# The Strad vs PartPlay

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PartPlay at 86% against The Strad's 52%. PartPlay also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). The Strad's advantage is ratings volume (38 vs 5) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Strad sells 24 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 3 months and PartPlay sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PartPlay holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Strad has 38 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of The Strad's written reviews are positive against 86% of PartPlay's.

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, PartPlay every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Strad | PartPlay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633/reviews) | **[4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/partplay/id1454415393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Newsquest Specialist Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/511856637) | [PartPlay](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454415392) |

## What reviewers say

### The Strad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-strad/id511856633)

Access the world's leading string music magazine, featuring interviews, in-depth articles on instruments, and masterclass sheet music. Explore the latest news, commentary, and analysis for makers, musicians, and teachers.

**Highlights:** Interviews with star string players, In-depth articles on instruments, Masterclass sheet music section, News, comment, and analysis, Exclusive videos and audio clips, Interactive links

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Strad | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| The Strad | $59.99 | per year |
| June 2012 (id:736861) | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2012 (id:736003) | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 2013 and De... (id:738002) | $4.99 | one-time |
| February 2014 (id:738506) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2013 (id:736381) | $4.99 | one-time |
| November 2013 (id:735750) | $4.99 | one-time |
| March 2016 (id:738737) | $4.99 | one-time |
| May 2020 And De... (id:771419) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2017 (id:757689) | $4.99 | one-time |
| December 2024 (pp:1024896) | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2019 an... (id:762634) | $4.99 | one-time |
| April 2016 (id:745918) | $4.99 | one-time |
| July 2017 (id:757679) | $4.99 | one-time |
| November 2017 (id:757687) | $4.99 | one-time |
| February 2019 (id:766008) | $4.99 | one-time |
| September 2020 (id:771411) | $4.99 | one-time |
| October 2018 (id:762640) | $4.99 | one-time |
| July 2024 (pp:1024926) | $4.99 | one-time |
| January 2025 a... (pp:1110854) | $5.99 | one-time |
| The Strad Magazine 2 back issue bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Great Instruments (id:810171) | $14.99 | one-time |
| The Strad | $179.99 | one-time |


### PartPlay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/partplay/id1454415393)

This app provides classical musicians with a unique practice experience. Play along with professional ensembles, study musical interpretation, and access high-quality recordings and sheet music. It's designed to enhance musicianship and make practicing chamber music more accessible and enjoyable.

**Highlights:** Play along with professional musicians, Mute, solo, or loop instrument combinations, Record yourself with professionals, Slow down and loop difficult passages, Download free sheet music, Build a personal library of favorites, Watch player interviews and close-ups

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PartPlay Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| PartPlay Clarinet Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $15.49 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Strad free?

The Strad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PartPlay free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Strad or PartPlay?

PartPlay is rated higher. The Strad averages 4.3 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while PartPlay averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do The Strad or PartPlay have ads?

Neither The Strad nor PartPlay shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Strad or PartPlay?

The Strad ships an update every 7 months, and PartPlay every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Strad was updated on October 29, 2026 and PartPlay on October 24, 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.*