forScore Cue vs Dorico
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Remote page turning
- Navigate between scores
- Scroll up/down
- Toggle half-page turns
- View controlled device screen
- Dual Page mode for two-page display
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | forScore Cue | Dorico |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (89 ratings) | 4.6 (2.3K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 30.4% of reviews | 55.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 89 | 2.3K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #147 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 975 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | forScore LLC | Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH |
Customer experience
forScore Cue
Dorico
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
forScore Cue
No in-app purchases
Dorico
- Dorico Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$5.991 Month
- Dorico Annual Subscription14 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Dorico Lifetime Unlock$119.99









