Which app is better for adding notes—Newzik or forScore?

Newzik performs just as well as forScore on the iPad, with an edge in interactivity thanks to LiveScores and built-in transposition. Both music notation apps let you write with the Apple Pencil, highlight, add musical symbols, and erase directly on imported PDFs.

forScore, released in 2010, has established itself as a leader in music annotation on the iPad. Newzik, a French app launched in the same decade, offers the same core handwritten annotation features and builds on them. While forScore remains focused on static PDFs, Newzik converts sheet music into interactive files and enables actions that aren’t possible with a simple PDF.

The difference in annotation lies not in the pen stroke, but in what can be done with the annotated score. Newzik preserves annotations during transposition and synchronizes them among musicians in the same ensemble. This approach is designed for orchestras, opera companies, and conservatories: Newzik has more than 150 partner institutions and manages 14 million digital scores.

For standard solo use, forScore remains a solid choice. For ensemble work or transposition, Newzik goes a step further. You can try out both approaches by checking out our guide to annotating sheet music on the iPad.

What annotation tools does each app offer?

Both Newzik and forScore offer a stylus, highlighting, shapes, text, and musical stamps; Newzik adds annotations that remain on the interactive version of the score. The basic tools cover a musician's everyday needs.

forScore offers a wide range of annotation tools: pencil, pen, highlighter, eraser, plus a library of musical symbols (dynamics, breath marks, fingering) that can be added with a single tap. The app also supports annotation layers to distinguish between different working versions of the same digital score.

Newzik incorporates these handwritten annotation tools and combines them with its interactive score-reading feature. On a score converted via LiveScores, the annotations remain linked to the measures, ensuring they are preserved even after transposition or a change in layout. The app also supports lyrics, chords, and text annotations, which are detailed in our article on working with lyrics, chords, and annotations in Newzik.

4.7/5

Newzik's rating on the App Store (source: App Store, 2026)

The choice between piano notation and notation for other instruments is also worth considering. For more information, see our guide on choosing notation for piano scores. Newzik remains focused on reading and annotating: it does not create scores from scratch, unlike a music notation editor.

Can you transpose a score in Newzik and forScore?

Newzik transposes a score instantly, whereas forScore does not offer built-in transposition for PDFs. This is one of the most tangible differences between the two music score apps.

Transposition involves raising or lowering the key of a piece. A singer who finds a score too high, or a transposing instrument such as the clarinet or saxophone, needs this all the time. Newzik performs this operation on scores converted to LiveScores, without having to reprint them or request a new version.

forScore, which is PDF-based, does not change the pitch of the displayed notes. A musician using forScore must either transpose mentally or import a score that has already been transposed by third-party software. Newzik integrates this step directly into the app, saving time both during rehearsals and on stage.

This feature relies on note recognition from OMR. To understand which mistakes to avoid, read our article on transposing a score without errors or the detailed guide to transposing a score in an app. Newzik’s transposition feature preserves any annotations added to the score.

What does Newzik's LiveScores technology offer?

LiveScores is Newzik's proprietary technology that converts a PDF into an interactive score using OMR (optical score recognition). It transforms a static image into usable musical data, which is something that reScore does not do.

OMR (Optical Music Recognition) reads the notes, rhythms, and symbols from a PDF to reconstruct the sheet music as a structured file. Once converted, the Newzik sheet music becomes dynamic: it can be transposed, played back as audio, and exported to MusicXML or MIDI. These formats allow the sheet music to be imported into other music software.

forScore displays the PDF as-is, without interpreting it as music. As a result, annotations remain superimposed on an image. With LiveScores, Newzik annotations are linked to recognized measures, making them more robust after modifications. This approach explains why more than 150 institutions have adopted Newzik.

Key takeaways

• Newzik manages 14 million digital sheet music files for 450,000 users (source: Newzik, 2026)
• LiveScores exports to MusicXML and MIDI; forScore does not export to these formats
• More than 150 partner institutions: opera houses, orchestras, conservatories

To learn more about this technology, check out our explanation of augmented sheet music or the AI features in sheet music apps.

How can multiple people annotate a set together?

Newzik synchronizes annotations and sheet music among musicians in the same ensemble in real time—a feature that forScore lacks. This is a decisive advantage for orchestras, opera companies, and chamber music ensembles.

In an orchestra, a conductor or stage manager signals bow strokes, cuts, and stage cues to all sections. forScore remains an individual app: each musician annotates their own score without automatic sharing. Newzik Ensemble allows you to distribute an annotated score to an entire group and synchronize changes.

This real-time collaboration is also designed for teachers who lead group classes. A teacher shares an annotated score with their students, who receive it instantly. Newzik counts orchestras and conservatories among its more than 150 partner institutions.

