# Smart Shuffle vs PlayingAlbums

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Smart Shuffle at 68% against PlayingAlbums's 0%. Smart Shuffle also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 9 months). PlayingAlbums's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $1.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Smart Shuffle costs $1.99 and PlayingAlbums $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Smart Shuffle ships an update every 2 months, PlayingAlbums every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart Shuffle | PlayingAlbums |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **$0.99** |
| Rating | **[3.8 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shuffle/id342320176/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **36** | — |
| Positive reviews | **67.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 16 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Spudfish Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/342320179) | [Yuki Kuroki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1247199041) |

## What reviewers say

### Smart Shuffle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shuffle/id342320176)

This music player brings back the classic album shuffle experience, playing songs in their intended order within randomly selected albums. It offers extensive customization for album selection and playback control, including CarPlay and Apple Watch integration.

**Highlights:** Album shuffle playback, CarPlay integration, Siri Shortcuts, Cloud album access, Enhanced album selection & filtering, Apple Watch interface, Sleep mode timer

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PlayingAlbums

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playingalbums/id1247199042)

This app shuffles songs within playlists by album, allowing you to listen to entire albums sequentially. It integrates with Apple Music and iTunes Match, and playlists can be shared across devices. Users can choose to use the standard Music app player or a separate mode.

**Highlights:** Shuffle songs by album, Integrates with Apple Music/iTunes Match, Cross-device playlist sharing via iCloud, Option to use standard Music app player, Separate player mode available, Supports multi-disc albums

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart Shuffle free?

Smart Shuffle costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PlayingAlbums free?

PlayingAlbums costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Smart Shuffle or PlayingAlbums have ads?

Neither Smart Shuffle nor PlayingAlbums shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smart Shuffle or PlayingAlbums?

Smart Shuffle ships an update every 2 months, and PlayingAlbums every 9 months. Most recently, Smart Shuffle was updated on September 4, 2026 and PlayingAlbums on September 14, 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.*