Comparison

SetSmith vs Pure Score Reader

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

Head to head
About

SetSmith

Features
Read full description

SetSmith is a setlist and sheet music manager designed for musicians who perform live. Prepare rehearsals faster, stay organized on stage, and focus on your performance instead of your screen. Whether you play solo, in a band, or lead an ensemble, SetSmith keeps your music ready when it matters. SetSmith is ideal for bands, solo performers, musical directors, church teams, orchestras, and any musician using digital sheet music during rehearsals or concerts. - Create and edit multiple setlists - Reorder songs with drag and drop - Use colors, tags, and band labels - Fast search and smart tag suggestions - Quick access to recent setlists Each song can include: - PDF sheet music - Lyrics and chords - Chord notation - MP3 reference audio - Notes and annotations All content is cached for offline use, so your music is always available on stage. Annotate your sheet music: - Write directly on PDFs - Annotate text - Annotate musical symbols like a staff - Adjustable pen color and stroke width - Erase individual strokes or clear pages - Zoom and pan freely - Annotations appear in Play Mode Practice with audio tools: - Built-in audio player - Playback speed control (0.5x to 1.25x) - Automatic STEMs separation - Ideal for rehearsing difficult parts Play Mode for live performance: - Continuous auto-scroll across pages - Manual page navigation with taps - Auto-scroll resumes automatically - Clean, distraction-free interface - Bluetooth pedal and keyboard support Available everywhere: SetSmith its built cloud based and its multiplatform. Bring everywhere your setlists. SetSmith helps musicians rehearse efficiently, perform confidently, and stay focused on the music. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Pure Score Reader

Features
Read full description

Your sheet music, always on stage. Pure Score Reader is a fast, distraction-free reader for your PDF scores. Import, annotate, and build setlists โ€” then turn pages with a tap, a swipe, or a Bluetooth pedal. Everything a performer needs, and nothing in the way. โ–  Distraction-free reading Read one page at a time or as a two-page spread. Smart zoom crops blank margins so the music fills the screen โ€” nothing else gets in the way. โ–  Effortless page turns Turn pages with a tap, a swipe, or a Bluetooth foot pedal โ€” and pick up right where you left off. โ–  Annotate in layers Mark up with a pressure-sensitive pen and highlighter. Keep fingerings, cuts, and cues on separate layers you can show or hide per performance. โ–  Setlists Build a virtual score book โ€” pages picked from any piece, in your running order. Jump straight to the next number. โ–  Find any score fast Organize with labels and folders, and search by title or composer. Your whole library is one tap away. โ–  Sync through your Drive Keep every device in sync through your own Google Drive. Your scores stay yours โ€” there's no account to create. โ–  Your library stays yours Works offline. No ads, no analytics profile, no selling your data. Just your music. โ–  Simple, fair pricing Start free with up to 4 scores, 2 setlists, and PDFs up to 15 MB โ€” annotations, layers, and Drive sync included. Unlock everything with a single one-time purchase (Essential): unlimited scores, unlimited setlists, any PDF file size, and all future updates. No subscription โ€” pay once, keep it forever.

Screenshots

SetSmith4 screens
Pure Score Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SetSmith at none against Pure Score Reader's 1. SetSmith also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Pure Score Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SetSmith asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SetSmith ships an update every 4 days, Pure Score Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
SetSmith versus Pure Score Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSetSmithPure Score Reader
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days โ€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size38 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlejandro AlbalaSukodama Inc.

In-app purchases

None

SetSmith

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Pure Score Reader

One-time1
  • Pure Score Reader Essential$17.99

Questions

Is SetSmith free?
SetSmith is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pure Score Reader free?
Pure Score Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SetSmith or Pure Score Reader have ads?
Neither SetSmith nor Pure Score Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SetSmith or Pure Score Reader?
SetSmith ships an update every 4 days, and Pure Score Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, SetSmith was updated on September 18, 2026 and Pure Score Reader on September 24, 2026.

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