Comparison

JBL OnBeat vs Retro Ringtone Composer

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

Head to head

JBL OnBeat

Free

🎵 Music

★ 2.853 ratingsView app →

Retro Ringtone Composer

Ringtone Creator

Free

🎵 Music

No ratingsView app →

About

JBL OnBeat

This application allows users to browse and play music directly from their iPod, iPad, or iPhone. It also includes a convenient alarm clock feature for added functionality.

Highlights

Browse and play music
Music from iPod, iPad, iPhone
Alarm clock functionality

Features

Read full description

JBL OnBeat App can browse and play music from your iPod, iPad or iPhone, and offers alarm clock functionality.

About

Retro Ringtone Composer

Features

Read full description

Bring back the magic of classic mobile phones and create your own retro ringtones. Retro Ringtone Composer lets you design nostalgic 8-bit melodies inspired by iconic tones from the past. Build loops, experiment with sounds, and turn your ideas into unique ringtones in seconds. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

JBL OnBeat4 screens

Retro Ringtone Composer2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: JBL OnBeat at none against Retro Ringtone Composer's 1. JBL OnBeat also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (3.0 vs 16.0). Retro Ringtone Composer's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price 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

Both are free to download. Retro Ringtone Composer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per year. JBL OnBeat asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

JBL OnBeat ships an update every 3 months, Retro Ringtone Composer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level

JBL OnBeat versus Retro Ringtone Composer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter	JBL OnBeat	Retro Ringtone Composer
Price	Free	Free
Rating	2.8 (53 ratings) — better	—
Positive reviews	20.8% of reviews	—
Number of ratings	53 — better	—
Update frequency	Every 3 months	Monthly — better
Ads	No — better	Yes
In-app purchases	No — better	Yes
Monetization	Free	—
Devices	iPhone, iPad, iPod — better	iPhone, iPad
Requires iOS	3.0 — better	16.0
Further details — not scored
Size	28 MB	29 MB
Age rating	4+	4+
Developer	Harman International Industries	Kevser Erdem Alacan

Bugs and requests

JBL OnBeat

Reported bugs

20 issues

App crashes on iPhone 5 iOS 6.1.4
Wi-Fi connection constantly crashes
App doesn't wake device from standby
Alarm doesn't sound when device is in standby
EQ settings disappeared

Show 15 more

Cannot select Wi-Fi network in setup
App freezes when trying to secure settings
App doesn't work with iPad (2nd gen) iOS 6
Charging not working on iOS 6.0.1
App crashes on startup after firmware update attempt
Cannot connect to Wi-Fi after changing network
App is not compatible with iOS 11
App is still 32-bit, not compatible with iOS 11
Device goes to sleep and doesn't wake up for alarm
Speaker sleep mode overrides device sound
App doesn't wake speakers from sleep mode
App doesn't allow selection of music for alarm
App overrides iOS autolock settings
App doesn't wake dock from standby
App doesn't wake speakers with alarm

Requested features

11 requests

Update app for latest iOS versions
Add firmware update functionality
Improve UI/UX
Add sleep and alarm functions
Enable manual SSID entry for Wi-Fi

Show 6 more

Fix alarm clock functionality to wake device
Add EQ settings
Support for newer iPhone models
Improve AirPlay connection speed
Add podcast support
Allow selection of music for alarm

Retro Ringtone Composer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

JBL OnBeat

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Retro Ringtone Composer

Subscriptions1

Annual$2.991 Year

Questions

Is JBL OnBeat free?

JBL OnBeat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

Is Retro Ringtone Composer free?

Retro Ringtone Composer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

Do JBL OnBeat or Retro Ringtone Composer have ads?

Retro Ringtone Composer shows ads; JBL OnBeat does not.

Which is updated more often, JBL OnBeat or Retro Ringtone Composer?

JBL OnBeat ships an update every 3 months, and Retro Ringtone Composer monthly. Most recently, JBL OnBeat was updated on October 20, 2026 and Retro Ringtone Composer on October 16, 2026.