# Etherpad vs Aria

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Etherpad at none against Aria's 1. Etherpad also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 88%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aria sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Etherpad asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Etherpad against 4.8 for Aria. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 31 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Etherpad's written reviews are positive against 88% of Aria's.

Etherpad ships an update every 3 days, Aria every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Etherpad | Aria |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etherpad/id6772439909/reviews)** | [4.8 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aria-music-notation-editor/id6779437781/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 21 | **31** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 87.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 9 MB | 279 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dinesh Yadav](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772439911) | [Jack Gruber](https://appshunter.io/developer/1262516427) |

## What reviewers say

### Etherpad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etherpad/id6772439909)

Create evolving soundscapes and ambient textures with an intuitive touch-based music synthesizer. Explore generative music without needing music theory, perfect for relaxation or creative expression.

**Highlights:** Multi-touch synthesis, Multiple sound presets, Visual particle effects, Effect overlays, Scale selection, Landscape & portrait modes, Low-latency audio

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Aria

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aria-music-notation-editor/id6779437781)

Create, edit, and play back musical scores on your iPhone or iPad. This app supports MuseScore and MusicXML files, offering intuitive touch controls for note entry and playback. Organize your library, manage parts, and export your compositions in various formats.

**Highlights:** Edit MuseScore and MusicXML files, Intuitive touch-based notation controls, Score playback, Library organization, Part management, Export in multiple formats (MSCZ, PDF, MusicXML, audio)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aria Full Access | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Etherpad free?

Etherpad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Aria free?

Aria is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Etherpad or Aria?

Etherpad is rated higher. Etherpad averages 4.9 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Aria averages 4.8 from 31 ratings.

### Do Etherpad or Aria have ads?

Neither Etherpad nor Aria shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Etherpad or Aria?

Etherpad ships an update every 3 days, and Aria every 4 days. Most recently, Etherpad was updated on October 31, 2026 and Aria on November 5, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*