# TapTunes vs Tape

The clearest difference is rating: Tape at 4.5 against TapTunes's 3.1. Tape also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 60%) and ratings volume (259 vs 23). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

TapTunes costs $1.99 and Tape $1.99 up front. TapTunes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Tape sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tape holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tape has 259 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of TapTunes's written reviews are positive against 82% of Tape's.

TapTunes ships an update every 4 months, Tape every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TapTunes | Tape |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.1 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/taptunes/id320145698/reviews) | **[4.5 (259 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tape/id537766208/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **259** |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | **81.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Blundell](https://appshunter.io/developer/320145702) | [Alexander Rutkowskij](https://appshunter.io/developer/518370415) |

## What reviewers say

### TapTunes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/taptunes/id320145698)

Explore your music collection through interactive visual displays and gesture-based controls. Rediscover forgotten tracks and enjoy a more intimate connection with your audio library.

**Highlights:** Visual album browsing, Gesture playback controls, Home screen widget, Seamless audio switching, Personalized settings

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stacked Mode | $0.99 | one-time |


### Tape

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tape/id537766208)

Relive the 80s with a virtual cassette player that emulates the feel of old-school music playback. Enjoy your iPhone music library with animated cassettes and intuitive touch controls. Choose from a variety of cassette designs for a nostalgic experience.

**Highlights:** Cassette player emulator, Plays music from Apple Music App, Animated cassette display, Large selection of cassette designs, Intuitive touch controls (play, pause, swipe), Pinch to zoom for original cassette size

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New Cassette Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cassette collection 2 | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Authentic nostalgic cassette player design
- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 🎵 Realistic animations with moving reels and playheads
- 💰 Free app with extensive cassette designs included
- 🎮 Interactive controls with swipe gestures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🐛 App doesn't close properly with swipe gesture
- 🐛 Tape head animation reversed (plays down, pauses up)
- ❌ Limited to Apple Music only
- ❌ No local file playback support

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when using menus
- Freezes on iPhone iOS 14.4.2 and later
- Swipe-to-close doesn't stop playback
- Playhead and capstan roller animation reversed
- App closes unexpectedly for no reason

**Requested features**

- Save and switch between custom mixed tapes
- Playlist duration limits based on cassette type
- Clicking sounds for play/stop button presses
- Support for local MP3 and M4A files
- Screen sleep toggle while music plays


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TapTunes free?

TapTunes costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Tape free?

Tape costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TapTunes or Tape?

Tape is rated higher. TapTunes averages 3.1 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Tape averages 4.5 from 259 ratings.

### Do TapTunes or Tape have ads?

Neither TapTunes nor Tape shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TapTunes or Tape?

TapTunes ships an update every 4 months, and Tape every 7 months. Most recently, TapTunes was updated on October 8, 2026 and Tape on October 15, 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.*