# MIDI Score vs Notation Scanner

The clearest difference is price: MIDI Score at Free against Notation Scanner's $2.99. Notation Scanner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

MIDI Score is free to download; Notation Scanner costs $2.99 up front. MIDI Score sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Notation Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for MIDI Score against 4.1 for Notation Scanner. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 151 and 730 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of MIDI Score's written reviews are positive against 50% of Notation Scanner's.

MIDI Score ships an update every 2 months, Notation Scanner every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MIDI Score | Notation Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (151 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midi-score/id797590911/reviews) | **[4.1 (730 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-scanner-sheet-music/id1260311003/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 151 | **730** |
| Positive reviews | 43.5% of reviews | **49.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 20 MB | 168 MB |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AmoriyA](https://appshunter.io/developer/310797358) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### MIDI Score

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midi-score/id797590911)

This app transforms MIDI files into synchronized sheet music. View musical notes as the music plays, with support for various clefs and track selection. Manage your songs and download new ones directly.

**Highlights:** Converts MIDI to sheet music, Synchronized playback, Supports multiple clefs, Track selection, Song management, Web and iTunes download

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


### Notation Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-scanner-sheet-music/id1260311003)

This app allows users to scan and recognize sheet music using their device's camera or existing images. It functions as a sheet music reader and player, supporting over 100 instruments and offering playback controls. Users can also export their recognized scores in various formats.

**Highlights:** Scan sheet music via camera or image library, Recognize and playback music scores, Support for over 100 instruments, Adjust tempo and voice parts, Export as MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, PDF

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for learning and practicing music
- 🚀 Works well when the sheet music is clear
- 💡 Useful for choir and band members

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Struggles to recognize complex or low-quality sheet music
- 🔒 Forces users to leave 5-star reviews to unlock features
- 🔋 Slow scanning and processing times

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot recognize any photos or scans of sheet music
- Playback skips notes and has timing issues
- App crashes frequently when trying to scan music

**Requested features**

- Allow users to manually correct scanned music
- Improve recognition accuracy for different sheet music styles
- Add more instrument options beyond just piano


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MIDI Score free?

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

### Is Notation Scanner free?

Notation Scanner costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MIDI Score or Notation Scanner?

Notation Scanner is rated higher. MIDI Score averages 4.0 out of 5 from 151 ratings, while Notation Scanner averages 4.1 from 730 ratings.

### Do MIDI Score or Notation Scanner have ads?

MIDI Score shows ads; Notation Scanner does not.

### Which is updated more often, MIDI Score or Notation Scanner?

MIDI Score ships an update every 2 months, and Notation Scanner every 2 weeks. Most recently, MIDI Score was updated on October 18, 2026 and Notation Scanner on October 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*