# Comparison of scorewriters

This is a comparison of music notation programs.

## General information

| Name | Guitar tablature | WYSIWYG editor | MIDI entry | Playback | File formats | File formats | Developer(s) | Stable release; review date | License | Cost | Operating systems |
| Name | Guitar tablature | WYSIWYG editor | MIDI entry | Playback | Import | Export | Developer(s) | Stable release; review date | License | Cost | Operating systems |
| Canorus | No | Yes | | MIDI | CanorusML, MusicXML, MIDI, simple LilyPond | MusicXML, MIDI, LilyPond, PDF | Reinhard Katzmann, Matevž Jekovec, Georg Rudolph | 0.7.3; 18 June 2018 (6 years ago) (2018-06-18) | Since 0.7.3: GPL-3.0-only 0.1.0 to 0.7.2: GPL-2.0-only | No cost | Linux |
| Capella | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST, SoundFonts | Capella, CapXML, MusicXML, MIDI | MusicXML, MIDI, BMP, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, Truevision TGA, PCX, HTML | capella-software AG | 10.0-02; 27 January 2025 (49 days ago) (2025-01-27) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| Denemo | Yes | Yes | Step-time | MIDI | Denemo, limited LilyPond, MusicXML | LilyPond, MusicXML, WAV, Ogg, PDF, PNG, MIDI | Jeremiah Benham, Richard Shann | 2.6.0; 11 March 2022 (3 years ago) (2022-03-11) | GPL-3.0-or-later | No cost | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Dorico | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST | Dorico, MusicXML, MIDI | MIDI, MusicXML, WAV, MP3, PDF, PNG, TIFF, SVG | Steinberg | 5.1.80; 15 January 2025 (2 months ago) (2025-01-15) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| Early Notation Typesetter | No | Yes | No | No | ENT | ENT, PDF | Samuel Gossner, Daniel West, Dieter Theuns | 0.9.6; 20 October 2020 (4 years ago) (2020-10-20) | Proprietary | No charge for single font | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Encore | Yes | Yes | | MIDI | Encore, MusicTime, Rhapsody, Compressed MusicXML | MIDI, Cakewalk MIDI, Master Tracks Pro, PDF | Passport Music Software | 5.0.4 (Windows); 5.0.7 (macOS); 2015 (10 years ago) (2015) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| Finale | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST, AU, Garritan library | Finale, MusicXML, MIDI | MusicXML, MIDI, WAV, MP3, AIFF, PDF, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, EPS, BMP, GIF, PICT | MakeMusic, Inc. | 27.4.1; 12 December 2023 (15 months ago) (2023-12-12) final release | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| Flat | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST, AU | MusicXML, MIDI, MuseScore, TuxGuitar, Guitar Pro (versions 3–8), Power Tab | MusicXML, MIDI, WAV, MP3, PDF, PNG, SVG | Tutteo | 37.9.0; 17 October 2024 (5 months ago) (2024-10-17) | Proprietary | Freemium | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Forte | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST | Forte, MusicXML, MIDI, CapXML | MusicXML, MIDI, BMP, JPEG | Lugert Verlag GmbH | 12.1; 12 February 2021 (4 years ago) (2021-02-12) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows |
| Frescobaldi | No | WYSIWYM | | MIDI | LilyPond, MusicXML, ABC | MusicXML, PDF | Wilbert Berendsen | 3.3.0; 26 March 2023 (23 months ago) (2023-03-26) | GPL-2.0-or-later | No cost | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Guitar Pro | Yes | Yes | | MIDI, RSE | Guitar Pro (versions 1–8), MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML, MIDI, ASCII tab, Power Tab, TablEdit | MusicXML, MIDI, ASCII tab, PNG, PDF, WAV | Arobas Music | 8.1.3; 3 September 2024 (6 months ago) (2024-09-03) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Impro-Visor | No | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI | Impro-Visor | MusicXML, MIDI, PDF | Bob Keller | 10.2; 1 August 2019 (5 years ago) (2019-08-01) | GPL-2.0-or-later | No cost | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| LilyPond | Yes | No | No | MIDI | LilyPond; using converters: ABC, ETF, MIDI, MusicXML | PDF, PNG, PS, SVG | Han-Wen Nienhuys, Jan Nieuwenhuizen | 2.24.4; 21 July 2024 (7 months ago) (2024-07-21) | GPL-3.0-or-later | No cost | Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD |
| MagicScore | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, SoundFonts | SFD, MusicXML, MIDI, Karaoke, WAV, MP3 | MusicXML, MIDI, Karaoke, WAV, MP3, PDF, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, EMF, WMF | Maestro Music Software | 8.280; 2017 (8 years ago) (2017) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows |
| Mozart | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI | Mozart, MusicXML, NIFF, MIDI, Karaoke, ABC | MusicXML, MIDI, ABC, BMP, EMF, GIF, JPEG, PBM, PNG, TIFF | Mozart Music Software | 16.1.7; March 2025 (0 months ago) (2025-03) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows |
