# Sheet Music Scanner vs Notation Scanner

The clearest difference is price: Sheet Music Scanner at Free against Notation Scanner's $2.99. Sheet Music Scanner also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.1) and chart position (#147 vs unranked). Notation Scanner's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Sheet Music Scanner is free to download; Notation Scanner costs $2.99 up front. Sheet Music Scanner sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Notation Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sheet Music Scanner holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sheet Music Scanner has 6.5K ratings behind it against 736, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Sheet Music Scanner's written reviews are positive against 49% of Notation Scanner's.

Sheet Music Scanner ships an update every 3 weeks, Notation Scanner every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sheet Music Scanner | Notation Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.5 (6.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheet-music-scanner/id884984324/reviews)** | [4.1 (736 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-scanner-sheet-music/id1260311003/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.5K** | 736 |
| Positive reviews | **61.0% of reviews** | 49.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#147** | — |
| Size | 77 MB | 168 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [App Sub 1 LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667982354) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### Sheet Music Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheet-music-scanner/id884984324)

**Currently charting:** #147 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Instantly listen to scanned sheet music with this app. It recognizes musical notation and plays it back on your device with various instruments and adjustable speeds. Learn music by hearing it come alive from the page.

**Highlights:** Scan printed sheet music with camera, Playback from photo library or PDF, Tap to play specific measures, Recognizes melody, harmony, and rhythm symbols, Supports multiple instruments and voices, Adjustable playback speed, Export as MIDI, MusicXML, and audio

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notation Scanner | $4.99 | per month |
| Notation Scanner | $9.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $14.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $17.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $22.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $22.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $24.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $29.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $34.99 | per year |
| Notation Scanner | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Game changing app
- 👍 Helpful for learning music
- 💡 Useful for singers and musicians
- 🚀 Accurate scanning and playback
- 👍 Great value for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Misses notes, rhythms, and symbols
- 🐛 Struggles with complex music
- 🔒 Requires subscription to fully use
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance

**Reported bugs**

- Misses key signatures and accidentals
- Struggles with handwritten or low-quality sheet music
- Separates hands/voices incorrectly in multi-staff scores

**Requested features**

- Add ability to manually edit scanned music
- Improve support for repeats, codas, and complex rhythms
- Allow selecting/isolating individual instrument/voice parts
- Add count-in and metronome features
- Improve export options (e.g. separate instrument tracks)


### 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 Sheet Music Scanner free?

Sheet Music Scanner 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, Sheet Music Scanner or Notation Scanner?

Sheet Music Scanner is rated higher. Sheet Music Scanner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6.5K ratings, while Notation Scanner averages 4.1 from 736 ratings.

### Do Sheet Music Scanner or Notation Scanner have ads?

Neither Sheet Music Scanner nor Notation Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sheet Music Scanner or Notation Scanner?

Sheet Music Scanner ships an update every 3 weeks, and Notation Scanner every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sheet Music Scanner was updated on November 6, 2026 and Notation Scanner on November 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.*