Sibelius vs StaffPad

Sibelius is professional music notation software for writing, editing, and sharing scores. Notes can be entered with MIDI, a keyboard, or Apple Pencil, and MusicXML and MIDI files can be imported while retaining performance data. It supports tablature, VST3 and AU virtual instruments, and AI chord suggestions that generate or complete chord symbols. Edits to dynamic parts stay synchronized with the score. Scores can be published to a private dashboard for browser viewing and playback, while classroom tools let teachers share files and guide student focus from a workstation. Sibelius runs on desktop, mobile, and web, with support for Mac, PC, iPad, iPhone, and Chromebook. Sibelius First is described as free notation software for people new to notation. Artist allows up to 24 staves per score and cloud sharing for 20 scores; Ultimate allows unlimited staves and cloud sharing. The Ultimate Perpetual Bundle costs 899.00 USD as a one-time purchase and includes PhotoScore Ultimate and AudioScore Ultimate. Annual plans are listed at $79 a year for Artist and $159 a year for Ultimate. Displayed prices exclude VAT and applicable taxes.

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.