Comparison

MPD Pilot vs Retro Player by allan.ltd

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

Head to head
About

MPD Pilot

Control your Music Player Daemon (MPD) with a user-friendly interface. Manage playback, curate playlists, browse your library, and stream music to your device. Offers local playback and cover art display.

Highlights
  • Playback control
  • Queue management
  • Remote library browsing
  • Artist and album views
  • Song search
  • Automatic server discovery
  • Local playback streaming
  • Cover art display
Features
Read full description

MPD Pilot is a Music Player Daemon (MPD) controller designed for fast, convenient control of your music library, queue, and playback. Key Features: - Playback Control: Control playback, volume, and outputs with a clean, responsive interface. - Queue Management: Build, reorder, and manage your current queue with ease. - Remote Library Browser: Browse your music library remotely in a file tree view and manage playlists. - Artist and Album Views: Explore your collection by artist or album, with integrated search for quick navigation. - Song Search: Quickly find tracks in your MPD database. - Automatic Server Discovery: Discover compatible MPD servers on your local network via Bonjour. - Local Playback on Device: Stream audio from your MPD server directly to your iPhone or iPad via speakers, Bluetooth headphones, or AirPlay devices. Supports HTTP-based and Snapcast streams, including formats such as FLAC, MP3, OPUS, and Vorbis, with stream quality details available in the app. - Cover Art Display: View cover art from your MPD collection or external sources. - Localized in 12 languages. Requirements: - MPD Pilot requires an MPD server for library browsing, queue management, and playback control. - To listen on your device, your MPD server must also be configured with a streaming output. Learn more about MPD setup at https://www.musicpd.org and https://mpdpilot.app/help Premium Features: Unlock Premium to connect to an unlimited number of MPD servers, create multiple local playback streams, and enjoy ad-free local audio playback. All other app features remain available in the free version. Privacy Policy: https://mpdpilot.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://mpdpilot.app/terms-of-use Visit https://mpdpilot.app for more information.

About

Retro Player by allan.ltd

Features
Read full description

A different way to listen Built for people who want to listen, not manage feeds. It revives a timeless music navigation style and combines it with a modern liquid-glass interface, fast indexing, and full offline support. No subscriptions. No streaming dependency. Your library, your control. RetroPod Mode A dedicated mode that simulates a classic wheel-based music player. Navigate albums, artists, and tracks using circular gestures designed for muscle memory and focus. Album-First Navigation Browse music visually. Large artwork. Natural scrolling. Fluid transitions. Music discovery driven by albums, not algorithms. Coverflow-Style Browsing Swipe through album covers with depth and motion. Designed for fast recognition and visual pleasure. Offline Music Playback Plays your local music library with zero internet connection. Ideal for flights, travel, and uninterrupted listening. Multiple Themes Dark, light, and retro-inspired themes. Each theme preserves clarity, contrast, and readability. Vintage UX, Modern Performance Classic interaction patterns rebuilt using modern rendering, animations, and system performance standards. Minimal, Focused Interface No ads. No social features. No distractions. Just music.

Screenshots

MPD Pilot4 screens
Retro Player by allan.ltd3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Retro Player by allan.ltd at none against MPD Pilot's 7. MPD Pilot's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 27.0). On price, ads and device support 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

Both are free to download. MPD Pilot sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Retro Player by allan.ltd asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MPD Pilot ships an update monthly, Retro Player by allan.ltd every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
MPD Pilot versus Retro Player by allan.ltd: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMPD PilotRetro Player by allan.ltd
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (42 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews67.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings42 — better—
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better27.0
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNoemi Rozparaallan (dot) ltd

In-app purchases

7 purchases

MPD Pilot

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly Access3 Days trial$0.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly Access3 Days trial$8.991 Year
One-time5
  • Melody Maker$4.99
  • Harmony Helper$9.99
  • Rhythm Rockstar$24.99
Show 2 more
  • Symphony Supporter$49.99
  • Lifetime Premium$59.99
None

Retro Player by allan.ltd

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MPD Pilot free?
MPD Pilot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Retro Player by allan.ltd free?
Retro Player by allan.ltd is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do MPD Pilot or Retro Player by allan.ltd have ads?
Neither MPD Pilot nor Retro Player by allan.ltd shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MPD Pilot or Retro Player by allan.ltd?
MPD Pilot ships an update monthly, and Retro Player by allan.ltd every 6 months. Most recently, MPD Pilot was updated on November 3, 2026 and Retro Player by allan.ltd on November 5, 2026.

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