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LilyPondDorico
Free

Free and open source under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.

 Paid

Commercial software from Steinberg; editions and prices are listed on the official site.

Windows Windows, macOS
  • High-quality engraved output
  • Plain-text input that works with version control
  • Dedicated notation and engraving tool rather than a DAW add-on
  • Made by Steinberg, the developer of Cubase
  • Text-based input has a learning curve
  • No built-in graphical score editor
  • Commercial software
  • Focused on notation rather than audio recording or mixing
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Open source Closed source
License: GPL-3.0-or-later License not stated
No account needed Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline Not stated if it works offline

Checked October 2, 2026

Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.