Best Music Notation Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Fender Notion is ranked #1 of 37 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Flat and Dorico. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Flat. The lowest first paid tier on this page is MagicScore at $2.33/mo.
Music notation software is for composing and arranging scores, preparing parts and sharing musical work. Compare MIDI and MusicXML support with tablature support and parts extraction to see how each option handles your notation needs. Collaboration features and deployment provide more context about working with others and using the software; free-plan availability and paid-from pricing help you compare access and cost. Fender Notion, Flat and Dorico are among the entries. Consider which file formats you exchange, whether you need separate parts for performers, and if tablature belongs in your workflow. The listed criteria help you weigh those requirements against each option’s stated capabilities.
37 music notation software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
12 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fender NotionWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.1 | |
| 2 | FlatWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 8.1 | |
| 3 | DoricoiPhone | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 8.0 | |
| 4 | MuseScore StudioWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.9 | |
| 5 | NoteflightWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $4.08/mo | 7.7 | |
| 6 | LilyPondWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.7 | |
| 7 | TuxGuitarWindows · Mac · Linux · Android | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 7.6 | |
| 8 | ScoreCloudWeb · Windows · Mac · iPhone | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $5.99/mo | 7.4 | |
| 9 | SibeliusWeb · Mac · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 7.1 |
| 10 | DomiSolWeb · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $10/mo | 7.1 | |
| 11 | DenemoWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 6.6 |
| 12 | Crescendo Music Notation SoftwareWindows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | $80/mo | 6.6 |
| 13 | iWriteMusicMac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 14 | Guitar ProWindows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | $69.95/mo | 6.3 |
| 15 | MC MusiceditorWindows · Linux | One bar | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.1 | |
| 16 | LaunchpadWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.1 | |
| 17 | Harmony AssistantWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 6.0 |
| 18 | capellaWindows · Mac | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.9 |
| 19 | SmartScoreWindows · Mac | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | $49/mo | 5.8 |
| 20 | PizzicatoWindows · Mac | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 21 | music21Web · Windows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 22 | FrescobaldiWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.8 |
| 23 | NubiumWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 24 | MagicScoreWindows | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $2.33/mo | 5.6 |
| 25 | StaffPadWindows · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which music notation software is ranked first on Freedom251?
Fender Notion is ranked #1 of 37 with a score of 8.1. Flat is second and Dorico third.
How many of these have a free plan?
11 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, MagicScore has the lowest first paid tier we found: $2.33/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.