# Smart Shuffle vs Playlist Buddy

The clearest difference is price: Playlist Buddy at Free against Smart Shuffle's $1.99. Playlist Buddy also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). Smart Shuffle's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (36 vs 1). On ads there is nothing between them.

Playlist Buddy is free to download; Smart Shuffle costs $1.99 up front. Playlist Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Smart Shuffle asks for nothing beyond the download.

Playlist Buddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Smart Shuffle has 36 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Smart Shuffle ships an update every 2 months, Playlist Buddy every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Smart Shuffle | Playlist Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.8 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-shuffle/id342320176/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playlist-buddy/id6757322823/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **36** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 67.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 16 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 27.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Spudfish Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/342320179) | [Nicolas Le Gorrec](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727232723) |

## 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


### Playlist Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playlist-buddy/id6757322823)

This app helps you manage and continue listening to large shuffled playlists. It remembers your playback position across multiple lists and offers AI-powered insights about your music.

**Highlights:** Resume shuffle playback, Manage multiple playlists, AI-powered music insights, On-device Apple Intelligence, Companion for Apple Music

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Playlist Buddy Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Playlist Buddy Unlimited | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Smart Shuffle free?

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

### Is Playlist Buddy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Smart Shuffle or Playlist Buddy?

Playlist Buddy is rated higher. Smart Shuffle averages 3.8 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while Playlist Buddy averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Smart Shuffle or Playlist Buddy have ads?

Neither Smart Shuffle nor Playlist Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Smart Shuffle or Playlist Buddy?

Smart Shuffle ships an update every 2 months, and Playlist Buddy every 4 days. Most recently, Smart Shuffle was updated on October 18, 2026 and Playlist Buddy on October 4, 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.*