# Taper's Section vs DeadSpread

The clearest difference is ads: Taper's Section at none against DeadSpread's shown. Taper's Section also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). DeadSpread's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

DeadSpread holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 39 and 101 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 90% and 90% positive.

Taper's Section ships an update every 3 months, DeadSpread every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Taper's Section | DeadSpread |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapers-section/id1212682275/reviews) | **[4.8 (101 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deadspread/id1523844467/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 39 | **101** |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | 90.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 55 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Franklin Kesler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1212682274) | [Walter Sanders](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512990324) |

## What reviewers say

### Taper's Section

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapers-section/id1212682275)

Access a vast library of live music recordings from archive.org. Stream, save, and organize your favorite shows, build playlists, and enjoy offline listening. Features background playback and powerful search capabilities.

**Highlights:** Stream live music from archive.org, Save favorite bands and shows, Background streaming, Offline listening, Powerful search and filtering, Build and share playlists, Manage play queue

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### DeadSpread

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deadspread/id1523844467)

Access and stream a vast collection of live concert recordings from bands like the Grateful Dead and Widespread Panic. Download your favorite shows to enjoy offline. Discover music from various other jam bands.

**Highlights:** Stream live concert recordings, Download shows for offline playback, Access archive.org content, Discover Widespread Panic shows, Explore other jam band artists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Taper's Section free?

Taper's Section is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is DeadSpread free?

DeadSpread is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Taper's Section or DeadSpread?

DeadSpread is rated higher. Taper's Section averages 4.5 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while DeadSpread averages 4.8 from 101 ratings.

### Do Taper's Section or DeadSpread have ads?

DeadSpread shows ads; Taper's Section does not.

### Which is updated more often, Taper's Section or DeadSpread?

Taper's Section ships an update every 3 months, and DeadSpread every 6 days. Most recently, Taper's Section was updated on June 1, 2026 and DeadSpread on September 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*