Comparison

ARC Score vs OpenScore

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

Head to head
About

ARC Score

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 β€’ Import PDF and image scores β€’ Staff-paper templates with or without a title area β€’ Save personal PDFs as templates: repeat one selected page or use the complete PDF β€’ Edit printed content while preserving staff lines β€’ Convert handwritten notes and rests with Music Pen β€’ Ordinary pen, highlighter, eraser, freeform and rectangular selection β€’ Undo and Redo β€’ Folders and setlists β€’ Add, duplicate, reorder, and delete pages β€’ Portrait, landscape, and two-page reading β€’ 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/

About

OpenScore

Features
Read full description

Open your sheet music and focus on playing. OpenScore brings score management, annotation, page turning, and practice tracking together in one app. From daily practice to stage preparation, open the music you need on iPhone and iPad. β€’ Import PDFs and photos of your scores, or capture paper sheet music with the camera. Arrange your pieces into setlists so the music you need for practice and performance comes up in order. β€’ Mark fingerings, expression, and tricky spots with freehand notes and the highlighter. Keep what you learned in your lesson and noticed while practicing right on the page. β€’ Turn to the next page with a wink or a nod. Keep reading even while both hands are on the instrument. β€’ Set your tempo with the metronome and record your playing. Listen back to find what to polish in your next session. β€’ Check your practice time by piece and your daily history. Look back on the practice you've built up and shape a routine of your own. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

ARC Score3 screens
OpenScore4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ARC Score at none against OpenScore's 2. ARC Score also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days). OpenScore's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. OpenScore sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per year. ARC Score asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ARC Score ships an update every 2 days, OpenScore every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
ARC Score versus OpenScore: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterARC ScoreOpenScore
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days β€” betterEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size15 MB103 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developersang hoon leeNemo Studio (KR)

In-app purchases

None

ARC Score

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

OpenScore

Subscriptions1
  • Pro3 Days trial$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Plus$19.99

Questions

Is ARC Score free?
ARC Score is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OpenScore free?
OpenScore is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ARC Score or OpenScore have ads?
Neither ARC Score nor OpenScore shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ARC Score or OpenScore?
ARC Score ships an update every 2 days, and OpenScore every 5 days. Most recently, ARC Score was updated on October 14, 2026 and OpenScore on October 8, 2026.

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