tapeRecorder vs FMStation
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
tapeRecorder
This app transforms your device into a vintage-style audio recorder and music player. It allows for unlimited recordings and playback of your music library, with features like tape rewind and animation for an authentic retro experience.
- Unlimited audio recordings
- Music playback from iTunes library
- Karaoke recording feature
- Retro tape rewind and fast forward
- Animated tape reel simulation
- iTunes File Sharing for backup
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“tapeRecorder" turns your device into an "OLD STYLE" tape recorder / music player. Useful for: - Record interviews, lectures at the university, audio notes, live music performances - Play music stored in your iTunes music library The software allows: - To make an infinite number of recordings, each with an endless recording time (professional type - using the device's microphone) - Saves an infinite number of recordings (subject to availability of physical memory on the device) - Automatically assigns the current date and time for the title of the recorded audio file (automatic historical archive recording) - At any time you can load and listen the Your personal recordings - Using the technology "iTunes File Sharing" all the recordings can be transferred from device to PC or MAC (RECORDING BACKUP) - Using the technology "iTunes File Sharing" all the recordings can be transferred from the MAC / PC to the device - Allows to load songs directly from the music library of the device, for listening (MUSIC PLAYER feature for iTunes music library) - Parallel listening and recording 1) Import music from your iTunes library 2) Press REC 3) Press PLAY 4) Sing over the music playing RESULTS: music + voice will be recorded on a new audio file (KARAOKE RECORDING feature) and stored in the archive of tapeRecorder (These steps can be repeated several times to create such choirs or double voices) - FF and REW tape, slow and fast (pressing FF and REW buttons the tape is rewinded or fast forwarded like in the old cassette recorder) - Animation for tape reel (simulates the old cassette player for REC, PLAY, FF, fast FF, REW, fast REW) - Volume control - Slider control to modify the song playback position (like in the default device player) - Controls, status display, playback time, level meter (for PLAY and REC), audio clipping leds (for PLAY and REC) - “OLD STYLE" tape recorder design
FMStation
Listen to live radio stations globally with the ability to pause and rewind up to 30 minutes. It automatically switches to alternative streams if a station falters and provides a history of played songs. The app offers a sleep timer and wake-up alarm functionality.
- Pause and rewind live radio
- Automatic station stream switching
- Search by name, genre, country, or mood
- Save favorite stations
- View played songs history
- Sleep timer and wake-up alarm
- Home Screen and voice control widgets
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Listen to live radio stations from your own country and around the world, and pause or rewind up to 30 minutes. RadioStation starts your station straight away and does not go quiet without telling you why. Free, with no ads from us and no account. PAUSE AND REWIND LIVE RADIO Someone at the door, a phone call, missed the start of that song? Pause the radio and carry on where you were. Rewind up to 30 minutes, 15 seconds per tap or with the slider. One tap takes you back to live. NEVER SILENT WITHOUT A REASON If a station stutters, RadioStation first tries another connection by itself. If it really has gone quiet, you see that at once, with a similar station that is playing fine. After a phone call your radio simply carries on. TURN THE DIAL Your favorites sit on a station dial, like on an old radio. Swipe along the dial and the next station plays right away. Save a favorite with one tap on the star; your favorites live in your own iCloud. FIND WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR Search by name, genre, country or language. Or just type what you are in the mood for, like "calm jazz for a rainy evening". Living in the Netherlands or Flanders? Pick your province once and your regional station is always close by. EVERY COUNTRY, EVERY STATION Pick a country and see all its stations from A to Z, with a letter bar to jump around. Sort by popularity or filter by genre. Stations that are not working right now, RadioStation leaves out. SEE WHAT JUST PLAYED RadioStation keeps a list of the songs that came by, with the station and the time. If a station does not say what it plays, RadioStation often recognizes the song itself. Like a song? Save it with the heart or open it in your music app. SLEEP AND WAKE UP The sleep timer fades the radio out slowly and stops it by itself, after 15 to 90 minutes. On iOS 26, RadioStation can also wake you with your favorite station: your alarm sounds with a soft tuning-in chime, and one tap on Radio on plays your station. ON YOUR HOME SCREEN AND BY VOICE Widgets for your Home Screen, Lock Screen and StandBy, a button in Control Center and the Action button. Tell Siri which station you want to hear, or say "Save this song". ALSO ON IPAD AND MAC On iPad you get a sidebar with your favorites and the player beside it, with keys for play and back to live. On the Mac, RadioStation sits in your menu bar, with a floating player you park in a corner. Playing on your iPhone? Your Mac shows it, and one click carries on there. One app, free on all your devices. ALSO ON APPLE WATCH Turn the Digital Crown and you tune in, station by station, like on a real radio. Listen on your watch with your headphones, or use your watch as a remote for the radio on your iPhone. With 30 seconds back, a sleep timer, your favorites from your iPhone and complications for your watch face. SOUND THE WAY YOU LIKE IT Clearer voices for news and talk, a night mode with softer peaks, and every station about as loud as the last one. Play through AirPlay too. WHY IT COSTS NOTHING RadioStation is made by A Brand New Company. We add no ads, there is nothing to unlock and you need no account. We collect nothing about you. GOOD TO KNOW • You listen to the broadcasts that stations put online themselves. Ads that a station airs itself, you still hear. • You need an internet connection. • For iPhone and iPad with iOS 18 or later and Mac with macOS 15 or later, Apple Watch with watchOS 11 or later. Waking up to radio needs iOS 26.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: FMStation at Free against tapeRecorder's $0.99. FMStation also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and device support (4 vs 2). tapeRecorder's advantage is review sentiment (29% vs 0%) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 18.0). On ads and in-app purchases 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
FMStation is free to download; tapeRecorder costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
tapeRecorder ships an update every 8 months, FMStation monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | tapeRecorder | FMStation |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.3 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.1 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Gianluca Natalini | BartMolk |
Customer experience
tapeRecorder
FMStation
In-app purchases
tapeRecorder
No in-app purchases
FMStation
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is tapeRecorder free?
Is FMStation free?
Do tapeRecorder or FMStation have ads?
Which is updated more often, tapeRecorder or FMStation?
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