# Tape vs DC View

The clearest difference is price: DC View at Free against Tape's $1.99. DC View also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 7 months). Tape's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). On in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

DC View is free to download; Tape costs $1.99 up front. Tape sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and DC View sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tape ships an update every 7 months, DC View every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tape | DC View |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.5 (259 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tape/id537766208/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **259** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 25 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexander Rutkowskij](https://appshunter.io/developer/518370415) | [Shota Yamamoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870159013) |

## What reviewers say

### Tape

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tape/id537766208)

Relive the 80s with a virtual cassette player that emulates the feel of old-school music playback. Enjoy your iPhone music library with animated cassettes and intuitive touch controls. Choose from a variety of cassette designs for a nostalgic experience.

**Highlights:** Cassette player emulator, Plays music from Apple Music App, Animated cassette display, Large selection of cassette designs, Intuitive touch controls (play, pause, swipe), Pinch to zoom for original cassette size

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New Cassette Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cassette collection 2 | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Authentic nostalgic cassette player design
- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 🎵 Realistic animations with moving reels and playheads
- 💰 Free app with extensive cassette designs included
- 🎮 Interactive controls with swipe gestures

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
- 🐛 App doesn't close properly with swipe gesture
- 🐛 Tape head animation reversed (plays down, pauses up)
- ❌ Limited to Apple Music only
- ❌ No local file playback support

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when using menus
- Freezes on iPhone iOS 14.4.2 and later
- Swipe-to-close doesn't stop playback
- Playhead and capstan roller animation reversed
- App closes unexpectedly for no reason

**Requested features**

- Save and switch between custom mixed tapes
- Playlist duration limits based on cassette type
- Clicking sounds for play/stop button presses
- Support for local MP3 and M4A files
- Screen sleep toggle while music plays


### DC View

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dc-view/id6759240136)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly plan | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tape free?

Tape costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is DC View free?

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

### Do Tape or DC View have ads?

DC View shows ads; Tape does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tape or DC View?

Tape ships an update every 7 months, and DC View every 4 days. Most recently, Tape was updated on October 15, 2026 and DC View on October 7, 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.*