Comparison

Tempo vs Beat Scribe

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

Head to head
About

Tempo

Features
Read full description

The fastest way to write and save drum notation. Capture the bar you keep coming back to. Every drummer has that one part. The one that slows you down. The one you repeat over and over. Tempo lets you pull it out, keep it with you, and actually nail it. Built for real practice - Quickly input drum notation (including cymbals) - Save bars for later - Export and share as clean images - Play back and hear what you've written - Follow along for that consistent practice experience Perfect for: - Drummers working through tricky sections - Teachers sharing bite-sized exercises - Capturing ideas without friction No clutter. No learning curve. No timelines. No full compositions. Just fast, focused notation when you need it. Terms and conditions for Tempo Premium: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Beat Scribe

Easily tap out rhythms and hear them play back instantly on a musical staff. Build complex grooves by layering tracks, adjusting timing, and adding swing. Ideal for musicians, students, and teachers looking to sketch out ideas quickly.

Highlights
  • Tap notes and rests onto a musical staff
  • Layer grooves across multiple tracks
  • Instant playback and looping of patterns
  • Adjust rhythm feel with swing and nudging
  • Support for various time signatures
  • Built-in metronome
Features
Read full description

A metronome you can compose. A metronome gives you a click. Beat Scribe gives you the whole rhythm — written on a staff, looping back, in real note values you can actually read. Hear a rhythm in your head? Tap it in and hear it back in seconds — quarters, eighths, sixteenths, triplets, dotted notes and rests, not abstract grid squares. That link between the symbol and the sound is the point: practise reading what you play, or sketch a groove without picking up the instrument. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Tap a rhythm live on the pads, or place notes on the staff for exact notation • Drop in beamed rhythm cells — two eighths, four sixteenths, dotted figures and more • Hit play and loop it back instantly • Layer parts across tracks — ride, snare, hi-hat, bass drum, toms and cymbals • Shape the feel of each track — swing or shuffle (8th- or 16th-note), or nudge a part ahead of or behind the beat for a human push and pull • Work in any meter — 4/4, 3/4, 5/4 and beyond • Keep time with the built-in metronome • Share any groove as a playable link — free, and it plays in any browser • New here? A short guided tour walks you through it, replayable any time • Made for iPhone and iPad MADE FOR Drummers, musicians, students and teachers — reading practice, building a groove, or catching an idea before it disappears. FREE & PRO The free version gives you snare and hi-hat across two tracks, plus sharing — enough to build and play a real rhythm. Beat Scribe Pro (one-time purchase) unlocks the full kit, more tracks, save / load, and importing your own sounds.

Screenshots

Tempo3 screens
Beat Scribe3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tempo at every 5 days against Beat Scribe's every 11 days. Tempo also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Tempo sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year and Beat Scribe sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tempo ships an update every 5 days, Beat Scribe every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Tempo versus Beat Scribe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTempoBeat Scribe
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—5 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size78 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDean HetheringtonVegan World

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tempo

Subscriptions1
  • Premium$14.991 Year
1 purchases

Beat Scribe

One-time1
  • Beat Scribe Pro$8.99

Questions

Is Tempo free?
Tempo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Beat Scribe free?
Beat Scribe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tempo or Beat Scribe have ads?
Neither Tempo nor Beat Scribe shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tempo or Beat Scribe?
Tempo ships an update every 5 days, and Beat Scribe every 11 days. Most recently, Tempo was updated on September 30, 2026 and Beat Scribe on September 24, 2026.

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