# Musicnotes vs PlayScore 2

The clearest difference is rating: Musicnotes at 4.8 against PlayScore 2's 4.2. Musicnotes also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (43K vs 4.5K). PlayScore 2's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Musicnotes sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and PlayScore 2 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Musicnotes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Musicnotes has 43K ratings behind it against 4.5K, 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 50% of PlayScore 2's.

Musicnotes ships an update every 3 weeks, PlayScore 2 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Musicnotes | PlayScore 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (43K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicnotes-sheet-music-reader/id924050984/reviews)** | [4.2 (4.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playscore-2/id1449591118/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **43K** | 4.5K |
| Positive reviews | **54.7% of reviews** | 50.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #207 | **#148** |
| Size | 128 MB | 93 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Musicnotes](https://appshunter.io/developer/369741037) | [Organum Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1422471846) |

## 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


### PlayScore 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playscore-2/id1449591118)

**Currently charting:** #148 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Scan sheet music from photos or PDFs and have it played back. Adjust instruments, tempo, and transposition. Export your scores as MusicXML and MIDI for further editing.

**Highlights:** Scan music from photos and PDFs, Playback with scrolling notation, Adjust volume, instrument, and transposition, Smart metronome with time signature recognition, Export as MusicXML and MIDI, Create 'Playable Score' documents

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PlayScore Productivity | $5.99 | per month |
| PlayScore 2 Professional month | $6.99 | per month |
| PlayScore Productivity | $34.99 | per year |
| PlayScore 2 Professional year | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app for learning music
- 👍 User-friendly and easy to use
- 🎉 Impressive music recognition capabilities
- 💡 Helpful for practicing and isolating parts
- 🎨 Versatile playback options (tempo, instrument)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent note/rhythm recognition
- 🔢 Limitations on number of pages scanned
- 🔇 Issues with volume and audio quality
- 🤔 Struggles with complex or handwritten scores
- 💰 Subscription-based model

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes when scanning/importing
- Playback issues with timing and note accuracy
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- Exporting to MIDI/MusicXML not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to import PDFs and multiple pages
- Improved support for transposition and clef changes
- Metronome functionality and count-in feature
- Annotation and score editing capabilities
- Organizational tools (folders, playlists)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Musicnotes free?

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

### Is PlayScore 2 free?

PlayScore 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Musicnotes or PlayScore 2?

Musicnotes is rated higher. Musicnotes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 43K ratings, while PlayScore 2 averages 4.2 from 4.5K ratings.

### Do Musicnotes or PlayScore 2 have ads?

Musicnotes shows ads; PlayScore 2 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Musicnotes or PlayScore 2?

Musicnotes ships an update every 3 weeks, and PlayScore 2 every 2 months. Most recently, Musicnotes was updated on September 26, 2026 and PlayScore 2 on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Musicnotes or PlayScore 2?

Musicnotes currently peaks at #207 in the App Store charts, and PlayScore 2 at #148. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*