# MusicSmart vs Now Playing Plus

The clearest difference is rating: MusicSmart at 4.3 against Now Playing Plus's 3.7. MusicSmart also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (274 vs 53). Now Playing Plus's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (71% vs 52%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MusicSmart sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Now Playing Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

MusicSmart holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MusicSmart has 274 ratings behind it against 53, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of MusicSmart's written reviews are positive against 71% of Now Playing Plus's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MusicSmart ships an update fortnightly, Now Playing Plus every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MusicSmart | Now Playing Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (274 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicsmart-liner-notes/id1512195368/reviews)** | [3.7 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-playing-plus/id6443591394/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **274** | 53 |
| Positive reviews | 52.1% of reviews | **71.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 50 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Loop Apps LTDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1352747115) | [The Iconfactory](https://appshunter.io/developer/281795483) |

## What reviewers say

### MusicSmart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/musicsmart-liner-notes/id1512195368)

Instantly discover detailed credits for any song, from songwriting and performance to marketing and visuals. This app acts as an IMDb for your music library, offering insights into the creation process and roles involved. Explore information about recordings, backstories, and even visual credits.

**Highlights:** Instant music credit discovery, Detailed songwriting and composition info, Performance and recording credits, Marketing, distribution, and business details, Visual and location credits, Instrument breakdowns, Integration with Apple Music, Spotify, and Shazam

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MusicSmart Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| MusicSmart Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| MusicSmart Premium (Lifetime) | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for music credits lovers
- 👍 Fantastic background information
- 👍 Excellent depth of detail
- 👍 Highly recommended
- 👍 Essential for Apple Music users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent information quality
- 🐛 Limited data for classical/jazz albums
- 🐛 Doesn't work with iTunes purchases
- 🐛 Crashes when switching tabs
- 🐛 Lacks search and sorting features

**Reported bugs**

- Continuous crashes on certain devices
- Incorrect release dates shown
- Fails to recognize many albums in library

**Requested features**

- Integrate with YouTube Music
- Add lyrics/Genius integration
- Improve formatting for a more aesthetic look
- Allow access to liner notes without adding to library
- Provide musician credits for each track


### Now Playing Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/now-playing-plus/id6443591394)

Enhance your Apple Watch face with convenient audio controls. This app adds corner and circular complications, allowing quick access to playback functions without navigating through menus.

**Highlights:** Corner complications, Circular complications, Audio controls, Quick access, Customizable watch face

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MusicSmart free?

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

### Is Now Playing Plus free?

Now Playing Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MusicSmart or Now Playing Plus?

MusicSmart is rated higher. MusicSmart averages 4.3 out of 5 from 274 ratings, while Now Playing Plus averages 3.7 from 53 ratings.

### Do MusicSmart or Now Playing Plus have ads?

Neither MusicSmart nor Now Playing Plus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MusicSmart or Now Playing Plus?

MusicSmart ships an update fortnightly, and Now Playing Plus every 9 months. Most recently, MusicSmart was updated on October 23, 2026 and Now Playing Plus on October 22, 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.*