# StaffWars vs Simply Read Notes

The clearest difference is price: Simply Read Notes at Free against StaffWars's $1.99. Simply Read Notes also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3). StaffWars's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and ratings volume (133 vs 1). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Simply Read Notes is free to download; StaffWars costs $1.99 up front. Simply Read Notes sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. StaffWars asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simply Read Notes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StaffWars has 133 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

StaffWars ships an update every 4 months, Simply Read Notes every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StaffWars | Simply Read Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (133 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffwars/id810405576/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-read-notes/id6505057767/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **133** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 74.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 32 MB | 101 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TMI Media, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/810405579) | [Frederic Nagler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1693577034) |

## What reviewers say

### StaffWars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/staffwars/id810405576)

**Currently charting:** #34 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Master musical clefs with this interactive game. Practice note names on the grand staff, treble, alto, and bass clefs. Ideal for musicians of all levels looking to improve their sight-reading skills.

**Highlights:** Learn note names on grand staff, Practice treble clef, Master alto clef, Woodshed bass clef, Interactive musical game

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎯 Highly effective for learning note reading
- 👨‍🏫 Excellent tool for music teachers and students
- 🎮 Engaging and addictive gameplay mechanics
- ⚡ Increasing difficulty keeps users motivated
- 🎼 Supports multiple clefs (treble, alto, bass, tenor)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Double-click detection issues causing missed points
- ⚠️ Game pace too fast for beginners
- 🎯 Unresponsive tap detection at times
- ❌ Note location accuracy problems reported
- 😤 Frustrating difficulty curve for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Double-click registration causing unintended note selections
- Incorrect note location detection preventing proper learning
- App fails to close properly on iPhone X
- Unresponsive touch input
- Occasional app crashes reported

**Requested features**

- Extended note range for ledger lines (especially for cello and violin)
- Piano keyboard interface instead of letter buttons
- Microphone/instrument input feature for actual note playing
- Note names displayed in note heads
- Slow mode option for beginners


### Simply Read Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simply-read-notes/id6505057767)

Master music notation with this comprehensive educational tool. It offers guided learning and customizable exercises to improve your sight-reading skills across various clefs and difficulty levels. Daily challenges and progress tracking help you become an ace note reader.

**Highlights:** Guided learning program, Customizable manual exercises, Multiple clef support, Daily challenges, Progressive difficulty adaptation, Three language options for notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Subscription Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Subscription Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Subscription Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Small Gem Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Raise Gem Limit | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Gem Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Gem Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Full version | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StaffWars free?

StaffWars costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Simply Read Notes free?

Simply Read Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, StaffWars or Simply Read Notes?

Simply Read Notes is rated higher. StaffWars averages 4.3 out of 5 from 133 ratings, while Simply Read Notes averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do StaffWars or Simply Read Notes have ads?

Neither StaffWars nor Simply Read Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StaffWars or Simply Read Notes?

StaffWars ships an update every 4 months, and Simply Read Notes every 3 months. Most recently, StaffWars was updated on October 13, 2026 and Simply Read Notes on October 6, 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.*