# Notation vs Arc & Decay

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Arc & Decay at none against Notation's 2. Arc & Decay also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 10 days). Notation's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notation sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Arc & Decay asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notation ships an update every 10 days, Arc & Decay daily. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notation | Arc & Decay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-sheet-music-maker/id6774178274/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 41 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [凯 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879659677) | [Tash Baycroft](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779379023) |

## What reviewers say

### Notation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-sheet-music-maker/id6774178274)

Create, edit, and share professional sheet music on your mobile device. This app offers intuitive touch notation, multi-staff playback, and web score sharing for composers, arrangers, and students. Export to various formats and collaborate easily.

**Highlights:** Touch notation keyboard, Multi-staff playback, Web score sharing, MusicXML, MIDI, PDF export, Cloud sync, Lyrics and chord support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription · NotationAI | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Lifetime Access · NotationAI | $19.99 | one-time |


### Arc & Decay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-and-decay/id6779379021)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notation free?

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

### Is Arc & Decay free?

Arc & Decay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Notation or Arc & Decay have ads?

Notation shows ads; Arc & Decay does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notation or Arc & Decay?

Notation ships an update every 10 days, and Arc & Decay daily. Most recently, Notation was updated on November 5, 2026 and Arc & Decay 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.*