To organize this group work, check out Newzik Ensemble for orchestras, our guide to collaboration among musicians, or the article for teachers who lead group lessons.

Newzik vs. forScore Comparison Chart

The table below compares Newzik and forScore based on the key criteria of annotation, transposition, and collaboration. Both music score apps run on the iPad; Newzik also offers a web version, while forScore is available only on iOS.

Annotation with a stylus

• Newzik: Yes
• forScore: Yes

Musical Symbols

• Newzik: Yes
• forScore: Yes

Instantaneous transposition

• Newzik: Yes
• forScore: No

OMR Conversion (LiveScores)

• Newzik: Yes
• forScore: No

Export MusicXML / MIDI

• Newzik: Yes
• forScore: No

Real-time collaboration

• Newzik: Yes (Newzik Ensemble)
• forScore: No

Audio playback of the score

• Newzik: Yes
• forScore: No

Platforms

• Newzik: iPad + web browser
• forScore: iOS only

App Store Rating

• Newzik: 4.7/5
• forScore: —

Newzik remains focused on reading, annotating, and organizing: it does not create sheet music from scratch and is not available on Android. For a complete overview of alternatives, check out our page on the best alternative to forScore.

Which app should you choose based on your profile?

Choose forScore for solo work with PDFs, and Newzik for transposition, ensemble collaboration, and interactive scores. The right choice depends on your musical practice, not on which one is objectively better.

Solo musician

forScore or Newzik are good options. Newzik also includes transposition and audio playback so you can play along with yourself.

Orchestra or opera

Newzik, thanks to the synchronization of annotations across more than 150 partner institutions.

Singer or transposing instrument

Newzik is the only service to offer built-in instant transcription.

Teacher

Newzik Education shares annotated sheet music with students in real time.

A professional musician who performs both pop and classical music will benefit from Newzik’s sheet music library, which is available on both the iPad and the web. According to data from the Ministry of Culture, digital music practice is on the rise among French instrumentalists. To find the right device, read our guide on which iPad to choose for music.

The debate over whether to use paper or digital sheet music remains open: our comparison of digital versus paper sheet music helps settle the issue. A study byINSEE on cultural practices confirms the rise of digital tools in artistic leisure activities.

What Our Customers Say

Newzik has an average rating of 5.0/5 based on 5 verified reviews from professional musicians and teachers.

"An excellent app for sheet music. I'm a professional musician and teacher, and I use it every day. It runs smoothly and offers plenty of options for annotations. And for my lessons, I have my entire library right in my pocket (or almost). I highly recommend it!"

— Franck Paque, professional musician and teacher

★★★★★ 5/5

"PROFESSIONAL! An app that never crashes and does everything you need to work like a pro. Perfect in every way, from music education to live performance. Well done, and thank you to the developers at the Newzik team!"

— Gilles Wilhelm

★★★★★ 5/5

"As a daily user of the French app NEWZIK for reading and annotating sheet music, I highly recommend it: whether for orchestras, chamber music, or educational settings… the app is updated very regularly and always for the better! Long live NEWZIK!"

— David NICOLAS

★★★★★ 5/5

"My go-to sheet music app for years! As a professional musician, I’m very satisfied with Newzik’s user-friendliness, features, and stability. As an early adopter, I’ve seen it evolve (always for the better!) and I highly recommend it to all musicians—both professional and amateur—who are looking for the best solution for reading sheet music on a tablet."

— Ez, professional musician

★★★★★ 5/5

Frequently Asked Questions

Does forScore allow you to transpose a score?

No, forScore does not offer built-in transposition for PDFs. Newzik, on the other hand, instantly transposes sheet music converted to LiveScores, without the need for third-party software.

Does Newzik work on Android?

No, Newzik is available on iPad (primarily iOS) and via a web browser. The app is not currently available on Android.

Can multiple people add notes to the same sheet music?

Yes, with Newzik Ensemble, which synchronizes annotations among musicians in the same ensemble in real time. forScore remains an individual app without automatic sharing.

What is LiveScores on Newzik?

LiveScores is Newzik's OMR technology that converts a PDF into an interactive score. It allows for transposition, audio playback, and export to MusicXML or MIDI.

Does Newzik create sheet music like Sibelius or Finale?

No, Newzik is not a music notation editor. The app is designed to import, organize, annotate, transpose, and share existing sheet music—not to create it from scratch.

How many users does Newzik have?

Newzik has 450,000 users and manages 14 million digital sheet music scores, with more than 150 partner institutions (operas, orchestras, conservatories).

Do annotations remain after a transposition?

Yes, in Newzik, annotations added to a LiveScores score remain linked to the measures and persist after transposition. In a forScore PDF, the annotation remains on a static image.