# Musicnotes vs Notation Pad

The clearest difference is rating: Musicnotes at 4.8 against Notation Pad's 4.3. Musicnotes also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and chart position (#175 vs unranked). Notation Pad's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Musicnotes sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Notation Pad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Musicnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Musicnotes has 43K ratings behind it against 5.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of Musicnotes's written reviews are positive against 56% of Notation Pad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Musicnotes ships an update fortnightly, Notation Pad monthly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Musicnotes | Notation Pad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (43K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicnotes-sheet-music-reader/id924050984/reviews)** | [4.3 (5.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **43K** | 5.3K |
| Positive reviews | 54.9% of reviews | **55.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#175** | — |
| Size | 121 MB | 162 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Musicnotes](https://appshunter.io/developer/369741037) | [嵩 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1091921941) |

## What reviewers say

### Musicnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicnotes-sheet-music-reader/id924050984)

**Currently charting:** #175 Top Free · Music, #181 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Access and play a vast library of digital sheet music. Practice with interactive tools, transpose keys, and annotate scores. Organize your music into set lists for lessons, rehearsals, or performances.

**Highlights:** Interactive sheet music player, Key transposition tool, Annotation and markup, Set list organization, 500,000+ sheet music arrangements, Personal sheet music upload, Interactive playback with tempo control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Musicnotes Pro | $14.99 | per year |
| PDF Sheet Music Arrangement | $2.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement | $3.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement | $5.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement | $6.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement | $7.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement + PDF | $8.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement + PDF | $9.99 | one-time |
| Sheet Music Arrangement | $12.99 | one-time |
| Pro Credit Pack (3 Credits) | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great convenience
- 🎹 Fantastic range of music
- 🎶 Adjustable to skill level
- 💻 Reliable and responsive
- 🎨 Helpful playback and annotation features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Overpriced compared to other options
- 🔒 Restrictive printing and usage policies
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🖥️ Inconsistent pricing between app and website
- 📱 Poor iPad and iPhone X support

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inability to access purchased content
- Crashes and performance problems, especially on newer devices
- Inconsistent behavior when navigating and scrolling sheet music
- Unreliable playback and sync features

**Requested features**

- Add ability to permanently delete pre-installed songs
- Improve note-taking and annotation tools, including Apple Pencil support
- Implement better browsing and search functionality
- Allow more flexible printing and copying options
- Add seamless syncing between app and website purchases


### Notation Pad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notation-pad-sheet-music-score/id1091921942)

Create, edit, and play sheet music with this comprehensive notation editor. Compose original pieces, transcribe existing music, and even collaborate in real-time. Ideal for musicians of all levels, from beginners learning notes to experienced composers.

**Highlights:** Real-time collaborative editing, MusicXML, MIDI, PNG, and PDF export, High-quality playback sound, Support for up to 8 staves, Over 100 instrument sounds, Lyric editing, Multi-voice support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlimited Access Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Guitar Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Ensemble Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Brass Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Reed Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Pipe Instrument Group | $0.99 | one-time |
| Strings Instrument Group | $1.99 | one-time |
| All Instruments Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Extras Package | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎼 Good for basic music notation
- 🎹 Helpful for piano/keyboard players

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Many features locked behind paywall
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable at times
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to desktop apps
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find features

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription popup that cannot be closed
- Instruments turning into drums unexpectedly
- Inability to delete or modify certain elements

**Requested features**

- Add more instrument options
- Improve editing capabilities
- Allow changing key signatures and time signatures without premium
- Provide better tutorials and documentation
- Fix issues with note placement and playback


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Musicnotes free?

Musicnotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Notation Pad free?

Notation Pad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Musicnotes or Notation Pad?

Musicnotes is rated higher. Musicnotes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 43K ratings, while Notation Pad averages 4.3 from 5.3K ratings.

### Do Musicnotes or Notation Pad have ads?

Musicnotes shows ads; Notation Pad does not.

### Which is updated more often, Musicnotes or Notation Pad?

Musicnotes ships an update fortnightly, and Notation Pad monthly. Most recently, Musicnotes was updated on November 2, 2026 and Notation Pad on November 2, 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.*