Comparison

Notation vs Sheet Music

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

Head to head
About

Notation

Create and edit professional sheet music on your mobile device. Easily capture musical ideas, arrange scores with lyrics and chords, and share playable web links with collaborators. Offers robust notation tools for composers, arrangers, and students.

Highlights
  • Touch notation keyboard
  • Multi-staff playback
  • Web score sharing
  • MusicXML, MIDI, PDF export
  • Lyrics and chord support
  • Cloud sync
Features
Read full description

Notation is professional sheet music notation for composers, arrangers, and music students. Capture a motif at the piano, tweak harmony on your commute, or share a link before rehearsal—all on iPhone or iPad with lyrics and chords. If you read a staff, you can go from a piano sketch to multi-staff scores for class and rehearsal. TOUCH NOTATION A notation keyboard replaces deep menus: tap notes and markings, or select on the staff to edit. Undo/redo for commutes, rehearsal gaps, or at the piano. On the free tier, inserting or editing measures shifts later bars automatically so the rest of the score stays aligned. WRITE AND HEAR IT Multi-staff playback; on long scores, playback follows your edit position. Composer Pro: per-staff Mute and Solo for full scores. WEB SCORE SHARING Generate a web score link—text or email to teachers, singers, or collaborators. Any browser shows standard notation and multi-part playback without installing the app. Print-friendly pages for handouts. PDF for archives and fixed layout; web links when your choir or band needs to hear the piece before rehearsal. Many mobile apps stop at PDF or screenshots; Notation shares playable web scores with the same playback and layout as on your device. EXPORT AND INTERCHANGE MusicXML, MIDI, PDF (screen preview + A4 print PDF). Import MusicXML without length limits—continue in MuseScore, Sibelius, etc. Free tier: starter export allowance. Composer Pro: unlimited export, clean PDF (see app for web-link limits). IPAD PRO WORKSPACE On iPad, library and score sit side by side for desktop-like sessions. iPhone: full notation and sharing when you are catching ideas on the go. YOU CAN ALSO: - Piano keyboard chord stacks; multi-verse lyrics with melismas and paste lyrics line by line; measure insert/copy/paste/delete - Ties, slurs, manual beams—free - Cloud sync (web links need sign-in + sync); Composer Pro: 8 staves, 2 voices per staff, transpose, meter changes NOTATION COVERAGE: * Notes/rests, dots, ties, slurs, beams (manual break/join) * Triplets; quintuplets–septuplets (Composer Pro) * Ornaments, articulations, dynamics, hairpins * Lyrics (verses), chords; title/composer/lyricist header * Clefs, time, tempo; major/minor keys; accidentals * Repeats, voltas, D.S./D.C.; pickups; measure-level edits * Templates: piano grand, treble/bass single staff, custom; long-score paging SUBSCRIPTION & LEGAL (COMPOSER PRO — OPTIONAL) Notation offers an optional paid membership called Composer Pro. You can subscribe in the app under Me → Upgrade. No subscription is required to create, edit, save, or play scores on the free tier. AUTO-RENEWABLE SUBSCRIPTION • Name: Composer Pro — Weekly Plan • Length: 1 week (renews every week) • Price: Shown on the in-app purchase screen before you confirm (localized price; may vary by country or region). If a free trial is available in your region, it is displayed on the subscription screen before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the price of the selected plan. You can manage or cancel subscriptions in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial, if offered, is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. WHAT COMPOSER PRO INCLUDES • Advanced composing: full transposition and any key; up to 8 staves and 2 voices per staff; meter changes and special/additive meters; undo/redo; advanced repeat playback • Delivery & export: unlimited exports (MusicXML, and web score links); • Playback: full instrument library; per-staff mute and solo • Other: ad-free experience; community publishing; priority support Privacy Policy: https://solfegehub.com/UserManagerPrivacy_en.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://solfegehub.com/UserManagerTerms_en.html

About

Sheet Music

Features
Read full description

'Sheet Music' turns your iPhone, iPad and even iPhone Duo into a pocket music notation studio. Build complete sheet music note by note — just drag elements onto the staff — then press play to hear it on a Grand Piano that sounds just like the real thing, with every note lighting up as it plays. And now the app also guides you through playing the very sheets you write — perfect for your students. Built on the MusicXML standard, 'Sheet Music' shares the same format as professional desktop notation software, so your scores open anywhere, in virtually any notation app. COMPOSE BY DRAG & DROP • Drag notes, rests, clefs, key signatures, time signatures, accidentals and dynamics straight onto the staff • Full range of durations from whole notes to 64th notes, with augmentation dots • Treble, bass and alto clefs; any key signature; flexible time signatures • Tap any symbol to fine-tune pitch, duration, accidentals or ties • Add as many measures as you like HEAR IT INSTANTLY • Real-time playback on a Grand Piano with a true-to-life sound • The note currently playing is highlighted right on the staff • Adjustable tempo PIANO GUIDE — PRACTISE THE SHEETS YOU WRITE Open any score and tap Piano Guide. Place your device next to a real piano and play — the app listens through the microphone and guides you note by note. • Watch the demo first: the app plays the opening measures, then it's your turn • "Wait for me" mode pauses until you press the right key; "In tempo" mode keeps the beat like a real performance • Practise both hands, or the right or left hand alone while the app plays the other • Slow down the speed to practise at your own pace • Instant feedback on wrong notes, with a score at the end CREATE SHEETS FROM SOUND • Listen Live: play your piano and watch the notes appear on the treble and bass staves as you play • Create from a piano video: turn any performance video from Photos or Files into an editable sheet • On iOS 27 and later, Music Understanding automatically adds dynamics (p, mf, f…) and section letters EXPORT & SHARE • MusicXML (.musicxml) • MIDI (.mid) for your DAW • PDF for printing and sharing CLEAN, FOCUSED DESIGN • A distraction-free staff on bright paper, with light and dark themes • English and Vietnamese SHEET MUSIC PREMIUM Unlock everything with the plan that suits you: • Weekly, Monthly or Yearly subscription (auto-renewing) • Lifetime — pay once, yours forever, no renewals Premium includes unlimited scores and measures, all export formats, saving sheets made from piano playing and videos, the full Piano Guide for every piece, no ads, and every future feature. The free version lets you try the Piano Guide on the first measures of each piece. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase, and renewal is charged within 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings › Apple ID › Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://sheet-music.web.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Whether you're sketching a melody, transcribing a song, learning a new piece or teaching music theory, 'Sheet Music' makes notation feel effortless. Start composing — and playing — today.

Screenshots

Notation4 screens
Sheet Music4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Notation at every 9 days against Sheet Music's every 2 months. 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. Notation sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Sheet Music sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notation ships an update every 9 days, Sheet Music every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Notation versus Sheet Music: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotationSheet Music
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer凯 张Nguyen Hieu

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Notation

Subscriptions1
  • Weekly Subscription · NotationAI3 Days trial$3.997 Days
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access · NotationAI$19.99
4 purchases

Sheet Music

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Premium$1.997 Days
  • Monthly Premium$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium$6.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$7.99

Questions

Is Notation free?
Notation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sheet Music free?
Sheet Music is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Notation or Sheet Music have ads?
Both Notation and Sheet Music show ads.
Which is updated more often, Notation or Sheet Music?
Notation ships an update every 9 days, and Sheet Music every 2 months. Most recently, Notation was updated on October 28, 2026 and Sheet Music on October 29, 2026.

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