Flat
Browser-based notation from Tutteo Limited in London with a free Basic plan
Summary table
| Company | Tutteo Limited |
|---|---|
| Category | Music Notation Software |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - United Kingdom (company number 09734095) |
| Data Location | not stated; the privacy policy says personal information may be stored outside the user's jurisdiction |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | No |
| Main Features | Real-time collaboration, high-quality instruments, offline mode, desktop app for Mac and Windows, guitar tab editor, PDF import, MIDI transcription, MusicXML and MIDI import |
| Pricing | Flat Basic: free, limited to 15 scores and 30 instruments; Flat Power: monthly and yearly plans with unlimited scores, amounts not shown in the text we read |
| Best For | Students, teachers and small ensembles who write and share scores in a browser |
| Replaces | Sibelius, Noteflight |
Review in detail
Flat is a music notation service provided by Tutteo Limited, a company registered in England and Wales under number 09734095 with its registered office at 9th Floor, 107 Cheapside, London. In the United States, Flat is distributed by Tutteo Inc., a Delaware company.
The home page announces Flat Desktop for Mac and Windows as a free download. The product line also includes Flat for Education and Music Snippet, which creates notation snippets for Google and Microsoft tools.
What does the free Flat Basic plan include?
Flat Basic is free and limited to 15 scores and 30 instruments. It includes sync across devices, real-time sharing and collaboration, transcription with MIDI devices, offline composing and MusicXML or MIDI import.
Flat Power adds unlimited scores. The pricing text we read shows the plan structure but not the amounts.
Where does Flat work?
Flat runs on the web, as a desktop app for Mac and Windows, and on mobile. The site also lists a guitar tab editor and PDF import as new features.
The community pages mention a community of more than 5 million users, which is a figure from Flat's own site.
Flat as a European alternative to Sibelius
Flat is operated by a UK company where Sibelius belongs to Avid, a US-headquartered group. Flat's privacy policy states that personal information may be transferred to and stored in countries outside the user's jurisdiction.
That makes the UK contracting entity clear but the hosting location open.
Where it falls short
The free plan caps users at 15 scores, and Power plan amounts are not visible in the text we read. A US distributor entity (Tutteo Inc.) exists for US customers, and the privacy policy allows storage outside the user's jurisdiction. For a one-time desktop licence, compare Notation Composer.
Who Flat fits
Teachers, students and ensembles who want shared online scores with a free starting point.
What works, what does not
Pros
- Free Basic plan
- Real-time collaboration on scores
- Desktop app for Mac and Windows
- MusicXML and MIDI import listed
- UK company number published
Cons
- Free plan limited to 15 scores
- Power plan prices not visible in the text we read
- Data location not stated
- Separate US distributor entity exists
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Basic plan costs nothing
- Several users can edit one score at the same time
- Desktop app for Mac and Windows beside the browser version
- Imports MusicXML and MIDI files
- Company number of the UK entity is published
Cons
- Basic plan stops at 15 scores
- Amounts for the Power plan were not in our text
- Where the data is stored is not stated
- A separate US entity distributes Flat in the United States
Alternatives to Flat
Further European music notation software to compare:
See all European music notation software or compare them directly against Sibelius on our alternatives page.
Questions buyers ask
Yes for the contracting entity. Flat is operated by Tutteo Limited of London, and the service covers notation in the browser, a desktop app and mobile apps.
Yes. Flat Basic is free, limited to 15 scores and 30 instruments, and includes real-time collaboration and MusicXML or MIDI import.
The pages we read do not name a hosting location. The privacy policy says personal information may be stored in countries outside the user's jurisdiction.