Flat vs StaffPad

Flat is music-notation software for writing, editing, playing back, and collaborating on scores. It runs on the web, iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows, and supports MusicXML and MIDI import and export. Users can compose, edit, and play scores offline; cloud sync requires Flat Power. Multiple users can write, edit, and comment on the same score from different devices in real time. The free plan includes essential notation tools, playback, and collaboration, but is limited to 15 scores. Flat Basic lists 30 instruments; Power includes more than 180, including HQ studio instruments, alongside unlimited scores and advanced playback. Flat Power costs $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year. The desktop app is free to download and use, with a 15-score cap on its free plan. PDF import requires Flat Power or paid credits, while desktop exports include PDF, MP3, and WAV. Flat for Education integrates with Google for Education, Microsoft Office 365, and Canvas and has a free one-month trial. Personal accounts have a minimum age of 13 in most countries.

StaffPad is a music composition app for handwriting notation, recording or importing audio, touch editing, and playback. It turns handwritten notes into typeset scores, can correct stem directions, and flags beat-count issues. Playback includes a core library of more than 55 instruments. Audio features include tempo mapping, Adaptive Audio, recording and import, plus delay, reverb, compression, chorus, and EQ. Exports include MP3, WAV, AAC, MIDI, MusicXML, and print-layout PDF. StaffPad Reader shows individual parts and receives score changes over local Wi-Fi with synchronized playback and annotations. ScoreSync works without internet, and scores remain local rather than in the cloud. StaffPad requires an iPad with Apple Pencil or a Windows device with active pen and touch. Apple Silicon Macs can open and preview scores but cannot write notation; Android is unsupported and the app is English-only. StaffPad costs $49.99, paid once; Reader is free, while the iPad plan has no listed price.