Flat
Online music notation editor with real-time collaboration on web, desktop and mobile.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Is Flat free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
- Free plan:
- Yes (Flat Basic)
Checked on Flat's site Nov 8, 2026
Switch from Flat to
All 4
MuseScore StudioOpen source
NoteflightStarting price: $7.95 a month or $49 a year (Premium)
Guitar ProStarting price: $69.95 one-time (Guitar Pro 8 licence)
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 4
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Flat
Flat is a music notation editor that runs in the browser and in apps for iOS, Android, Mac and Windows, with scores synced across all of them. Several people can edit the same score at once, which makes it popular with music teachers, students and bands working remotely. It supports standard notation and guitar tablature, MIDI keyboard input, MusicXML and MIDI import, offline composing, and a PDF and photo import that turns printed sheet music into an editable score using credits. A large community shares public scores and runs monthly composing challenges. The free Basic plan includes collaboration but caps you at a small number of scores and instruments; the Power subscription unlocks unlimited scores, the full instrument library, custom layouts and logo-free export. A separate education product adds assignments, auto-graded worksheets and LMS grade sync. Compared with desktop programs like MuseScore it is easier to share and pick up, but less suited to large, finely engraved orchestral scores.
Best for: Music teachers, students and remote collaborators who want to write scores together in the browser.
Flat pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Flat's own site, with the page it came from.
Pros and cons
What works
- Real-time collaboration on the same score
- Works in the browser and syncs to desktop and mobile apps
- Classroom version with assignments and LMS grade sync
- Imports PDF or photos of sheet music into editable scores
Why people leave
- Free plan is limited to 15 scores
- Full instrument library and custom layouts need a subscription
- Less control over engraving than desktop notation programs
Flat vs MuseScore Studio, Noteflight and Guitar Pro
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Flat | MuseScore Studio | Noteflight | Guitar Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Open source | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Verified price | — | — | $7.95 a month or $49 a year (Premium) | $69.95 one-time (Guitar Pro 8 licence) |
| Free plan | Yes (Flat Basic) | Free app | Yes | No |
| Open source | No | Yes | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux | Web | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
Top Flat alternatives
See all 4- 1MuseScore Studio68.8
Free desktop app with no score limits and much better playback, though without live co-editing.
- 2Noteflight64.8
Another browser-based notation editor with school and classroom plans, popular with music teachers.
- 3Guitar Pro61.8
Tab-first desktop editor with realistic playback, better for guitarists who mostly write tablature.
- 4
ScoreCloud59.4Writes notation from what you play or sing into a mic, a faster start than entering notes by hand.
Why people left Flat
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Flat: common questions
What is Flat?
Flat: Online music notation editor with real-time collaboration on web, desktop and mobile. Best for music teachers, students and remote collaborators who want to write scores together in the browser. Available for Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is Flat free?
Flat has a free plan and paid plans. Free plan: Yes (Flat Basic) (checked on Flat's own site).
How much does Flat cost?
Flat is free with paid plans. Free plan: Yes (Flat Basic); Free plan limit: 15 scores. Checked on Flat's own site, November 2026.
Is Flat open source?
No, Flat is not open source. Open-source alternatives include MuseScore Studio.
What platforms does Flat run on?
Flat is available for Web, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
What are the best alternatives to Flat?
The highest-ranked Flat alternatives right now are MuseScore Studio, Noteflight and Guitar Pro. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Flat vs MuseScore Studio: what's the difference?
Flat is free with paid plans; MuseScore Studio is free and open source. MuseScore Studio is open source and Flat is not. Only Flat runs on Web, iOS and Android. Only MuseScore Studio runs on Linux.