Comparison

PlaySections vs AxeModes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PlaySections

This app allows users to mark and play specific sections of audio and video files. It's ideal for practicing music, learning languages, or transcribing audio with features like loop playback, speed and pitch adjustment, and vocal cancellation.

Highlights
  • Section marking and playback
  • Loop playback for sections or songs
  • Adjustable playback speed and pitch
  • Vocal cancellation and EQ
  • Import from Music Library and other apps
  • YouTube video support
  • Background playback
Features
Read full description

PlaySections is an audio/video player that allows you to freely set marks and play back specific sections of your audio/video files. For example, while you're playing music, you can insert marks where the song transitions between the verse and the chorus, dividing the song into sections. Then you can pick a section from the generated section list and listen to any part of the song. For each section title, you can enter multiple lines of text. As a result, in addition to verse/chorus labels, you can make notes about the chord progression, measure count, lyrics, and so on, offering a tool that you can use for many purposes. PlaySections supports section and song loop playback, allowing you to listen to your favorite section on loop. It also features useful functionality including tempo/playback speed adjustment, pitch shift, vocal cancellation, 7 band equalizer, and flip video, making it a perfect app to use in instrument, vocal, or dance practice, or when playing music by ear. Not only can it read files from the iOS Music Library, but by using the Share Extension/Open-in functionality, you can import files from other applications. For example, you can load a recording from the Voice Memo app that comes standard on the iPhone, letting you create and play back a section list for a song that you performed yourself. Even more, you can use it to study a new language, or to prepare meeting notes. Version 4.0.0 adds support for YouTube videos. Many uses - Set marks for intro, verses, chorus, instrumental solo - Set chord progressions and lyrics for each section - Practice of playing musical instruments, singing, and dancing - Analyze music structure, chords for music dictation - Great for language learners, transcription from audio files of meeting/conference Feature Highlights - Music Library Integration - YouTube video - Waveform scroll - Section Marks - Section title edit - Loop playback (section, song) - Speed control (-50% to +200%) * - Pitch control (-12 to +12) ** - 7 bands EQ control (-24dB to +12dB) ** - FX (vocal cancel) ** - Flip Video (except for YouTube videos) - Share Extension, Open-in support (File import) - Remote control, AirTurn support - Low latency playback (Audio Unit support) - Supports all major audio/video formats (AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC [requires iOS 11], MP4, MOV...) - Background playback (except for YouTube videos) - VoiceOver - Drag & Drop on iPad - Inter-App Audio,** * No support for DRM contents (Apple Music, ...) ** No support for Video, YouTube and DRM contents Support http://playsections.github.io/ https://twitter.com/PlaySections playsections@gmail.com --- Video by TRIAMPERSANDY - ROLLY-POP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RC_rV_dCCg

About

AxeModes

This app helps guitarists learn various musical modes and scales from any root note. It features a dynamic fretboard, scale degree visualization, and audio playback for each note, along with chord accompaniment.

Highlights
  • Learn major, minor, and other scale modes
  • Dynamic fretboard display
  • Color-code and show/hide scale degrees
  • Hear individual note sounds
  • Play chord accompaniment
  • Context-sensitive help
Read full description

Learn all the associated Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor, Harmonic Major, Double Harmonic Major, Hexatonic, Pentatonic, and Diminished Scales. Starting from any Root Note. (Hundreds and hundreds of combinations!) Dynamically generated Fretboard. Show between 2 and 22 Frets at a time. Color code any Scale Degree(s). Show or hide any Scale Degree(s). Click on any Note to hear what it sounds like. Play Chord accompaniment for any Scale/Mode/Root combination. Context sensitive help available on every screen.

Screenshots

PlaySections4 screens
AxeModes3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: AxeModes at every 4 days against PlaySections's every 3 weeks. PlaySections's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 2) and price ($3.99 vs $4.99). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

PlaySections costs $3.99 and AxeModes $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for PlaySections against 5.0 for AxeModes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PlaySections has 16 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PlaySections ships an update every 3 weeks, AxeModes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
PlaySections versus AxeModes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlaySectionsAxeModes
Price$3.99 — better$4.99
Rating4.9 (16 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings16 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.616.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHiroshi KajihataJoseph Svantner

Customer experience

PlaySections

All ratings16 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive76.9%
Neutral10.3%
Negative12.8%

AxeModes

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

PlaySections

No in-app purchases

None

AxeModes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PlaySections free?
PlaySections costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is AxeModes free?
AxeModes costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PlaySections or AxeModes?
AxeModes is rated higher. PlaySections averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while AxeModes averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do PlaySections or AxeModes have ads?
Neither PlaySections nor AxeModes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PlaySections or AxeModes?
PlaySections ships an update every 3 weeks, and AxeModes every 4 days. Most recently, PlaySections was updated on October 17, 2026 and AxeModes on October 4, 2026.

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