayer
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NotationPlayer turns your sheet music into sound. Open any MusicXML or ABC file, choose from over 100 realistic instruments, and hear your music played back instantly - with full tempo control, transposition, and a built-in metronome. Try every feature free for 7 days. After that, a single one-time purchase keeps NotationPlayer fully working - no subscription, no ads. Built for trad and folk musicians, with full MusicXML support for classical, jazz, choral, and any sheet music you read. Now in English, Spanish and German. PLAY YOUR MUSIC • Play MusicXML and ABC notation files with realistic instrument sounds • Adjust tempo from half speed to double speed without changing pitch • Transpose to any key with one tap • Built-in metronome with click, woodblock, and bodhrán sounds • Count-in option for a clean start • Auto-scroll follows the music as it plays FIND NEW TUNES • Search over 30,000 traditional tunes from The Session • Browse the ABC Notation archive and Henrik Norbeck's collection • Paste ABC or MusicXML notation directly into the app • 55 sample tunes included - Celtic, Classical, Bluegrass, and Jazz LEARN AND PRACTISE • Tap any note to set a cue point and play from there • Loop any section by selecting start and end notes - perfect for tricky passages • Show note names on every note - as letters (C, D, E), in solfège (Do, Re, Mi) or German style (H, B) • Lyrics displayed and synced to playback • Swing control for jazz and traditional styles MULTI-TRACK MIXER • Assign different instruments to each voice or part • 100+ instruments including fiddle, tin whistle, mandolin, piano, guitar, flute, choir, and more • Volume, pan, mute, and solo controls per track • Hide parts from the score - see just your own line while the others keep playing • Guitar chord accompaniment from chord symbols ANNOTATE YOUR SCORES • Draw on your scores with pen and highlighter • Add text notes anywhere on the page • Multiple colours and tools • Your annotations are saved with each tune ORGANISE YOUR MUSIC • Build tune sets - group tunes into medleys that play seamlessly • Create playlists with sets and individual tunes • Ensemble mode - add backing instruments to your playlists • Speed control for playlist playback • Favourites and search across your library EXPORT AND SHARE • Export scores as PDF for printing or sharing with bandmates • Export audio as MP3 • Share with other musicians WORKS OFFLINE NotationPlayer works without an internet connection. Your tunes, instruments, and playlists are always available - perfect for rehearsals, sessions, and practice anywhere. FREE TRIAL, THEN BUY ONCE Every feature is unlocked for your first 7 days. After the trial, scores still open and play a 30-second preview; a one-time purchase unlocks everything again, for good. There is no subscription, and purchases can be restored on a new device. Built for musicians who want their notation to do more than just sit on the page. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Trad Buddy
Learn Irish traditional music with reels, jigs, and more. Features staff notation, tablature, and playback. Build a personal tunebook, track progress, and create session sets.
- Staff notation and GDAE tablature
- Built-in audio playback
- Personal tunebook creation
- Progress tracking with ranks
- Session set generation
- Offline functionality
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Learn new tunes and play them with your session. Trad Buddy is for Irish traditional musicians of every level. It knows the tunes you play, the tunes your friends and your session play, and the difference, so you always know what to learn next. THE TUNES YOUR SESSION PLAYS Start a session for the one you play at, and everyone joins with a code or the QR code on the table. See every tune the session plays, how many of them you know, and which to learn next. Make a set you can all play. FRIENDS Follow friends by their code and see the tunes you share and the ones that are new to you. On any tune, see which of your friends play it. A PLAYER THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SESSION 11,700 tunes from TheSession.org with sheet music and tab: GDAE for banjo, mandolin and fiddle, plus guitar and DADGAD. Reels swing and jigs lilt. Slow it down, loop a part, change the key, and tap any note to hear it. Works with your phone on silent. Up to 10 versions of each tune, and a link to the tune on thesession.org. SETS Get three ready-made sets from the tunes you know, build your own, or try a Surprise set, where the next tune stays hidden until it's time to change. YOUR TUNES Keep track of the tunes you know, the ones you're learning, and the ones gone a bit rusty. Level up as your repertoire grows, with a title for every level. EASY TO READ Big, clear text in three sizes, and three looks: Classic, Night, or the original 8-bit. Works offline. No ads. Signing in is optional: use a code from your email, and add a password if you like, to keep your tunes on every phone and computer.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Trad Buddy at none against NotationPlayer's 2. On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. NotationPlayer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Trad Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.
NotationPlayer ships an update fortnightly, Trad Buddy weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NotationPlayer | Trad Buddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 50 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ChorusLogic Ltd. | Chanasinj Sachdev |
In-app purchases
NotationPlayer
- NotationPlayer Monthly$0.991 Month
- Full Access$6.99
Trad Buddy
No in-app purchases









