Comparison

Skoog vs Sibelius

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Skoog

This app connects to a unique musical instrument device, allowing users of all skill levels to create and explore music. It offers a range of instruments, scales, and adjustable sensitivity for expressive play.

Highlights
  • Connects wirelessly via Bluetooth
  • Select from various instruments
  • Explore musical scales
  • Adjustable sensitivity settings
  • Expressive music creation
  • Accessible for all abilities
Features
Read full description

Skoog is the companion app for the Skoog 2.0 musical instrument. What you need: • A Skoog 2.0 device • A Skoog subscription. The app is free to download, but cannot be used without an active subscription Subscription Options: • Monthly: 1-month subscription, auto-renewing • Annual: 1-year subscription, auto-renewing Prices are shown in the app before you buy and may vary by country. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account when you confirm the purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless you cancel it at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Your subscription keeps you connected to: • All instruments and sounds • Custom sensitivity controls • MIDI compatibility • Regular updates & support The app easily connects wirelessly via Bluetooth® Low Energy to your Skoog. You can select from a range of different instruments and explore scales, as well as adjust the sensitivity settings to your preferred set-up. Skoog 2.0 is an accessible musical instrument that allows everyone to experience the fun of making music. From the moment you lay eyes on Skoog you’ll want to play it. Whether you tap it, press it or squeeze it, the Skoog senses your touch and cleverly interprets your every move to make beautiful sound. Adjustable sensitivity means that you can play Skoog with any part of your body: hands, elbows, knees or head. This unique musical instrument can change the way you and your family can enjoy, create, and learn music - no matter what your skills, abilities, and musical talents. The universal design encourages expressive music making for children, parents, teachers, and musicians. For any questions or support issues, please get in touch with us at info@playable.tech. privacy: https://www.playable.tech/privacy/skoog terms of use: https://www.playable.tech/eula/skoog

About

Sibelius

Professional music notation software is now available on mobile devices. Create, edit, and hear your compositions anywhere with a full suite of tools optimized for touch and stylus input. Seamlessly sync across platforms and access different feature tiers to suit your needs.

Highlights
  • Professional music notation
  • Cross-platform synchronization
  • High-quality sample library
  • Apple Pencil and touch optimization
  • Innovative note entry
  • Command Search functionality
  • Scalable subscription tiers
Features
Read full description

Sibelius brings professional music notation to iPad and iPhone, putting the workflows used by countless composers, orchestrators, and arrangers at your fingertips. Seamlessly move between iPad, iPhone and desktop, and from studio to coffeeshop to scoring stage, and write anywhere inspiration strikes. # Work on scores anywhere Sibelius for mobile puts the #1 selling music notation program at your fingertips—literally. Work with the same tools and features used by countless composers and production houses every day on your iPad and iPhone. Whether writing down ideas, creating full-blown compositions, or reviewing scores, you have the freedom to create wherever you’re comfortable. #Take your portfolio to go Forget having to bring and break out your laptop when meeting with clients and collaborators. Instead, you can conveniently take the world’s most powerful notation toolset and your entire music portfolio with you wherever you go—ideal for those unexpected opportunities. And for tandemly working through last-minute revisions. # Hear your music in stunning detail Sibelius includes a high-quality sample library filled with a variety of musical instrumentation, so you can hear what your music will sound like when performed by real musicians. The Espressivo advanced notation interpretation even lets you adjust rhythm and swing to create a more humanistic feel. # Speed your workflow Sibelius for mobile is designed to take full advantage of Apple Pencil and iPad touch capabilities. Its elegant, streamlined interface provides the most intuitive and efficient workflows possible while supporting the same keyboard shortcuts you know and love from working on the desktop version, so you’ll feel right at home. # Get innovative note entry Experience the pen and paper workflow reimagined. Enter notes with the onscreen Keypad or a keyboard, and Sibelius takes care of all note layout. Touch a note and drag up or down to change its value, or drag left or right to add a flat or sharp. With an Apple Pencil, tap a note and tilt up or down to add a flat or sharp, or tilt left or right to choose the note value. # Have everything you need In addition to the Keypad, Sibelius for mobile features a Create menu that’s optimized for iOS, making it easy to add clefs, key signatures, time signatures, barlines, symbols, text styles, and more to your score from searchable galleries. You can also quickly search through all Sibelius commands using the Command Search, putting the entire app at your fingertips. # Move tiers to meet needs Sibelius is designed to grow with you to support your creative aspirations and project needs. From the introductory (and free) Sibelius First to the industry-standard Sibelius Ultimate, you can add more notation capabilities and instrument parts to take on more creative opportunities by simply upgrading your subscription tier. # Have everything on one creative platform Seamlessly move from desktop to tablet and back without ever having to import or export files. That’s because whether on mobile or desktop, you’re always in Sibelius. With files saved to iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, or other iOS-supported cloud service, you have easy anywhere access to all your ideas and scores. # Enable a hybrid workflow While Sibelius for mobile is fully featured, providing many of the same tools as its desktop counterpart, there are some notation and layout features only available in the desktop version, making it an integral part of a complete workflow (compare versions). Plus, the mobile version comes free with the desktop version, enabling you to work where and how you want.

Screenshots

Skoog3 screens
Sibelius4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sibelius at 4.2 against Skoog's 3.3. Sibelius also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 8) and review sentiment (36% vs 25%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Skoog sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Sibelius sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sibelius holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sibelius has 1.8K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Skoog's written reviews are positive against 36% of Sibelius's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Skoog ships an update every 6 weeks, Sibelius every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Skoog versus Sibelius: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSkoogSibelius
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (8 ratings)4.2 (1.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews35.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings81.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.613.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size103 MB1.4 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPlayable Tech ltd.Avid®

Customer experience

Skoog

All ratings8 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative37.5%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

Sibelius

All ratings1,796 ratings
Positive78.2%
Neutral5.3%
Negative16.5%
Written reviews591 reviews
Positive35.7%
Neutral11.3%
Negative53.0%

Bugs and requests

Skoog

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Sibelius

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Scores disappearing or not saving properly
  • Subscription issues and inability to log in
  • Crashes when performing basic actions
  • Compatibility problems with newer iPad OS versions

Requested features

7 requests
  • Ability to enlarge chord symbols
  • More time signature options
  • Support for MIDI input
  • Better Apple Pencil integration
  • Autosave and improved file management
Show 2 more
  • Export options like MusicXML and PDF
  • Customizable shortcuts and toolbars

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Skoog

Subscriptions2
  • Standard - Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Standard - Annual$34.991 Year
2 purchases

Sibelius

Subscriptions2
  • Sibelius Artist for iOS1 Month trial$5.991 Month
  • Sibelius Ultimate for iOS1 Month trial$12.991 Month

Questions

Is Skoog free?
Skoog is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sibelius free?
Sibelius is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Skoog or Sibelius?
Sibelius is rated higher. Skoog averages 3.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Sibelius averages 4.2 from 1.8K ratings.
Do Skoog or Sibelius have ads?
Neither Skoog nor Sibelius shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Skoog or Sibelius?
Skoog ships an update every 6 weeks, and Sibelius every 2 months. Most recently, Skoog was updated on October 20, 2026 and Sibelius on October 19, 2026.

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