# Notation vs Aria

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Aria at none against Notation's 2. Aria also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs weekly). Notation's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notation sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Aria asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notation ships an update weekly, Aria daily. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notation | Aria |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aria-music-notation-editor/id6779437781/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **18** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Daily** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 41 MB | 348 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [凯 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879659677) | [Jack Gruber](https://appshunter.io/developer/1262516427) |

## What reviewers say

### Notation

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

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription · NotationAI | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Lifetime Access · NotationAI | $19.99 | one-time |


### 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:** Create and edit music scores, Play back compositions, Support for MuseScore and MusicXML, Intuitive touch controls, Manage individual parts, Export in multiple formats

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notation free?

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

### Is Aria free?

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

### Do Notation or Aria have ads?

Notation shows ads; Aria does not.

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

Notation ships an update weekly, and Aria daily. Most recently, Notation was updated on September 10, 2026 and Aria on September 14, 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.*