# Musicnotes vs capella score reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Musicnotes at 55% against capella score reader's 0%. Musicnotes also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.2) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 18 months). capella score reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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. capella score reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Musicnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Musicnotes has 43K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Musicnotes's written reviews are positive against 0% of capella score reader's.

Musicnotes ships an update every 3 weeks, capella score reader every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Musicnotes | capella score reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (43K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicnotes-sheet-music-reader/id924050984/reviews)** | [2.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/capella-score-reader/id1449570362/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **43K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **54.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 18 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#206** | — |
| Size | 128 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Musicnotes](https://appshunter.io/developer/369741037) | [capella-software AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449570361) |

## What reviewers say

### Musicnotes

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

**Currently charting:** #206 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


### capella score reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/capella-score-reader/id1449570362)

This app allows musicians to read, listen to, and practice music scores on their mobile devices. It offers features like solo voice playback, voice muting, and tempo control for efficient practice and study.

**Highlights:** Read and listen to music scores, Practice individual parts, Mute specific voices, Extract single voices, Two-finger zoom for scores, One-finger page turning, Adjustable tempo control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Musicnotes free?

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

### Is capella score reader free?

capella score reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Musicnotes or capella score reader?

Musicnotes is rated higher. Musicnotes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 43K ratings, while capella score reader averages 2.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Musicnotes or capella score reader have ads?

Musicnotes shows ads; capella score reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Musicnotes or capella score reader?

Musicnotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and capella score reader every 18 months. Most recently, Musicnotes was updated on September 27, 2026 and capella score reader on September 13, 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.*