Comparison

shelf.fm vs BlockBeats

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

Head to head
About

shelf.fm

Explore music by label and release year, offering a clean interface without promotional content. It syncs with your Apple Music account without altering it, requiring an Apple Music subscription to use.

Highlights
  • Full-featured alternative to stock music app
  • Explore music by label and release year
  • Simple, helpful interface
  • No promoted top-40 music or hype
  • Syncs with Apple Music account
  • Does not alter Apple Music account
Read full description

A full-featured alternative to the stock Apple Music app. ¶ While you listen, check out other stuff that came out on the same label that year. ¶ Simple, helpful interface free of promoted top-40 music and hype ¶ Syncs with, but will not mess with, your Apple Music account ¶ An Apple Music account is required (free 90-day trial available)

About

BlockBeats

Stream millions of tracks from independent artists worldwide for free. Discover new music across diverse genres, support creators directly, and enjoy a premium listening experience with advanced playback features. No subscription or credit card required.

Highlights
  • Unlimited free music streaming
  • Discover new and underground artists
  • Direct artist support with $AUDIO tokens
  • Background playback
  • Queue management
  • 5-band equalizer
  • Sleep timer
Features
Read full description

BlockBeats – Free Music Streaming Powered by Audius Discover a new way to experience music. BlockBeats connects you to Audius, the world's largest decentralized music platform with millions of tracks from independent artists worldwide. STREAM FOR FREE • Unlimited music streaming • No ads interrupting your listening • High-quality audio from verified artists • Access trending tracks, new releases, and hidden gems DISCOVER NEW MUSIC • Browse 30+ genres from Electronic to Hip-Hop • Explore curated playlists and albums • Find underground artists before they blow up • Get personalized recommendations based on your taste SUPPORT ARTISTS DIRECTLY • Artists keep 90%+ of earnings (vs 12% on traditional platforms) • Tip your favorite artists with $AUDIO tokens • Build real connections with creators • No middlemen taking your money PREMIUM LISTENING EXPERIENCE • Background playback - listen while using other apps • Queue management - play next, add to queue, reorder • Sleep timer with end-of-track option • 5-band equalizer with presets • Playback speed control (0.5x - 2.0x) • Crossfade between tracks • Lock screen controls PERSONALIZED FOR YOU • Radio mode for endless discovery • Recently played history • Like tracks and follow artists • Create and manage playlists • Dynamic album art color themes Built on Audius – the blockchain-powered platform where artists own their music and fans have direct access. No subscription required. No credit card needed. Just press play. Download BlockBeats and start streaming today. WHAT'S NEW (for version 1.0.0) ------------------------------ Initial release featuring: • Stream millions of tracks for free • 30+ music genres to explore • Background playback with lock screen controls • 5-band equalizer with presets • Queue management and playlists • Artist profiles and tipping support • Sleep timer and playback speed control

Screenshots

shelf.fm4 screens
BlockBeats4 screens

Verdict

The call

shelf.fm and BlockBeats are too close to call on the numbers: across 8 compared parameters — price, rating, ratings volume and ads among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for shelf.fm against 5.0 for BlockBeats. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 5 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
shelf.fm versus BlockBeats: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parametershelf.fmBlockBeats
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings25 — better
Update frequency—Every 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB26 MB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperChris MarstallRocky Ocean, LLC

Customer experience

shelf.fm

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

BlockBeats

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

shelf.fm

No in-app purchases

None

BlockBeats

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is shelf.fm free?
shelf.fm is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BlockBeats free?
BlockBeats is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, shelf.fm or BlockBeats?
shelf.fm and BlockBeats are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 5 ratings respectively.
Do shelf.fm or BlockBeats have ads?
Neither shelf.fm nor BlockBeats shows ads.

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