StaffWars vs NoteNames+
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
StaffWars
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.
- Learn note names on grand staff
- Practice treble clef
- Master alto clef
- Woodshed bass clef
- Interactive musical game
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StaffWars is a game designed to help beginning and intermediate musicians learn, practice and woodshed the note names on the grand staff, treble, alto and bass clefs. THE APP for anyone who wants to master these clefs.
NoteNames+
This app helps young musicians instantly recognize note names across treble, bass, and alto clefs. It aids in learning key signatures, scales, and enharmonic notes, making music study more efficient and engaging.
- Treble, bass, and alto clef training
- Enharmonic note recognition
- Key signature training
- Scale spelling
- Key signature building
- Teacher class codes for student scores
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NoteNames+ tackles one of the most serious roadblocks for young musicians: The ability to instantly recognize the names of notes. Instantaneous note recognition allows students to process other important information, such as dynamics, articulation, phrasing, fingerings, and so on. NoteNames+ was first developed nearly 20 years ago for the Macintosh, and now it lives on via iOS. Gone are the days of writing the names of notes above the music! Use NoteNames+ as a regular part of your curriculum. Features include: *Training for treble, bass AND alto clefs! *Enharmonic training *Major and minor key signature recognition *Scale spelling (major) *Key signature building (major and minor) *Google Docs implementation (free) Teachers can create their own unique school code in order to receive student scores and to set their own preference requirements *on a per-class basis* which is extremely powerful. Contact us to do this (it's free). NoteNames+ rewards speed *and* accuracy. Students will remain engaged rather than zoning out in a self-paced tutorial format.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: NoteNames+ at Free against StaffWars's $1.99. NoteNames+ also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). StaffWars's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 4.1) and chart position (#29 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
NoteNames+ is free to download; StaffWars costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
StaffWars holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StaffWars has 133 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of StaffWars's written reviews are positive against 67% of NoteNames+'s.
StaffWars ships an update every 4 months, NoteNames+ weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | StaffWars | NoteNames+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (133 ratings) — better | 4.1 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 74.1% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 133 — better | 16 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #29 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 50 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | TMI Media, LLC | Brian Wis |
Customer experience
StaffWars
NoteNames+
Bugs and requests
StaffWars
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
13 requests- 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
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- Sound feedback for incorrect answers
- Multiple clef practice mode (switching between clefs)
- Separate range settings for treble and bass staves
- Teacher account system to track student progress
- Different background music themes
- Instrument-specific transposition settings
- Audio playback of correct pitches
- Account system for home practice tracking
NoteNames+
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
StaffWars
No in-app purchases
NoteNames+
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is StaffWars free?
Is NoteNames+ free?
Which has better reviews, StaffWars or NoteNames+?
Do StaffWars or NoteNames+ have ads?
Which is updated more often, StaffWars or NoteNames+?
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