# PlayingAlbums vs NowPlay Studio

The clearest difference is price: NowPlay Studio at Free against PlayingAlbums's $0.99. NowPlay Studio also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 9 months). PlayingAlbums's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

NowPlay Studio is free to download; PlayingAlbums costs $0.99 up front. NowPlay Studio sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. PlayingAlbums asks for nothing beyond the download.

PlayingAlbums ships an update every 9 months, NowPlay Studio every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PlayingAlbums | NowPlay Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nowplay-studio/id6755917734/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 6 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yuki Kuroki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1247199041) | [MAROSCH UG (haftungsbeschränkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857272062) |

## What reviewers say

### PlayingAlbums

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playingalbums/id1247199042)

This app shuffles songs within playlists by album, allowing you to listen to entire albums sequentially. It integrates with Apple Music and iTunes Match, and playlists can be shared across devices. Users can choose to use the standard Music app player or a separate mode.

**Highlights:** Shuffle songs by album, Integrates with Apple Music/iTunes Match, Cross-device playlist sharing via iCloud, Option to use standard Music app player, Separate player mode available, Supports multi-disc albums

**In-app purchases:** none


### NowPlay Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nowplay-studio/id6755917734)

Control your music playback with convenient widgets without needing to open the main application. Display album art, track title, and artist with customizable widget sizes. Enjoy reliable playback controls like play/pause and track skipping.

**Highlights:** Fast playback controls, Now Playing widget, Artwork-driven design, Apple Music support, Three widget sizes, Play/pause and skip tracks

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Background Styles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Widget Controls | $1.99 | one-time |
| Quick Play Widget | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PlayingAlbums free?

PlayingAlbums costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NowPlay Studio free?

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

### Do PlayingAlbums or NowPlay Studio have ads?

Neither PlayingAlbums nor NowPlay Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PlayingAlbums or NowPlay Studio?

PlayingAlbums ships an update every 9 months, and NowPlay Studio every 10 days. Most recently, PlayingAlbums was updated on November 2, 2026 and NowPlay Studio on October 30, 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.*