Comparison

hi vs Vinyl Notes

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

hi

Explore the world of high-end audio with Europe's leading English-language magazine. Discover the finest audio components, from classic amplifiers to state-of-the-art music servers, and find the latest music to enrich your listening experience.

Highlights
  • High-end audio reviews
  • Latest digital audio technology
  • Turntable and amplifier features
  • Music server insights
  • Music discovery
  • Expert audiophile writers
Features
Read full description

Hi-Fi+ is Europe’s premier English-language high-end audio magazine. Whether it’s the latest in digital audio technology or the best turntable you’ve ever heard, Hi-Fi+ magazine is the ultimate audiophile authority. Our goal is clear; to seek out the finest audio components money can buy. Music is the soundtrack to all our lives and we think that the better that soundtrack, sounds the more enriched our lives can be. A good audio system can open up new avenues of music that might surprise you. We don’t differentiate; it could be a classic valve amplifier or a state-of-the-art music server – if it sounds good, we want to know and we want to tell you about it. The difference between good sound and great sound lies in the details… and we are obsessive about detail. We aren’t constrained by measurement or bogged down in stuffy old paradigms. We are relevant and a little bit irreverent. Hi-Fi+ features some of the best writers in the business, all passionate about making music sound as good as it possibly can. We seek out the finest audio components – and the latest and greatest music – and aren’t afraid of finding the best, whatever the cost. ---------------------------------------------- This is a free app download. Within the app users can purchase the current issue and back issues. Subscriptions are also available within the application. A subscription will start from the latest regular issue at the time of purchase. -The subscription will renew automatically unless cancelled more than 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours of the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for the product. -You may turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions through your Account Settings, however you are not able to cancel the current subscription during its active period. -Payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase and any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when a subscription to that publication is purchased. -If a subscription offers a free trial, at the end of the trial period, you will be charged the full price of the subscription. You may cancel a subscription during its free trial period via the subscription settings on your iTunes account. This must be done 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Users can register for/ login to a pocketmags account in-app. This will protect their issues in the case of a lost device and allow browsing of purchases on multiple platforms. Existing pocketmags users can retrieve their purchases by logging into their account. We recommend loading the app for the first time in a wi-fi area so that all issue data is retrieved. If your app will not load past the splash page after a first install or an update, please delete and reinstall the app from the App Store Help and frequently asked questions can be accessed in-app and on pocketmags. If you have any problems at all please do not hesitate to contact us: help@pocketmags.com -------------------- You can find our privacy policy here: http://www.pocketmags.com/privacy.aspx You can find our terms and conditions here: http://www.pocketmags.com/terms.aspx

About

Vinyl Notes

Document your vinyl listening experiences with detailed notes on artist, album, pressing, and impressions. Organize your collection with custom categories and grading. Enjoy a premium, animated interface that syncs across devices.

Highlights
  • Detailed record notes
  • Customizable grading system
  • Collection categorization
  • Premium animated interface
  • iCloud syncing
  • Artist and album details
Features
Read full description

Vinyl Notes is the essential companion for vinyl enthusiasts who appreciate both the music and the medium. This elegant, purpose-built app helps you document your listening experiences with precision and style. Maintain meticulous notes on your vinyl records with fields for artist, album, pressing information, and detailed listening impressions. Grade each record from Poor to Mint, and categorize them as "Keep Spinning," "Clean," "Last Chance," or "Replace" to curate your collection thoughtfully. Enjoy a premium experience with a sophisticated interface inspired by high-end turntables and classic record labels. Watch as records come to life with subtle animations that capture the essence of vinyl playback. Your listening notes sync automatically between your iPhone and iPad through iCloud, ensuring your collection data is always at your fingertips, no matter which device you're using. Whether you're documenting surface noise on a rare pressing, comparing different masters, or simply capturing the emotions a record evokes, Groovr helps preserve those moments that make vinyl special.

Screenshots

hi4 screens
Vinyl Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Vinyl Notes at 100% against hi's 51%. Vinyl Notes also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 14). hi's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and rating (4.8 vs 4.0). On update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

hi is free to download; Vinyl Notes costs $3.99 up front. hi sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 6 months. Vinyl Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

hi holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: hi has 56 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of hi's written reviews are positive against 100% of Vinyl Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

hi ships an update every 6 months, Vinyl Notes every 5 months. Both last shipped on September 18, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
hi versus Vinyl Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterhiVinyl Notes
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.8 (56 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews51.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings56 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAbsolute Multimedia UK LtdRick DeCost

Customer experience

hi

All ratings56 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral1.8%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews47 reviews
Positive51.1%
Neutral8.5%
Negative40.4%

Vinyl Notes

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

14 purchases

hi

Subscriptions2
  • Hi-Fi Plus$14.996 Months
  • Hi-Fi Plus1 Month trial$24.991 Year
One-time12
  • Hi-Fi+ Issue 78 (id:353221)$2.99
  • Hi-Fi+ Issue 81 (id:353215)$2.99
  • Hi-Fi+ Issue 131 (id:410644)$2.99
Show 9 more
  • issue134$2.99
  • Hi-Fi+ & TAS Ul... (id:446013)$3.99
  • hi-fi+ Issue 245 (pp:1114081)$3.99
  • hi-fi+ Issue 235 (pp:1009611)$3.99
  • hi-fi+ Issue 234 (pp:1009617)$3.99
  • hi-fi+ Issue 233 (pp:1009623)$3.99
  • HiFiPlus 6 back issue bundle$14.99
  • 8 issue subscription$17.99
  • 16 issue subscription$29.99
None

Vinyl Notes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is hi free?
hi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Vinyl Notes free?
Vinyl Notes costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, hi or Vinyl Notes?
hi is rated higher. hi averages 4.8 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while Vinyl Notes averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do hi or Vinyl Notes have ads?
Neither hi nor Vinyl Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, hi or Vinyl Notes?
hi ships an update every 6 months, and Vinyl Notes every 5 months. Most recently, hi was updated on September 18, 2026 and Vinyl Notes on September 18, 2026.

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