XP Soundboard vs XScreenSaver
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
XP Soundboard
Experience the classic sounds of Windows XP with this soundboard app. It features 36 authentic system sounds, perfect for pranks, meme creation, or evoking 90s nostalgia. Discover hidden easter eggs and enjoy a retro interface.
- 36 Classic System Sounds
- Startup, Shutdown & Logon Sounds
- Error Notifications & Alerts
- Hardware Connection Sounds
- Hidden Blue Screen of Death
- Retro XP-Styled Interface
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Relive the iconic sounds of Windows XP with this nostalgic soundboard featuring 36 authentic system sounds. Perfect for pranking friends, creating memes, or pure 90s nostalgia. FEATURES - 36 Classic System Sounds - Startup, Shutdown & Logon Sounds - Error Notifications & Alerts - Hardware Connection Sounds - Hidden Blue Screen of Death Easter Egg - High-Quality Audio - Retro XP-Styled Interface PRANK YOUR FRIENDS Play unexpected error sounds, startup chimes, or trigger the dreaded Blue Screen of Death when someone is using their computer. The perfect pocket prank for any situation. FIND THE BSOD Can you discover the hidden Blue Screen of Death? Tap around and find this legendary crash screen. PERFECT FOR - 90s Kids & Millennials - Prank Enthusiasts - Meme Creators & Streamers - Retro Tech Fans * Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. This app is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.
XScreenSaver
Explore a vast collection of historic and educational graphics demos originally designed for Linux and Unix systems. This application allows you to interact with hundreds of these visual demonstrations, ported from the classic screen saver collection.
- Historic graphics demos
- Educational visual content
- Interactive demo playback
- Large collection of visuals
- Cross-platform heritage
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The XScreenSaver application is a large collection of historic and educational graphics demos. XScreenSaver is the standard screen saver collection shipped on most Linux and Unix systems. I released the first version in 1992. In 2006, I ported it to MacOS, and in 2012 I ported it to iOS. This application is not a screen saver, of course, since iOS doesn't have those. But it does let you play with the hundreds of graphics demos that are a part of the XScreenSaver collection.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: XScreenSaver at none against XP Soundboard's 1. XScreenSaver also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). XP Soundboard's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 6 months). On price, ratings volume and device support 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. XP Soundboard sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. XScreenSaver asks for nothing beyond the download.
XScreenSaver holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 66 and 104 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of XP Soundboard's written reviews are positive against 93% of XScreenSaver's.
XP Soundboard ships an update every 3 months, XScreenSaver every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | XP Soundboard | XScreenSaver |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (66 ratings) | 4.9 (104 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews | 92.9% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 66 | 104 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | DSP | Jamie Zawinski |
Customer experience
XP Soundboard
XScreenSaver
User reviews
XP Soundboard
From 66 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 😊 Nostalgic Windows XP sounds
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 🎵 Great variety of iconic sounds
- ⚡ Works immediately without crashes
- 🎮 Fun for pranks and entertainment
Room to improve
- 🐛 Many sounds don't play or are non-functional
- 📢 Persistent ads even after paying for removal
- 🔇 Sounds don't play when phone is on silent
- ❌ Some buttons have no sound assigned
- 🔧 Widget broken on iOS 14
XScreenSaver
From 104 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✨ No ads or data collection
- 🎨 Extensive variety of screensavers
- 📱 Works seamlessly across multiple platforms (iOS, Mac, iPad)
- 🆓 Completely free application
- 🕰️ Nostalgic and retro aesthetic appeal
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes with certain screensavers
- 🎯 Difficult to tap small exit button on larger devices
- 🔋 High battery consumption on some devices
- ⚠️ Photo library screensaver crashes on iOS 13
- 🎪 Limited practical use on iOS devices
Bugs and requests
XP Soundboard
Reported bugs
7 issues- Non-functional sound buttons with no audio files
- Sounds fail to play despite visible buttons
- Ad removal purchase not working properly
- Widget crashes on iOS 14
- Silent mode prevents all sound playback
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- Restore purchase feature unclear or missing
- Some sounds missing from library despite button presence
Requested features
10 requests- Add missing sounds (Print Complete, Ringin, Ringout)
- Ability to customize and change sounds
- Use sounds as ringtones and alarms
- Windows 7, Vista, 95, 98 sound options
- Export sounds to iMovie
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- Apple Watch version
- Restore purchase button visibility
- Sound settings and variants from XP Plus edition
- Continuous tapping feature
- IT Crowd reference integration
XScreenSaver
Reported bugs
5 issues- Photo library screensaver crashes on iOS 13
- GLText reveals password when system info is selected
- Framebuffer loading failures requiring app restart
- Crashes on certain devices or configurations
- Difficult UI for exiting screensavers on larger phones
Requested features
11 requests- Favorites or bookmarking system to save preferred screensavers
- Hide or exclude unwanted screensavers from rotation
- Ability to select specific channels in XAnalogTV screensaver
- Widget support for iOS standby mode
- Prevent auto-lock feature to keep screen on
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Apple TV version
- Windows port of the application
- Larger hit areas for corner icons
- Faster scrubbing through screensavers
- Donate button for supporting development
- Screensavers featuring pentagons
In-app purchases
XP Soundboard
- Remove Ads$0.99
XScreenSaver
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is XP Soundboard free?
Is XScreenSaver free?
Which has better reviews, XP Soundboard or XScreenSaver?
Do XP Soundboard or XScreenSaver have ads?
Which is updated more often, XP Soundboard or XScreenSaver?
Other comparisons
