Comparison

Notation vs Compose Studio Score Input

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

Compose Studio Score Input

Features
Read full description

Copy an instrumental part into editable notation using touch controls. The app's controls and explanations are currently in Japanese. CHOOSE PITCH WITH A VERTICAL DRAG Move your finger up or down on the pitch pad, then release to enter the note at the score cursor. A preview note appears on the staff while you drag, and you can hear the pitch before committing it. ADJUST A NOTE WHILE HOLDING IT Keep one finger on the pitch pad while using another to change duration, dots or accidentals. Double-tap an accidental to lock it for repeated entry. You can also select an existing note and change its duration. ENTER TRANSPOSED PARTS AS WRITTEN Choose a transposing instrument, such as clarinet or alto saxophone, to enter the written pitches from its part. Saved pitches and playback use concert pitch. EDIT THE STRUCTURE OF THE PIECE Change the time signature, key signature, tempo and rehearsal mark from a selected measure. Add or remove measures in the same settings screen. ENTER TUPLETS Create groups of 3, 5, 6 or 7 equal notes. The selected note value sets the total duration of the group: selecting a quarter note before choosing triplets divides that quarter-note duration into three equal notes. Create the group, then enter its notes. SAVE AND SHARE Scores are saved on your device as .musil files, accessible in the Files app and shareable with other apps. Import a file into Programmable Metronome to use its tempo, time signatures and rehearsal marks. An editing draft is saved automatically so you can resume work when you reopen the app. This is a tool for entering a single melodic part; chord and multiple-voice entry are outside its current scope.

Screenshots

Notation4 screens
Compose Studio Score Input1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Compose Studio Score Input at none against Notation's 2. Compose Studio Score Input also leads on ads (none vs shown). Notation's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Compose Studio Score Input asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notation ships an update every 9 days, Compose Studio Score Input monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Notation versus Compose Studio Score Input: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotationCompose Studio Score Input
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer凯 张Naoki Chiba

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Notation

Subscriptions1
  • Weekly Subscription · NotationAI3 Days trial$3.997 Days
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access · NotationAI$19.99
None

Compose Studio Score Input

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notation free?
Notation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Compose Studio Score Input free?
Compose Studio Score Input is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Notation or Compose Studio Score Input have ads?
Notation shows ads; Compose Studio Score Input does not.
Which is updated more often, Notation or Compose Studio Score Input?
Notation ships an update every 9 days, and Compose Studio Score Input monthly. Most recently, Notation was updated on October 28, 2026 and Compose Studio Score Input on October 31, 2026.

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