| Mus2 | No | Yes | | MIDI | Mus2 | MIDI, AIFF, WAV, PDF, SVG, BMP, JPEG, PNG | Utku Uzmen (Data-Soft Ltd.) | 3.2.3; November 2022 (2 years ago) (2022-11) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| MuseScore Studio | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, SoundFonts, SFZ, VST3 | MuseScore, MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML, MIDI, Karaoke, MuseData, Bagpipe Music Writer, Band-in-a-Box, Overture, Capella, CapXML, Guitar Pro (versions 1–6), Power Tab (experimental), PDF (experimental), ABC (with plugin) | MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML, PDF, PNG, SVG, MIDI, WAV, FLAC, Ogg, MP3 | The MuseScore developer community | 4.5.0; 14 March 2025 (3 days ago) (2025-03-14) | GPL-3.0-only for desktop tools; online and mobile tools are proprietary and freemium | No cost for most tools | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| MusiCAD | No | Yes | | MIDI | MusiCAD, MIDI, ABC | MIDI, ABC, PDF, JPEG, PNG, BMP | Musys Software | 4.0; 1 May 2015 (9 years ago) (2015-05-01) | Proprietary | Prompt to purchase license appears when saving | Windows |
| MusicEase | Yes | Yes | | MIDI | MusicEase, MusicXML, MIDI, ABC, SongWright | MIDI, PDF | MusicEase Software | 10.1m; November 2024 (4 months ago) (2024-11) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| Musink | No | WYSIWYM | | MIDI | Musink | MIDI, PDF, PNG, XPS | Lee Reid | 1.3.0.3 | Proprietary | No cost | Windows, macOS |
| MusiXTeX | Yes | No | No | No | TeX (incl. PMX and M-Tx), MusicXML (with converters) | DVI, PS, PDF, MIDI (for PMX input) | Daniel Taupin, Ross Mitchell, Andreas Egler | 1.38; 29 March 2024 (11 months ago) (2024-03-29) | GPL-2.0-or-later | No cost | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Notation Composer | No | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, SoundFonts | Notation, MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML, MIDI, Karaoke | MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML, PDF, MIDI, Karaoke, PNG, BMP, JPEG, GIF, WAV, FLAC, Ogg, MP3 | Notation Software | 5.1.1; 28 December 2024 (2 months ago) (2024-12-28) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| NoteWorthy Composer | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI | NWC, MIDI, Karaoke | MIDI | NoteWorthy Software | 2.75a.2; 2017 (8 years ago) (2017) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows |
| Notion | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST | MusicXML, Compressed MusicXML, MIDI, Guitar Pro (versions 4–5) | MusicXML, MIDI, WAV | PreSonus | 6.8.2; 24 August 2021 (3 years ago) (2021-08-24) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS, iOS (iPad) |
| Overture | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST, AU | Overture, MusicXML, MIDI, Score Writer | MusicXML, MIDI, WAV, MP3 | Sonic Scores | 5.6.1.1; 2 December 2019 (5 years ago) (2019-12-02) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| Philip's Music Writer | Yes | No | No | MIDI | PMW | MIDI, PS | Philip Hazel | 5.30; 24 February 2025 (21 days ago) (2025-02-24) | GPL-2.0-or-later | No cost | Linux (older versions for RISC OS) |
| Power Tab Editor | Yes | Yes | | MIDI | Power Tab, MIDI | MIDI, ASCII tab, BMP, HTML | Brad Larsen | 1.0.0.175; 26 August 2006 (18 years ago) (2006-08-26) | Proprietary | No cost | Windows |
| Rosegarden | No | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI | Rosegarden, MusicXML, MIDI, Hydrogen | LilyPond, MusicXML, MIDI, Csound, Mup, PDF | Chris Cannam, Richard Bown, Guillaume Laurent | 24.12.1; 6 February 2025 (39 days ago) (2025-02-06) | GPL-2.0-or-later | No cost | Linux |
| SCORE | Yes | No | Step-time | MIDI | SCORE (.mus) | EPS | Leland Smith, San Andreas Press | 5.01; 1 November 2013 (11 years ago) (2013-11-01) | Proprietary | Non-free | MS-DOS Windows |
| ScoreCloud Studio | No | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST | MIDI, live audio | MusicXML, MIDI, WAV, PDF | Doremir Music Research AB | 4.8.3; December 2024 (3 months ago) (2024-12) | Proprietary | Free without file saving | Windows, macOS, iOS |
| Sibelius | Yes | Yes | Step-time and real-time | MIDI, VST, AU, Avid library | Sibelius, MusicXML, MIDI | MusicXML, MIDI, MP3, PDF, SVG, EPS, PNG | Avid Technology, Inc. | 2025.3; 13 March 2025 (4 days ago) (2025-03-13) | Proprietary | No cost up to 4 staves | Windows, macOS, RISC OS, iOS |
| SmartScore 64 NE | Yes | Yes | | MIDI | SmartScore, scanned images, MusicXML, NIFF | MusicXML, MIDI, Finale, NIFF, PDF | Musitek Corporation | 11.6.109; 6 August 2024 (7 months ago) (2024-08-06) | Proprietary | Non-free | Windows, macOS |
| TuxGuitar | Yes | Yes | | MIDI | TuxGuitar, MusicXML, MIDI, Guitar Pro (versions 1–6), Power Tab, TablEdit | MIDI, Guitar Pro (versions 3–5), LilyPond, ASCII tab, PDF | Julian Gabriel Casadesus | 1.6.6; 27 December 2024 (2 months ago) (2024-12-27) | LGPL-2.1-only | No cost | Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Android |
| Name | Guitar tablature | WYSIWYG editor | MIDI entry | Playback | Import | Export | Developer(s) | Stable release; review date | License | Cost | Operating systems |
| Operating systems ||

