# Podcast Maker vs Trace

The clearest difference is update cadence: Trace at every 2 days against Podcast Maker's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Podcast Maker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Trace sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Podcast Maker ships an update every 3 weeks, Trace every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Podcast Maker | Trace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (412 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podcast-maker-audio-editor/id1584923922/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **412** | — |
| Positive reviews | 82.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 181 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SMART WIDGET LABS COMPANY LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561934122) | [Peter Healy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1887058402) |

## What reviewers say

### Podcast Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podcast-maker-audio-editor/id1584923922)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools for aspiring podcasters to record, edit, and produce audio content. It offers a built-in voice recorder, advanced editing features, and the ability to add music and sound effects. Users can easily arrange episode segments and export their creations to cloud platforms.

**Highlights:** Voice recorder, Audio editing tools (split, trim, equalizer, echo, reverb, noise cancelling), Background music and sound effects library, Drag-and-drop episode arrangement, Cloud platform export, Import custom audio files

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Trial Subscription | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription - Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Useful editing features
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Great for beginners

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 🔒 Limited free features
- 🔒 Paywall for advanced features
- 🔋 Poor audio quality
- 🐛 Unreliable syncing/merging

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to import audio files
- Saved edits not always preserved
- Difficulty uploading podcasts to platforms
- Inconsistent performance on different devices

**Requested features**

- Add more free sound effects and background music
- Improve audio editing capabilities
- Integrate with more podcast platforms
- Allow sharing/exporting of podcasts without premium subscription
- Enhance noise cancellation and audio enhancement tools


### Trace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-podcast-notes/id6760963638)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trace Plus Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Trace Plus Annual | $89.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Podcast Maker free?

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

### Is Trace free?

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

### Do Podcast Maker or Trace have ads?

Both Podcast Maker and Trace show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Podcast Maker or Trace?

Podcast Maker ships an update every 3 weeks, and Trace every 2 days. Most recently, Podcast Maker was updated on September 22, 2026 and Trace on September 10, 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.*