# Musicnotes vs IMSLP

The clearest difference is ads: IMSLP at none against Musicnotes's shown. IMSLP also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 55%) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). Musicnotes's advantage is ratings volume (43K vs 507) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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 IMSLP sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Musicnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Musicnotes has 43K ratings behind it against 507, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of Musicnotes's written reviews are positive against 70% of IMSLP's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Musicnotes ships an update every 3 weeks, IMSLP every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Musicnotes | IMSLP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (43K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicnotes-sheet-music-reader/id924050984/reviews)** | [4.6 (507 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imslp/id1373671782/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **43K** | 507 |
| Positive reviews | 54.7% of reviews | **70.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#207** | — |
| Size | 128 MB | 232 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) | [Project Petrucci LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1373671781) |

## What reviewers say

### Musicnotes

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

**Currently charting:** #207 Top Free · 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


### IMSLP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imslp/id1373671782)

Access a vast digital library of classical music scores on your iOS device. Enjoy full access to commercial recordings, instant downloads, and new uploads with a membership subscription. Support the music community while exploring a comprehensive collection.

**Highlights:** Browse IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library, View musical scores, Access commercial recordings, Instant downloads, Access new uploads instantly, Membership subscription benefits

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Membership Subscription | $3.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Integrated IMSLP library
- 👍 Well-made app
- 👍 Game changer for musicians
- 👍 Indispensable for professionals and amateurs
- 👍 Fantastic offering

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes when zooming in and annotating
- 💰 Money grabbing with constant subscription prompts
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Annotation issues and lost data
- 🐛 Battery drain on iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when opening scores
- Scores disappearing from library
- Login issues and lost data
- Incompatibility with older devices after updates
- Annotation issues causing loss of data

**Requested features**

- Predictive text for score annotations
- Ability to restore original zoom settings
- Metric to indicate device performance during page turns
- Folder-like organization system
- Color wheel and custom pen/highlighter options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Musicnotes free?

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

### Is IMSLP free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Musicnotes or IMSLP?

Musicnotes is rated higher. Musicnotes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 43K ratings, while IMSLP averages 4.6 from 507 ratings.

### Do Musicnotes or IMSLP have ads?

Musicnotes shows ads; IMSLP does not.

### Which is updated more often, Musicnotes or IMSLP?

Musicnotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and IMSLP every 10 days. Most recently, Musicnotes was updated on September 26, 2026 and IMSLP on September 24, 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.*