# Sheet Music Scanner vs PiaBookPlayer

The clearest difference is rating: Sheet Music Scanner at 4.5 against PiaBookPlayer's 3.8. Sheet Music Scanner also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 23%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). PiaBookPlayer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sheet Music Scanner sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. PiaBookPlayer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Sheet Music Scanner holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sheet Music Scanner has 6.5K ratings behind it against 5, 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 23% of PiaBookPlayer's.

Sheet Music Scanner ships an update every 3 weeks, PiaBookPlayer every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sheet Music Scanner | PiaBookPlayer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (6.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheet-music-scanner/id884984324/reviews)** | [3.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piabookplayer/id1469318767/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.5K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **61.0% of reviews** | 22.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#136** | — |
| Size | 77 MB | 197 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [App Sub 1 LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667982354) | [Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/448581784) |

## What reviewers say

### Sheet Music Scanner

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

**Currently charting:** #136 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 (13)**

| 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 | $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 |
| Notation Scanner | $44.99 | 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)


### PiaBookPlayer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piabookplayer/id1469318767)

This app displays musical scores from built-in lesson songs and practice pieces on Kawai digital pianos. It allows users to view scores, listen to playback through the instrument, and utilize features like phrase repetition and hands-free page turning via pedals.

**Highlights:** View musical scores, Listen to built-in songs, Digital score viewer, Repeat phrase function, Hands-free page turning, Bluetooth MIDI connectivity

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sheet Music Scanner free?

Sheet Music Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PiaBookPlayer free?

PiaBookPlayer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sheet Music Scanner or PiaBookPlayer?

Sheet Music Scanner is rated higher. Sheet Music Scanner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6.5K ratings, while PiaBookPlayer averages 3.8 from 5 ratings.

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

Neither Sheet Music Scanner nor PiaBookPlayer shows ads.

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

Sheet Music Scanner ships an update every 3 weeks, and PiaBookPlayer every 5 months. Most recently, Sheet Music Scanner was updated on October 29, 2026 and PiaBookPlayer on October 25, 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.*