### File formats and extensions

* 1 2 When entering notes, "step-time" means one first selects the note duration then enters notes and chords one a time, while "real-time" means one plays the notes to enter with correct rhythm and the software recognizes the note durations.
* ↑ Canorus native format, .can
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 MusicXML, open standard XML-based music notation exchange format, .xml or (version 3.1 or later) .musicxml
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Standard MIDI file format, .mid or .midi
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 LilyPond plain text native format, .ly
* 1 2 Capella native format, binary file, .cap
* 1 2 3 Capella native format, compressed ZIP containing XML, .capx
* ↑ Denemo native format, .denemo
* ↑ Dorico native format, .dorico
* 1 2 Early notation typesetter native format, .ent
* ↑ Encore native format, .enc
* ↑ MusicTime (by the same developer as Encore) native format, .mto, .mus (different to Finale .mus)
* ↑ Rhapsody (by the same developer as Encore) native format, .rhp
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 MusicXML version 2.0 or later, compressed as a ZIP, .mxl
* ↑ Cakewalk MIDI file format, .mff
* ↑ Master Tracks Pro (by the same developer as Encore) native format, .mts
* 1 2 3 4 Mac version only
* 1 2 Finale native format, .mus (2012 and earlier) or .musx (2014 and later)
* ↑ Forte native format, .fnf
* 1 2 3 4 5 Guitar Pro native format version 1–2, .gtp; version 3, .gp3; version 4, .gp4; version 5, .gp5; version 6, .gpx; version 7, .gp
* 1 2 3 4 ASCII tablature plain text format, .txt, .tab, or .btab
* 1 2 3 4 Power Tab Editor native format, .ptb
* 1 2 TablEdit native format, .tef
* ↑ Impro-Visor native format, .ls
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ABC plain text format, .abc
* ↑ Finale Enigma Transport Format, .etf
* ↑ Maestro software family native format, .sfd
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Standard MIDI file format including standard MIDI lyrics, used for karaoke, .kar
* ↑ Mozart native format, .mz
* 1 2 3 Notation Interchange File Format, .nif
* ↑ Mus2 notation and tuning file format, .mus2, .mu2
* ↑ MuseScore native format, .mscz; uncompressed XML-based format, .mscx; style sheet, .mss; score album, .album
* ↑ MuseData project format, .md
* ↑ Bagpipe Music Writer native format, .bww
* ↑ Band-in-a-Box native format, .mgu or .sgu
* 1 2 Overture native format, .ove
* ↑ MusiCAD plain text native format, .mc
* ↑ MusicEase native format, .mez
* ↑ SongWright native format, .sw
* ↑ Musink native format, .musink
* ↑ PMX, preprocessor language for MusixTeX, .pmx; M-Tx, processor for PMX, .mtx
* ↑ TeX device independent file format, .dvi
* ↑ NoteSoft file, Notation Software native format, .not
* ↑ NoteWorthy Composer native format, .nwc or .nwctxt
* ↑ Score Writer (by the same developer as Overture) native format, .scw
* ↑ Philip's Music Writer native format, human-readable text, .pmw
* ↑ Rosegarden native format, .rg
* ↑ Hydrogen drum machine song XML file format, .h2song
* ↑ Csound audio domain-specific language format, without orchestra data, .csd
* ↑ Music Publisher Score file format, .mup
* ↑ Sibelius (scorewriter) native format, .sib
* ↑ SmartScore native format, .enf
* ↑ TuxGuitar native format, .tg