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Music · head to head

Deezer vs Dorico

Deezer logo

Deezer

Music

All the music you love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dorico logo

Dorico

Music

Steinberg’s notation software, still sold as a perpetual licence on desktop with subscription only offered on iPad

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Deezer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Deezer premium pricing displayed in AED currency only despite international availability; Dorico even the entry-level Elements edition costs money, unlike MuseScore Studio, which is free with comparable basic notation capability.
  • They diverge on capability: Deezer covers Music streaming, Dorico covers Engraving engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deezer and Dorico actually diverge.

Attributes where Deezer and Dorico differ
AttributeDeezerDorico
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionOne-time purchase
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidmacOS, Windows, iOS
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Music).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Deezer

  • Music streaming
  • Podcasts
  • Radio
  • HiFi audio
  • Smart speakers
  • Car systems
  • Family controls
  • Private sessions

Only in Dorico

  • Engraving engine
  • Multiple simultaneous layouts
  • Playback templates
  • Percussion and tablature support
  • iPad app with sync
  • Choir and ensemble tools

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Deezer

  • Ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloadsnot Dorico
  • Multi-user household streaming via the Family plannot Dorico
  • Two-person households via the Duo plannot Dorico
  • Higher-fidelity/lossless audio streaming on Premiumnot Dorico

Dorico

  • A composer or publisher who wants professional notation software without committing to an ongoing subscription on desktopnot Deezer
  • A film or TV composer needing precise playback templates mapped to sample libraries via VSTnot Deezer
  • A choral or orchestral arranger needing dedicated divisi and part-assignment toolsnot Deezer
  • An iPad-first user choosing between the low-cost subscription and a one-time lifetime unlock depending on how long they expect to use the appnot Deezer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Deezer

  • Premium pricing displayed in AED currency only despite international availability
  • Free tier does not support offline listening and includes advertising
  • Family plan limited to 6 accounts maximum

Dorico

  • Even the entry-level Elements edition costs money, unlike MuseScore Studio, which is free with comparable basic notation capability.
  • Its installed base and legacy file compatibility with existing Sibelius templates are smaller, which matters for studios or publishers with large historical Sibelius libraries.
  • Perpetual licence updates within a major version are typically minor; a new major version generally requires a further paid upgrade to access significant new features.
  • The iPad app’s pricing (subscription, annual or lifetime unlock) is structured differently from the desktop one-time purchase, which can confuse a buyer expecting one consistent pricing model across platforms.
  • Third-party plugin and template ecosystems are smaller than Sibelius’s longer-established one, since Dorico is the newer product of the two.

Pricing, plan by plan

Deezer

Free
  • Premium$23.99/month
    • 1 account
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • Duo$29.99/month
    • 2 accounts
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • Family$35.99/month
    • 6 accounts
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • FreeFree
    • 1 account
    • Ad-supported
    • Over 120 million tracks

Dorico

On request
  • Dorico Elements$99.99/month
    • Perpetual licence, macOS and Windows
    • Minor updates included within the major version
  • Dorico Pro$undefined/month
    • Perpetual licence, macOS and Windows
    • Full engraving, playback and ensemble feature set
  • Dorico for iPad (subscription)$3.99/month
    • Also available as $39.99/year or a $119.99 lifetime unlock

Which should you pick?

Choose Deezer if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want podcasts.
Deezer review

Choose Dorico if

  • You need engraving engine.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS.
  • You also want multiple simultaneous layouts.
Dorico review

Questions people ask

Is Deezer or Dorico better?
Neither clearly leads. Deezer starts at Free and Dorico at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deezer or Dorico?
Deezer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Deezer and On request for Dorico.
Does Deezer or Dorico run on more platforms?
Deezer runs on Web, iOS, Android. Dorico runs on macOS, Windows, iOS.
Can I use Deezer for free?
Yes. Deezer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dorico starts at On request.
What is Deezer best used for?
Deezer is most often used for ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloads, multi-user household streaming via the family plan, two-person households via the duo plan, higher-fidelity/lossless audio streaming on premium. Of those, ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloads and multi-user household streaming via the family plan are not what Dorico is typically brought in for.
What can Deezer do that Dorico cannot?
Deezer covers Music streaming, Podcasts, Radio, HiFi audio. Dorico covers Engraving engine, Multiple simultaneous layouts, Playback templates, Percussion and tablature support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Deezer: How many accounts are included in each Deezer subscription plan?

The Free plan includes 1 account. Premium plan includes 1 account. Duo plan includes 2 accounts. Family plan includes 6 accounts maximum.

Source
Dorico: Is Dorico a subscription or a one-time purchase?

On macOS and Windows it is a one-time purchase for both Elements and Pro; only the iPad version offers a subscription alongside a lifetime unlock option.

Deezer: What is the monthly cost of Deezer Premium if paid annually?

When paid annually, Premium costs AED 17.92 per month (AED 214.99 per year), representing a 25% discount compared to the monthly rate of AED 23.99.

Source
Dorico: How does Dorico differ from Sibelius on pricing philosophy?

Dorico has kept perpetual purchase as its clear default on desktop, while Sibelius has shifted its primary marketing toward subscription.

Deezer: Can I access offline listening on the free Deezer plan?

No. The free plan offers ad-supported streaming with over 120 million tracks but does not include offline listening capability. Offline access is available only on the Premium, Duo, and Family subscription tiers.

Source
Dorico: Do major version upgrades cost extra?

Within a major version, updates are typically included; moving to a new major version generally requires a separate paid upgrade.

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