For modern musicians, having instant access to your entire sheet music collection is essential for both practice and performance. Whether you're on stage, teaching students, or rehearsing at home, managing physical sheet music can be cumbersome and inefficient. This is where forScore enters the picture, transforming how musicians interact with their sheet music and scores.
I've been using forScore since 2016 and rely on it almost daily for my musical practice and performances. Over the years, it has fundamentally changed how I organize, annotate, and perform with sheet music. In this comprehensive review, I'll share my experience with forScore, diving into its standout features, subscription options, and how it compares to competitors like MobileSheets and Newzik.
If you're tired of lugging around binders of sheet music or struggling to find that one piece you need for rehearsal, forScore might be the solution you've been looking for. Let's explore why this app continues to be the go-to digital sheet music reader for countless musicians worldwide and why almost everyone I know in the music community has made the switch.
What Is forScore?
forScore is a dedicated sheet music reader and library management app designed specifically for Apple devices. Available for iPad, iPhone, Mac, and even Vision Pro, forScore offers a clean, intuitive interface that puts your music front and center while providing powerful tools that paper simply can't match.
Launched in 2010, forScore has continuously evolved with regular updates that add new features while maintaining its core simplicity. The app is available as a one-time purchase from the App Store (currently priced at $19.99), making it an affordable investment for any musician. There's also an optional forScore Pro subscription that adds some premium features, which we'll explore later in this review.
What sets forScore apart from generic PDF readers is its music-focused approach. Everything about the app is designed with musicians in mind—from the near-instantaneous page turns to the metronome, pitch pipe, and annotation tools that enhance your practice and performance experience. If you're considering upgrading your setup with a tablet for music, forScore should be at the top of your list of apps to install.
Last updated on 2025-08-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Key Features That Make forScore Stand Out
Sheet Music Organization
One of forScore's greatest strengths is how it helps you organize and quickly access your sheet music collection. Unlike physical sheet music that requires manual filing and organization, forScore automatically keeps your library categorized and searchable.
The app uses metadata like composers, genres, and tags to organize your scores, making it easy to find what you need when you need it. Instead of the traditional folder hierarchy found in most file management systems, forScore employs a dynamic organization system where pieces can exist in multiple categories simultaneously.
Creating setlists is remarkably straightforward—simply drag and drop pieces into your performance order, and you can quickly swipe between scores during a performance. This feature is particularly valuable for musicians who need to organize their practice sessions effectively, allowing you to organize an entire concert's worth of music in sequential order.
The search functionality is particularly powerful, letting you quickly locate pieces by title, composer, genre, or even custom tags. When you have hundreds or thousands of scores in your library, this becomes essential—no more digging through piles of paper or flipping through binders.
Annotation and Apple Pencil Integration
Perhaps the most transformative aspect of forScore is its annotation capabilities, especially when paired with an Apple Pencil. The app allows you to mark up your scores just as you would on paper but with added flexibility and precision.
With Apple Pencil, annotation becomes effortless—no need to activate a special mode, just start drawing directly on your score. The pencil detection is immediate and responsive, creating a natural writing experience that feels remarkably similar to writing on paper. This intuitive approach is particularly useful during rehearsals where quick markings are essential.
ForScore's layer system takes annotation to another level. You can create multiple annotation layers for different purposes—perhaps one layer for conductor's notes, another for technical markings, and a third for performance instructions. These layers can be toggled on and off independently, which is something physical sheet music simply cannot do.
The app also includes a variety of annotation tools beyond simple drawing:
- Different pen styles and colors for various marking needs
- Text tool for typing notes directly onto the score
- Shape tools for creating perfectly formed circles, squares, and lines
- Customizable stamps for frequently used symbols
- Smart shape recognition for cleaner annotations
For advanced users, the ability to copy and paste sections of music (available in forScore Pro) lets you rearrange pages or compile excerpts from different pieces—incredibly useful for creating custom arrangements or study materials. This advanced editing capability pairs well with music notation software for creating new arrangements.
Performance Tools
ForScore truly shines during live performances with its array of musician-focused tools. The page turning experience is exceptionally smooth—a simple tap or swipe changes pages almost instantaneously, with no lag or delay that might interrupt your playing.
For hands-free page turning, forScore offers multiple options:
- Bluetooth page turner support (compatible with numerous foot pedals)
- Remote page turning via another iOS device
- Face gesture page turning with forScore Pro (using head turns or facial movements)
Musicians who perform regularly should consider investing in a quality Bluetooth page turner pedal to make the most of forScore's hands-free capabilities. This combination lets you focus entirely on your performance without worrying about page turns.
