# ScoreCloud Express HD vs Sibelius

The clearest difference is price: Sibelius at Free against ScoreCloud Express HD's $2.99. Sibelius also leads on rating (4.2 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 44). ScoreCloud Express HD's advantage is iOS requirement (6.0 vs 13.4). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Sibelius is free to download; ScoreCloud Express HD costs $2.99 up front. ScoreCloud Express HD sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sibelius holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of ScoreCloud Express HD's written reviews are positive against 36% of Sibelius's.

ScoreCloud Express HD ships an update every 3 months, Sibelius every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ScoreCloud Express HD | Sibelius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.8 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scorecloud-express-hd/id763658394/reviews) | **[4.2 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 44 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 29.5% of reviews | **35.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 42 MB | 1.4 GB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DoReMIR Music Research AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/566535241) | [Avid®](https://appshunter.io/developer/436394595) |

## What reviewers say

### ScoreCloud Express HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scorecloud-express-hd/id763658394)

Instantly transform melodies played, sung, or whistled into music notation. Edit your scores, change playback sounds, and share your creations. Synchronize with desktop software for further arrangement and editing.

**Highlights:** Monophonic melody to notation conversion, Intelligent audio interpretation, Score editing and sound changes, Cloud and in-app song storage, Cross-platform synchronization, Sharing via email and social media

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| month of PLUS | $4.99 | one-time |


### Sibelius

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sibelius/id1503221259)

Professional music notation software is now available on mobile devices. Create, edit, and hear your compositions anywhere with a full suite of tools optimized for touch and stylus input. Seamlessly sync across platforms and access different feature tiers to suit your needs.

**Highlights:** Professional music notation, Cross-platform synchronization, High-quality sample library, Apple Pencil and touch optimization, Innovative note entry, Command Search functionality, Scalable subscription tiers

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sibelius Artist for iOS | $5.99 | per month |
| Sibelius Ultimate for iOS | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🚀 Useful for composing on the go
- 💡 Good for making quick edits to existing scores
- 🎨 Stylish and professional-looking app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🔒 Difficulty unlocking full version and accessing features
- 💰 Subscription service is very expensive
- 🔇 Limited sound library and poor playback quality
- 📁 Unreliable saving and file management

**Reported bugs**

- Scores disappearing or not saving properly
- Subscription issues and inability to log in
- Crashes when performing basic actions
- Compatibility problems with newer iPad OS versions

**Requested features**

- Ability to enlarge chord symbols
- More time signature options
- Support for MIDI input
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- Autosave and improved file management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ScoreCloud Express HD free?

ScoreCloud Express HD costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Sibelius free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ScoreCloud Express HD or Sibelius?

Sibelius is rated higher. ScoreCloud Express HD averages 1.8 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while Sibelius averages 4.2 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do ScoreCloud Express HD or Sibelius have ads?

Neither ScoreCloud Express HD nor Sibelius shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ScoreCloud Express HD or Sibelius?

ScoreCloud Express HD ships an update every 3 months, and Sibelius every 2 months. Most recently, ScoreCloud Express HD was updated on October 21, 2026 and Sibelius on October 29, 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.*