Comparison

PlayingAlbums vs Auranova

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

Head to head
About

PlayingAlbums

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
Read full description

If you love music albums, you will listen to an album, then another album, then another...... All your songs or songs in the selected playlist will be shuffled by album. Songs in the selected playlist will play on devices that use iTunes Match or Apple Music, even if they are not downloaded on the device, as long as they are online. Playlists shuffled by albums can be shared with your own devices via iCloud. If you do not use either iTunes Match or Apple Music, the order of songs will be synchronized as long as playlists are synchronized between your devices. If you are a user of PlayingAlbums for macOS, you will share its settings for PlayingAlbums for iPhone. You may not want to listen to songs serially of an album with multiple discs. Disc 2 is sometimes completely different from disc 1. By default, the playing information (playback counts, etc.) will be integrated since PlayingAlbums uses the same player as the standard “Music” app. If you would not like to integrate the information, a new mode has been implemented that does not use the same player as the standard “Music” app. The application does not include any songs or other content; you must first create a playlist, either by importing from a CD or by using a subscription such as Apple Music. The screen shots shows a playlist created by subscribing to an album from Apple Music.

About

Auranova

Experience your music library with dynamic, real-time visualizers that react to every beat. Offers powerful audio tools like a 10-band equalizer and DSP effects. Personalize your listening with various themes and enjoy offline playback.

Highlights
  • Real-time audio-reactive visualizers
  • Import music from device, PC, Google Drive
  • 10-band equalizer with genre presets
  • DSP effects (reverb, echo, bass boost)
  • AirPlay visualizers to TV
  • Offline playback
  • Customizable themes
Features
Read full description

Auranova transforms how you experience music. Play your entire library with stunning real-time visualizers that pulse and react to every beat — from mesmerizing Butterchurn effects to elegant Mirror Lines and particle systems. PLAY YOUR WAY • Import music from your device, PC, Google Drive • Import music streams • AirPlay visualizers to your TV for the ultimate experience STUNNING VISUALIZERS • 7+ real-time audio-reactive visualizers • 290+ Butterchurn presets (MilkDrop2 engine) • Beat-reactive ambient glow with bass and drum detection • Matrix digital rain theme with green CRT aesthetic • Full-screen and external display support via AirPlay POWERFUL AUDIO TOOLS • 10-band equalizer with genre presets • DSP effects: reverb, echo, bass boost, and more • Sleep timer for bedtime listening THEMES & PERSONALIZATION • Dark, Light, Matrix, and additional visual themes • Lock screen controls and background playback • Works on iPhone and iPad FREE TO USE Auranova is free with core features — bars and mirror line visualizers, flat EQ, dark theme, and radio. Unlock Auranova Pro ($4.99, one-time purchase) for all visualizers, Butterchurn presets, EQ presets, DSP effects, themes. Privacy-first: Auranova works entirely offline. No accounts, no tracking, no ads.

Screenshots

PlayingAlbums2 screens
Auranova4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Auranova at Free against PlayingAlbums's $0.99. Auranova also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 9 months). PlayingAlbums's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, 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

Auranova is free to download; PlayingAlbums costs $0.99 up front. Auranova sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PlayingAlbums asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PlayingAlbums ships an update every 9 months, Auranova every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
PlayingAlbums versus Auranova: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlayingAlbumsAuranova
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuki KurokiDENIS TELEVNYY

Customer experience

PlayingAlbums

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Auranova

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

In-app purchases

None

PlayingAlbums

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Auranova

One-time1
  • Auranova Pro$4.99

Questions

Is PlayingAlbums free?
PlayingAlbums costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Auranova free?
Auranova is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PlayingAlbums or Auranova have ads?
Neither PlayingAlbums nor Auranova shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PlayingAlbums or Auranova?
PlayingAlbums ships an update every 9 months, and Auranova every 10 days. Most recently, PlayingAlbums was updated on September 14, 2026 and Auranova on September 15, 2026.

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