# Taper's Section vs SetMate

The clearest difference is rating: SetMate at 5.0 against Taper's Section's 4.5. SetMate also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Taper's Section's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (39 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SetMate sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Taper's Section asks for nothing beyond the download.

SetMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Taper's Section has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Taper's Section ships an update every 3 months, SetMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Taper's Section | SetMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapers-section/id1212682275/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/setmate-gig-sheets/id6770743582/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **39** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 51 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) | [Noah Davison](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864615823) |

## 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


### SetMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/setmate-gig-sheets/id6770743582)

Organize your music library, practice effectively, and perform with confidence using this comprehensive toolkit for musicians. Import or create chord charts, customize song layouts with various widgets, and utilize practice modes for scales, chords, and more. Seamlessly build setlists and perform on stage with a dedicated full-screen view and hands-free scrolling.

**Highlights:** Import and create chord/lyric charts, Customizable song layout with widgets, Practice mode for scales, chords, and tabs, Setlist builder and full-screen performance view, Hands-free auto-scroll for lyrics, Nashville Number System toolkit, Guitar tab editor

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SetMate: Gig Sheets Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| SetMate: Gig Sheets Pro Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| SetMate Pro — Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Taper's Section free?

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

### Is SetMate free?

SetMate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

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

SetMate is rated higher. Taper's Section averages 4.5 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while SetMate averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

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

Neither Taper's Section nor SetMate shows ads.

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

Taper's Section ships an update every 3 months, and SetMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, Taper's Section was updated on September 27, 2026 and SetMate on October 3, 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.*