Comparison

Band Session Note vs ARC Score

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

Head to head
About

Band Session Note

This app allows musicians to handwrite musical scores and charts digitally using an Apple Pencil. It offers tools for sketching chords, rhythms, and annotating imported scores, with features for creating custom sections and setlists for band rehearsals and performances.

Highlights
  • Handwritten score sketching with Apple Pencil
  • Drum notation with standard lines
  • Annotate imported scores (PDF/photo)
  • Solfège stickers for kids
  • Create and manage setlists
  • Customizable song sections
  • Export as PNG, JPG, or PDF
Features
Read full description

Create, edit, organize and perform, all in one place. Band Session Note is a sheet music app made by a working saxophonist for band musicians. Write a chart in minutes, fix only the parts you need, and take it straight to rehearsal and the stage. CREATE & EDIT YOUR MUSIC - Write scores with Apple Pencil, your finger or any stylus - Start from a song form or one of 13 ensemble setups - Add chords in seconds with Quick Chords above each bar - Open PDF and photo scores, then mark up and edit them - Select any area and erase, copy or move only that part - Transpose for C, Bb and Eb instruments - Chord voicings and piano chord charts - Play your score back, or write with a MIDI keyboard READY FOR THE STAGE - Performance mode with half-page turns and auto-scroll - Setlists to line up every song of the night - Built-in metronome, tuner and countdown MORE TOOLS FOR MUSICIANS - Rhythm Tap: tap a groove and it becomes drum notation - Lyrics mode and lyric sheets - Export to PDF or image and share with your band OPTIONAL PACKS (in-app purchase) - Pro Pack: play the on-screen keyboard into notation, with auto dynamics and articulations - Drum Pack: drum kit with recording and overdub - String Pack: technique marks for guitar, bass and ukulele - Kids Music Play Pack: solfege stickers and praise stamps Works on iPad and iPhone. Your scores stay on your device unless you share them. One-time purchase, no subscription.

About

ARC Score

This app allows musicians to edit, annotate, and read sheet music. Import PDFs or images, create new scores, and use handwriting recognition to convert notes into printed notation. Manage your music library with folders and setlists.

Highlights
  • Import PDF and image scores
  • Handwritten note conversion
  • Printed content editing
  • Annotation tools
  • Folders and setlists
  • Page management
Features
Read full description

ARC Score is a sheet music app for editing printed notation, adding annotations, and reading scores while you play. Edit with Apple Pencil on iPad or your finger on iPhone. On iPhone, use one finger to write, erase, and select, and two fingers to pan and zoom. Import PDF or image scores, or create a score from blank staff paper. Turn on printed-content editing to erase or move printed markings while preserving staff lines. Annotate with the pen and highlighter, and save your favorite colors and widths as quick tools. Write notes and rests on the staff of a new or imported score with Music Pen. Recognized handwriting becomes printed notation based on where you wrote it. Add dots or flags to revise it, or use Undo to return to the original handwriting. This does not automatically transcribe an entire existing score. Recognition results depend on handwriting and score quality. Key features • Import PDF and image scores • Staff-paper templates with or without a title area • Save personal PDFs as templates: repeat one selected page or use the complete PDF • Edit printed content while preserving staff lines • Convert handwritten notes and rests with Music Pen • Ordinary pen, highlighter, eraser, freeform and rectangular selection • Undo and Redo • Folders and setlists • Add, duplicate, reorder, and delete pages • Portrait, landscape, and two-page reading • Automatic saving and work recovery Hide the tools in reading mode while keeping system information such as the time and battery visible. Tap or swipe to turn pages, and use performance lock to reduce unintended actions. ARC Score supports Korean, English, and Japanese. Open App Language in settings to change the language in system settings. Printed-content editing and staff detection work best with clear PDFs and images. Results may vary with low-resolution scans and photographs. Access plans Keep up to five library scores for free, with viewing, ordinary annotations, basic management, saving, and export. A multi-page score counts as one library item. Tutorial scores do not count toward the free limit. No ARC Score account or login is required. Monthly and lifetime access provide the same current benefits: printed-content editing, Music Pen, and unlimited library scores. Prices vary by country or region. Check the price and terms shown in the app and Apple's purchase confirmation before buying. Monthly access is an auto-renewable subscription. Eligible subscribers receive a 14-day free trial, followed by the monthly charge unless cancelled. To avoid renewal, cancel in your Apple Account subscription settings at least 24 hours before the next billing date. Lifetime access is a one-time purchase with no automatic renewal. Buying lifetime access does not automatically cancel an existing monthly subscription. After a trial or subscription ends, existing scores and edits remain available for viewing, ordinary annotations, saving, and export. Scores above the free limit are retained. In free access, you can add a new score only when fewer than five library scores are stored. New printed-content editing and Music Pen use require active access. Use Restore Purchases to verify an existing purchase. Privacy Policy: https://arc-score-support.jzrtcmkrj4.chatgpt.site/privacy Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Band Session Note4 screens
ARC Score3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ARC Score at Free against Band Session Note's $9.99. ARC Score also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). Band Session Note's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On review sentiment, 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

ARC Score is free to download; Band Session Note costs $9.99 up front. Band Session Note sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and ARC Score sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Band Session Note ships an update weekly, ARC Score every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Band Session Note versus ARC Score: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBand Session NoteARC Score
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developersung ju KIMsang hoon lee

Customer experience

Band Session Note

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ARC Score

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Band Session Note

One-time5
  • 드럼팩$0.99
  • 음악놀이$0.99
  • String Pack (Guitar·Bass·Uke)$0.99
Show 2 more
  • Pro Pack$4.99
  • All-in-One Bundle$7.99
2 purchases

ARC Score

Subscriptions1
  • ARC Score Monthly14 Days trial$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • ARC Score Lifetime Access$17.99

Questions

Is Band Session Note free?
Band Session Note costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is ARC Score free?
ARC Score is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Band Session Note or ARC Score have ads?
Neither Band Session Note nor ARC Score shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Band Session Note or ARC Score?
Band Session Note ships an update weekly, and ARC Score every 2 days. Most recently, Band Session Note was updated on November 10, 2026 and ARC Score on November 10, 2026.

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