I thought I ordered a single sheet music file for $3.99. I waited for a link to download the file but never received one. I didn't open an account or subscribe to the service. But I checked my Paypal account and found they'd charged me for a subscription for $84.99. I tried to contact Musescore, but they have no phone number to call, only email or chat. I sent a message through chat, but never got a response. I emailed them. I also contacted Paypal and they said they needed to wait for Musescore to respond with information on the transaction. Then I got an email response from Musescore saying they'd issue me a refund, but only if I cancel the Paypal investigation. Since I didn't trust them I asked Paypal if I canceled it and their refund didnt go through for any reason could I reopen the complaint, but I couldn't. So I decided to just wait it out. Paypal kept asking me for information, and proof of the subscription. But I cannot prove something that never happened. I asked Paypal if Musescore had any info about the transaction, like something I signed or an account I opened or if there's a contract number of my subscription. They just said they'd gotten info from Musescore without telling me what it is. It was suggested that I go into Musescore to see if I could cancel the subscription. I don't have an account! I cannot cancel something I don't have access to. I could open a new account but it wouldn't be connected to the transaction that they said took place. Today, I got word from Paypal that the complaint was resolved in the sellers favor! How? I didn't get the song I thought I ordered, and I cant even use the subscription because I don't have an account or the subscription! I'm deleting my Paypal account and every banking account I have and stuffing my money in a mattress like Jack Benny. I'm so sick and tired of this. I CANNOT PROVIDE PROOF OF PURCHASE FROM SOMETHING I NEVER PURCHASED!

In addition to the scammy nature of its bait-and-switch trial options, this company actually does much the same with the credits you can buy to access official scores. I was directed to buy said credits (which are alarmingly overpriced) while trying to access a score which said I needed credits. I was informed that they allow you to "Experience PRO features including Download and Print with any music score of your choice", with it continuing on to say "from the huge community collection (1.9M scores)". I understood this to mean that, although I am paying far, far more than what the score is actually worth (the same edition that I'm paying 20 CAD for is just 5 on SheetMusicDirect), I can at least download it in.mxl format and edit the score as needed- In my case, to teach a class, and that kind of makes it worth it.

I bit the bullet and paid for the credits, re-opened the score I needed, and... Well, as it turns out, I basically paid 20 CAD just to look at a score I could look at for free on Sheet Music Direct, Musicnotes, Sheet Music Plus, and others. I purchased the credits on the basis that I could indeed "download and print any music score", but instead paid to get absolutely nothing due to the intentionally obfuscating language that does not sufficiently inform you that the credits won't give you access to the very product that told you that you needed credits to access. Oh, and here's a kicker- On some browsers, the "download" and "print" buttons are still there, they just don't work- This was the case on Microsoft Edge. I didn't even realize I wasn't allowed to download or print the score until I tried on another browser.

Speaking of another browser, even if this website weren't predatory, goodness is it ever just really awful to navigate. I normally use Firefox as my browser, but it is completely impossible to use the website with it. It doesn't open up the tabs I click on, payments don't work, it runs really slowly, and I get suck in loops of following one link that leads me to a second page, which in turn only leads me back to the first one again. I don't recall it always being like this- I noticed the downturn a bit when official scores started popping up like the plague, but it's gotten so much worse since I was last browsing the site consistently.

If the credits were really cheap, if the language made it more clear that you couldn't access official scores, if the website didn't make you buy more than one credit at a time even if you just need one, if this company didn't have other predatory practices- I may be more willing to forgive it and accept the error in my judgment. However, none of this is the case, and I feel intentionally deceived rather than simply making an error. I will be reaching out to try and get a refund through PayPal, but I'm not holding my breath, considering that, although deceptive, they can and will likely stand behind the existing language of the credits.

This is all on top of me having a subscription that should let me access the official scores, but for some reason the site doesn't allow me to download any score whatsoever. Furthermore, a lot of the official scores are completely legal and free on IMSLP- The fact that Musescore makes it necessary to pay for pieces like Fur Elise is upsetting and only serves to capitalize on people who don't know about IMSLP. But I digress.

As much as I would love to say that this fantastic idea for a website- A big collection of user-submitted arrangements, originals, lessons, and notation software- is a good product, the simple truth is, like almost all other users here have concluded, the business operates off of exploitative business practices, and frankly the product it provides is not worth the extremely high costs.

As a longtime musician, I have used Musescore for a long time and was subscribed for two years, and I feel like it wasn't always this bad- Things like the credits system and official scores weren't dominating the site, and I don't recall the problems with the trials in the past. Ultimately, though, whether my fondness for the website is from ignorance and nostalgia or an actual decline in product and user interface, I can resoundingly add my voice to the others who have suggested that this website is not worth your money and is highly predatory. Look past how big and widely used this website is- It's not as nice as it seems.

Good quality audio and scores. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I am teaching my daughter guitar. I searched, found Musescore, tried it and liked it! I actually purchased it through an offer that came to my email during the trial period. When reviewing my subsequent credit card statement, Musescore charged me an ADDITIONAL FULL-PRICE AMOUNT for an additional part of their offering.? WTH? I only signed up for the 1 thing that I tried, and in good faith I purchased it! But suddenly they were like "oh, you tried 2 products." Again,? Because I had not, and that is evident in their records. However, I reached out for a refund but it was declined per their "gotcha" clause. I wouldn't recommend trying it, primarily because dishonest practices like this that scam people out of additional money shouldn't be tolerated in this age of 100% online transactions. There are other offerings from companies that are more ethical. I am working on getting the unauthorized charge refunded. I may amend my review but they are based out of the US and I'm thinking they got their dollar from me and don't really care about what they did to an honest mom.
*****
Regarding Musescore's response, it is not only untrue it is not logical. I did not direct purchase anything. I only did a trial subscription for 1 product -- and I have proof! And why would I buy one and then try another, when they are essentially the same offering but one has some additional feature (that I didn't need nor want which is why I didn't even try it)? Also, the date(s) referenced are incorrect. I contacted Musescore about the unauthorized charge as soon as they charged it. That was within a month for sure but, yes, outside their unrealistic 14-day window since they charged me on the 15th day. They certainly have 100% ability to credit the unauthorized charge back, they just refuse. This is the definition of scammy. I encourage anyone reading this to do their own research because I am not alone. Musescore certainly has a bad reputation for stealing people's money. They are unethical. Beware. I play bells in a church, violin in an orchestra and keyboard in a band. I have a large circle of musician friends and colleagues, and I will take every opportunity to share my experience and discourage them from subscribing to products from this unscrupulous company. Totally not worth it.