NML vs Symphony.live
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NML
Access a vast library of classical music recordings with extensive metadata. Create personalized playlists and utilize study tools. Ideal for music enthusiasts and students seeking in-depth information.
- 2.73 million+ classical music tracks
- Rich metadata (composer bios, program notes)
- Customizable playlists
- Playlists created by educators
- Study tools and resources
- Latest releases from over 1000 labels
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Naxos Music Library (NML) offers over 2.73 million tracks of fine classical music recordings from more than a thousand labels with their latest releases. What sets NML apart from other streaming platforms comes down to metadata. Each piece of music comes with a rich set of information, from composers’ biographies to programme notes, instrumentation to publisher’s details, all authored by qualified musicologists. Individual subscribers and authorised users of institution subscribers can create their own playlists on top of having access to playlists created by their teachers and professors for their assignments. NML is more than just a huge classical music audio library available for streaming. The Resources section inside the library offers many valuable add-ons and study tools available through accessing the web version. Please send comments to customer.service@naxos.com to help us further improve our app.
Symphony.live
Experience the magic of classical music with exclusive performances, documentaries, and curated playlists from orchestras worldwide. Enjoy high-quality audio and video on demand, anytime, anywhere. Support global orchestras with your membership.
- Exclusive orchestral performances
- Documentaries and playlists
- High-quality audio and video
- On-demand access
- Support for global orchestras
- Member discounts and offers
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Watch & listen to the magic of classical music like never before. Our streaming platform brings to your screen of choice the world's orchestras through exclusive performances, documentaries, playlists, and much more. Whether you’re a lifelong aficionado or new to the genre, Symphony.live makes it easy to immerse yourself in the rich history and artistry of classical music. Watch and listen to concerts from our growing family of orchestras. Stream the best of composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky, and many more. You can also watch and listen on the go - whenever, wherever - thanks to our refined mobile apps. WHY STREAM CLASSICAL MUSIC ON SYMPHONY.LIVE? - Performances: Enjoy concerts from the world's orchestras, playing from the world's best venues. - Curated Playlists: Discover our hand-curated playlists, featuring everything from the most well-known works to hidden gems. - High-Quality Audio & Video: Experience every note and nuance in stunning clarity. - On-Demand Access: Stream your favorite orchestras, works, and musicians anytime, anywhere. - Member Benefits: Get exclusive discounts and special offers on additional services from our partners - Plus: Stream the best of classical music anywhere, anytime. SUPPORT THE WORLD’S ORCHESTRAS It’s our mission to unite the world’s orchestras. By becoming a member, you’re helping us do this. Your subscription actively supports orchestras around the world. We share our revenues directly with our family of orchestras. The more you watch, the more you're supporting your favorite orchestra. It's a win-win for all! WHAT QUALITY DOES SYMPHONY.LIVE OFFER? We understand the importance of experiencing classical music in mint condition. To help with your immersive experience, we always strive to provide you with the highest quality possible. We have a selection of concerts recorded in 5.1 digital surround sound. Moreover, through our Wolfgang collaboration, select concert videos come with captions, enriching your viewing experience by providing a deeper understanding of the beautiful music on your screen. For our privacy policy and user agreement visit: https://symphony.live/terms-and-conditions
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NML at none against Symphony.live's 4. NML also leads on ratings volume (66 vs 18). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Symphony.live sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. NML asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.0 for NML against 2.9 for Symphony.live. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 66 and 18 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 40% of NML's written reviews are positive against 33% of Symphony.live's.
NML ships an update every 2 months, Symphony.live every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on August 28, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NML | Symphony.live |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (66 ratings) — better | 2.9 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 39.5% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 66 — better | 18 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Requires iOS | 15.3 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Naxos Digital Services Ltd. | Acoustics Space Inc. |
Customer experience
NML
Symphony.live
Bugs and requests
NML
Reported bugs
16 issues- App crashes during playback or when switching apps
- Audio stops when screen goes to sleep
- Tracks cut off mid-movement or stop arbitrarily
- Login session expires too quickly despite 'remember me' option
- Cannot connect to internet via WiFi (requires VPN workaround)
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- Playlists disappear or fail to save
- Back button doesn't return to previous position in list
- Music pauses when notifications arrive
- App freezes or becomes unresponsive
- Search dialog has poor contrast making cursor invisible
- Saved playlists erased after updates
- Track information displays incorrectly during playback
- App cuts out at end of tracks when switching focus
- Shuffle button fails to function
- Hiccup at beginning of each track on iPadOS
- App only plays one track then stops
Requested features
15 requests- Dark mode support
- Interactive widgets
- Landscape orientation support for tablets/iPads
- Chromecast and AirPlay support
- Background music playback while using other apps
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- Track scrubbing/fast-forward capability
- Shuffle feature for favorites list
- Custom playlist and folder organization
- Ability to organize favorites into named categories
- Face recognition login
- Album-level saving instead of track-only playlists
- Better metadata display (composer, performer information)
- Retina display support
- iPad-specific app version
- Improved search with catalog number support
Symphony.live
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NML
No in-app purchases
Symphony.live
- Symphony.live monthly7 Days trial$8.991 Month
- MONTHLY$8.991 Month
- Symphony.live annual7 Days trial$79.991 Year
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- ANNUAL$79.991 Year









