Comparison

forScore Cue vs Dorico

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

Head to head
About

forScore Cue

This app allows you to remotely control another device running a music score application. You can turn pages, navigate between songs, and even view the screen of the controlled device. It's ideal for musicians who need to manage their scores hands-free during performances.

Highlights
  • Remote page turning
  • Navigate between scores
  • Scroll up/down
  • Toggle half-page turns
  • View controlled device screen
  • Dual Page mode for two-page display
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Remotely control forScore with Cue! Connect wirelessly to one or more nearby devices using forScore and you’ll be able to turn pages, go to a specific page, scroll up and down or toggle half-page turns (depending on each device’s layout), and navigate to any score that’s present on all connected devices. You can even view a device’s screen* to follow along as they play! Cue works with forScore 6.1 or later (sold separately). With Dual Page mode, you can use forScore on one device and Cue on another device to display two full-sized pages simultaneously. Your page and its annotations are sent wirelessly, and tapping or swiping on either device turns two pages at a time—just like a book. Dual Page mode even supports links and buttons, so you can tap on them no matter which side they’re on and they’ll work just like you expect. Cue now even includes a free watchOS app so you can use your Apple Watch as a Bluetooth page turner. Choose from four different button layouts and enable “watch remote” support in forScore’s Devices panel to get started (requires forScore 15.2 or later). Visit forScore.co/cue to learn more! *Performance can vary greatly based on settings, environmental factors, and network availability. A wifi connection is strongly recommended. Image quality can be adjusted in the Settings app.

About

Dorico

Create professional music notation and compositions with this powerful app. Easily input notes, edit performances, and share your work in various formats. It's suitable for beginners and professionals alike.

Highlights
  • Compose music notation
  • On-screen keyboard, drum pads, fretboard
  • MIDI editing tools
  • PDF, audio, MusicXML export
  • Print to AirPrint
  • Read mode with annotation
  • Automatic engraving
Features
Read full description

Compose your own music for free with Dorico. Create beautiful music notation for up to eight instruments quickly and easily with the on-screen keyboard, drum pads and fretboard. Play back instantly with the included sounds and shape the performance with powerful MIDI editing tools. When your piece is finished, share it as PDF, audio or MusicXML, or print directly to your AirPrint-enabled printer. Perform using the built-in read mode, and annotate with your Apple Pencil. Dorico is the award-winning music notation and composition software from Steinberg for macOS, Windows, and iPadOS. It’s easy enough to learn and use that it is used by students in schools, and deep enough that it satisfies the needs of the most demanding professionals in the worlds of concert music, music for film and TV, and music publishing. Dorico for iPad is fully compatible with Dorico for macOS and Windows, so you can work on your projects on the move on your iPad and in your studio on your desktop or laptop computer, or share projects with musicians using Dorico on any platform. Dorico’s interface is split into four modes. In Setup mode, you can add and change instruments, create and reorder sections of music (called “flows”), and choose how your music will be formatted for your musicians into layouts. In Write mode, you can input and edit music and other notations using simple, well-organized toolboxes and panels. In Engrave mode (included if you buy a paid subscription to Dorico’s advanced features), you can make graphical tweaks to every item in your project. Finally, in Play mode, you have access to powerful sequencer-style MIDI editing tools, including piano roll and velocity editors. Dorico includes built-in virtual instruments and effects to allow you to play back your compositions, and you can also easily use any compatible Audio Unit plug-in or external MIDI device (with optional subscription or Lifetime Unlock in-app purchase), and tweak playback using the on-screen Mixer. Input music using an on-screen piano keyboard, or by connecting a MIDI keyboard to your iPad directly via USB or using a compatible USB-to-Lightning adaptor. If you have a Magic Keyboard or other external keyboard, you can make use of extensive keyboard shortcuts to work quickly and efficiently. Dorico is free to use, allowing you to write for ensembles of up to four players. Register with your free Steinberg ID to increase the player limit to eight, allowing you to write for ensembles like string or wind quartet, or SATB choir. If you want to take your composition and arranging to the next level, you can buy an optional subscription or Lifetime Unlock in-app purchase to access more features and power: write for ensembles of any number of players, and gain access to Engrave mode, allowing you to make graphical tweaks to individual items anywhere in your project. HIGHLIGHTS • Best automatic engraving of any software • Easy note input using on-screen keyboard, MIDI keyboard, or external keyboard • Intelligently adjusts notation as you write • Any number of movements or pieces in a single project • Automatic layout of instrumental parts • Expressive playback using included sounds and effects • Supports Audio Unit virtual instruments and effects processors • Sequencer-style piano roll MIDI editor • Sophisticated chord symbols, unpitched percussion and drum set notation • Unbarred music, tuplets across barlines, etc. all handled correctly — no workarounds • Transfer to and from other apps via MusicXML, MIDI, PDF, etc. For support, please visit www.dorico.com/forum If you like Dorico, please support us by rating this app in the App Store. Thank you!

Screenshots

forScore Cue4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Dorico at Free against forScore Cue's $4.99. Dorico also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). forScore Cue's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#147 vs unranked). On ads and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Dorico is free to download; forScore Cue costs $4.99 up front. Dorico sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. forScore Cue asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dorico holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dorico has 2.3K ratings behind it against 89, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of forScore Cue's written reviews are positive against 55% of Dorico's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

forScore Cue ships an update every 5 months, Dorico every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
forScore Cue versus Dorico: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterforScore CueDorico
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (89 ratings)4.6 (2.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews30.4% of reviews55.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings892.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#147 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — betteriPad
Requires iOS17.017
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB975 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperforScore LLCSteinberg Media Technologies GmbH

Customer experience

forScore Cue

All ratings89 ratings
Positive78.7%
Neutral3.4%
Negative18.0%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive30.4%
Neutral13.0%
Negative56.5%

Dorico

All ratings1,908 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews294 reviews
Positive55.4%
Neutral12.9%
Negative31.6%

Bugs and requests

forScore Cue

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Dorico

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes when opening or editing projects
  • Corrupted/lost files after app crashes
  • Unresponsive keyboard and note input issues
  • Scrolling and UI glitches, especially in Engrave mode
  • Incompatibility with certain iPad models and iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Support for Apple Pencil and handwriting input
  • Improved file management and organization
  • Expanded audio unit/plugin integration
  • More customization options for layout and engraving
  • Ability to export/import flows and projects between iPad and desktop

In-app purchases

None

forScore Cue

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Dorico

Subscriptions2
  • Dorico Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Dorico Annual Subscription14 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Dorico Lifetime Unlock$119.99

Questions

Is forScore Cue free?
forScore Cue costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dorico free?
Dorico is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, forScore Cue or Dorico?
Dorico is rated higher. forScore Cue averages 4.2 out of 5 from 89 ratings, while Dorico averages 4.6 from 2.3K ratings.
Do forScore Cue or Dorico have ads?
Neither forScore Cue nor Dorico shows ads.
Which is updated more often, forScore Cue or Dorico?
forScore Cue ships an update every 5 months, and Dorico every 3 weeks. Most recently, forScore Cue was updated on November 6, 2026 and Dorico on November 8, 2026.

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