The built-in metronome is surprisingly robust, offering customizable time signatures, tempos, and even the ability to create tempo presets for different sections of your music. Similarly, the included pitch pipe helps ensure you start in the right key.
One of the most valuable features is the ability to link an audio recording to your score. This lets you practice along with a reference recording. You can even record your own practice sessions directly in the app for later review, which is excellent for tracking your progress and identifying areas that need improvement.
Cloud Integration and Sharing
Having your sheet music available across all your devices is essential for modern workflows, and forScore excels in this area. With iCloud synchronization, any changes you make on one device—new scores, annotations, setlists—automatically appear on all your other Apple devices.
The sync between desktop and iPad versions is particularly seamless. Many users find themselves organizing their library on their MacBook, where it's easier to manage files and metadata, then using their iPad for rehearsal with all changes instantly available. This cross-device functionality eliminates the frustration of forgetting scores or having outdated versions.
Importing new music into forScore is flexible and straightforward through multiple methods:
- Web Downloads: Save PDFs directly from websites, music stores, or email attachments
- Cloud Storage: Import from services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive
- Music Retailers: Download purchases from compatible music stores directly into your library
- Scanning: Use the built-in scanning functionality to digitize physical sheet music with your device's camera
- Direct Sharing: Accept scores shared by other forScore users through AirDrop or other sharing methods
Sharing capabilities are equally robust. Musicians can share an entire setlist, complete with all annotations and notes, in just a few taps. This feature is particularly valuable when preparing for performances with substitutes or collaborating with other musicians.
forScore Pro: Is It Worth the Subscription?
While the base forScore app is fully functional and comprehensive, forScore Pro is an optional subscription that adds some premium features. Currently priced at $9.99 per year, it's worth considering if you're a power user.
The Pro subscription includes several notable features:
Face Gestures: For completely hands-free page turning, this feature lets you turn pages by facial movements like turning your head, winking, or moving your lips. It's particularly useful for instrumentalists who can't free up a hand to tap the screen or use a foot pedal.
Page Copy & Paste: This advanced feature allows you to copy sections of music from the actual PDF content, not just your annotations. It's invaluable for creating custom arrangements or rearranging parts to eliminate awkward page turns.
Pop-up Menus: These provide quick access to commonly used functions through a single gesture, streamlining your workflow during practice or performance.
Profiles: Create and switch between different settings configurations for varying scenarios—perhaps one profile for practice with all annotations visible and another for performance with a cleaner view.
Priority Support: Direct access to personalized help from the forScore team when questions arise.
Is Pro worth it? For casual users, probably not—the standard app provides everything you need for basic digital sheet music management. However, for professional musicians or those who use forScore extensively, the additional features can significantly enhance your experience. I've found the Pro subscription worthwhile primarily for the page copy/paste functionality and profiles, which help streamline my workflow when preparing for performances.
Pros and Cons of forScore
Pros
Superior Organization: The ability to organize all sheet music in one place with powerful search and filtering options transforms how musicians manage their repertoire. Finding a specific piece takes seconds rather than minutes of rummaging through physical files.
Speed and Efficiency: The app is remarkably responsive, with nearly instantaneous page turns and quick access to tools. This responsiveness is crucial during performances where timing is everything.
Apple Pencil Integration: The seamless integration with Apple Pencil makes annotation natural and intuitive. Being able to mark up scores without activating a special mode streamlines the rehearsal process considerably.
Cross-Device Sync: The synchronization between iPad, iPhone, and Mac ensures your entire library is always up to date across all devices. This feature is particularly useful when making last-minute changes before performances.
Widespread Adoption: ForScore has become the standard digital sheet music reader for many musicians, which makes sharing and collaboration simpler when working with others using the same platform.
Comprehensive Sharing: The ability to share entire concerts with substitutes—including all annotations and notes—in a single file is invaluable for professional musicians. This feature saves considerable time in performance preparation.
Versatile Performance Tools: From the metronome and pitch pipe to audio playback and hands-free page turning, forScore provides all the tools needed for effective practice and confident performances.
Cons
Organization Limitations: Despite its strong organization features, forScore lacks a true folder structure. While its metadata-based organization works well in most cases, some users (myself included) occasionally wish for more traditional hierarchical organization options for certain use cases.
Learning Curve: There's definitely a learning curve, especially for advanced features like copying/pasting music and working with layers. New users may find themselves initially overwhelmed by the number of available options.
Apple Ecosystem Lock-in: ForScore is exclusively available for Apple devices, which can be limiting if you collaborate with musicians using Android or Windows. This ecosystem lock-in is worth considering before committing to forScore as your primary sheet music solution.
