# Touch Notation vs URL Beamer

The clearest difference is price: URL Beamer at Free against Touch Notation's $9.99. URL Beamer also leads on rating (4.4 vs 2.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 10). Touch Notation's advantage is ratings volume (21 vs 7) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

URL Beamer is free to download; Touch Notation costs $9.99 up front. Touch Notation sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. URL Beamer asks for nothing beyond the download.

URL Beamer holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 7 respectively.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Touch Notation | URL Beamer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.9 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/touch-notation/id890358046/reviews) | **[4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/url-beamer/id6740650994/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **21** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 44.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 112 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/448581784) | [Josef Novotny](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742855515) |

## What reviewers say

### Touch Notation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/touch-notation/id890358046)

Create musical scores with intuitive touch gestures. Draw notes, add expressions, and play back your compositions with 30 instrument voices. Export your work in various formats.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notation input, 30 built-in instrument voices, Tempo and dynamics control, Page layout functions, Transpose feature, Multiple export formats (PDF, SMF, MusicXML)

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sound Set: Piano | $0.49 | one-time |
| Sound Set: Guitar/Bass 1 | $0.49 | one-time |
| Sound Set: Strings | $0.49 | one-time |
| Sound Set: Brass/Woodwind | $0.49 | one-time |
| Sound Set: Bell/Mallet | $0.49 | one-time |
| Sound Set: Vocal/Others | $0.49 | one-time |
| Core MIDI Output | $1.99 | one-time |
| Handwritten Font | $1.99 | one-time |
| Sound Set: Full | $2.99 | one-time |
| Chord Name & Automatic Accompaniment | $3.99 | one-time |


### URL Beamer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/url-beamer/id6740650994)

This utility plugin allows you to launch other applications from within your audio host using tappable buttons. It's ideal for quick app switching during live performances or studio workflows, with optional MIDI note output for controlling other plugins or host functions.

**Highlights:** AUv3 plugin formats (Effect/Instrument), Customizable buttons for app launching, Optional MIDI note output, MIDI note input for button triggering, File Manager for settings, AUv3 Plugin State Saving

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Touch Notation free?

Touch Notation costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is URL Beamer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Touch Notation or URL Beamer?

URL Beamer is rated higher. Touch Notation averages 2.9 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while URL Beamer averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do Touch Notation or URL Beamer have ads?

Neither Touch Notation nor URL Beamer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Touch Notation or URL Beamer?

Touch Notation ships an update every 3 months, and URL Beamer every 3 months. Most recently, Touch Notation was updated on October 2, 2026 and URL Beamer on September 22, 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.*