Comparison

PlaySections vs AxeNotes

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
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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

AxeNotes

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Choose Chromatic to see all the Notes on the Fretboard (with sharps or flats). Choose Diatonic to see all the Major and Minor Scales from the Circle of Fifths. Hundreds of combinations! Click on any note to hear the note, show the note name, see the music notation , and find all locations of that note on a guitar.

Screenshots

PlaySections4 screens
AxeNotes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PlaySections at every 3 weeks against AxeNotes's every 11 months. AxeNotes's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $3.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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 AxeNotes $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PlaySections ships an update every 3 weeks, AxeNotes every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PlaySections versus AxeNotes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlaySectionsAxeNotes
Price$3.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.9 (16 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings16 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.616.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHiroshi KajihataJoseph Svantner

In-app purchases

None

PlaySections

No in-app purchases

None

AxeNotes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PlaySections free?
PlaySections costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is AxeNotes free?
AxeNotes costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do PlaySections or AxeNotes have ads?
Neither PlaySections nor AxeNotes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PlaySections or AxeNotes?
PlaySections ships an update every 3 weeks, and AxeNotes every 11 months. Most recently, PlaySections was updated on November 1, 2026 and AxeNotes on November 8, 2026.

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