Performance With Large Libraries: While generally responsive, users with extremely large libraries (thousands of scores) may experience occasional slowdowns when searching or sorting their collection.
Limited Free-Form Organization: The app could benefit from more customizable organization options beyond the standard metadata fields. The ability to create more personalized organizational structures would be welcome.
How forScore Compares to Competitors
forScore vs. MobileSheets
MobileSheets presents itself as forScore's most direct cross-platform competitor, available on iOS, Android, and Windows. This broader availability is its most significant advantage over forScore, making it a better choice for musicians who use multiple operating systems or collaborate with people outside the Apple ecosystem.
Feature-wise, MobileSheets offers many of the same capabilities as forScore:
- Annotation tools and stylus support
- Setlist creation
- Cloud synchronization
- MIDI connectivity
- Hands-free page turning options
MobileSheets also includes some unique features, such as:
- The ability to pair two tablets to display multiple pages simultaneously
- More display modes (horizontal scrolling, vertical scrolling, etc.)
- A wider range of import sources
However, where MobileSheets falls short is in its user interface and overall polish. While functional, it lacks the refinement and intuitive design that makes forScore so pleasant to use. The learning curve feels steeper, and the interface doesn't fade into the background as effectively during performance.
Performance-wise, forScore generally feels more responsive, with faster page turns and smoother animations. This difference becomes particularly noticeable during fast-paced performances where split-second timing matters.
forScore vs. Newzik
Newzik takes a different approach to digital sheet music, positioning itself as a more collaborative platform with additional emphasis on interactive features. Available for iOS and macOS (though with a web portal for some functions), it shares forScore's Apple-centric focus.
Newzik's standout features include:
- Real-time collaboration with other musicians
- Integration with MusicXML for dynamic score manipulation
- "LiveScore" technology for automatic page turning
- Built-in recording and playback tools
- More robust cloud-based workflow
Where Newzik truly differentiates itself is in ensemble settings. Its collaborative features allow for real-time sharing and annotation between multiple users, making it particularly well-suited for orchestras, bands, and educational settings.
However, forScore still holds advantages in several areas:
- More responsive and reliable performance
- More intuitive interface for individual users
- Better Apple Pencil integration
- More mature and stable platform
- Widespread adoption among many professional musicians
It's worth noting that forScore does offer multi-screen functionality through a companion app called Cue (https://forscore.co/cue/), which allows users to display their scores across multiple devices. This can be particularly useful for viewing larger scores or for displaying different parts of a score simultaneously.
For individual performers, forScore generally provides a more streamlined experience. Its focus on doing one thing exceptionally well—digital sheet music for individual musicians—results in a more refined product for that specific use case.
Conclusion
After years of widespread use, forScore remains the gold standard for digital sheet music management on Apple devices. Its thoughtful design, powerful features, and responsive performance make it an essential tool for musicians looking to streamline their practice and performance workflow.
The app's greatest strengths lie in its intuitive interface, exceptional Apple Pencil integration, and robust organization capabilities. Being able to instantly access any piece in a digital library, complete with all annotations and performance notes, transforms how musicians approach rehearsals and performances.
Is forScore perfect? No—the learning curve for advanced features can be steep, and some organizational limitations might frustrate those accustomed to traditional folder structures. The Apple-only availability also remains a significant limitation for those who work in mixed-device environments.
The forScore Pro subscription, while not essential, does add valuable features for serious users. At $9.99 per year, it's reasonably priced for what it offers, but most users will find the base app more than sufficient for their needs.
So who should use forScore?
For Apple-using musicians who want a reliable, powerful sheet music solution, forScore is the clear choice. Its widespread adoption in the music community means users will find plenty of support and compatibility when collaborating with others. If you're in the market for a new device, check out our guide to the best tablets for musicians to find the perfect hardware companion for forScore.
For those using multiple platforms or who work primarily in ensemble settings with complex collaborative needs, alternatives like MobileSheets or Newzik might be worth exploring.
For students and educators, forScore provides an excellent introduction to digital sheet music, though Newzik's collaborative features might offer advantages in classroom settings. Students learning instruments like the trombone will find forScore particularly helpful for organizing method books and exercise materials.
Freelance musicians who work with many bands and orchestras. The ability to always carry all your sheet music is a game-changer.
As digital tools continue to evolve, forScore has consistently stayed ahead of the curve, regularly adding new features while maintaining the core simplicity that makes it so effective. Whether you're a professional musician, teacher, student, or enthusiastic amateur, forScore offers a compelling solution that genuinely enhances the musical experience.
You can download forScore in the Apple App Store.