# RunningBeat vs NowPlay Studio

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: RunningBeat at none against NowPlay Studio's 3. NowPlay Studio's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NowPlay Studio sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. RunningBeat asks for nothing beyond the download.

RunningBeat ships an update every 3 months, NowPlay Studio every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RunningBeat | NowPlay Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nowplay-studio/id6755917734/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daebyeog Noh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1647599910) | [MAROSCH UG (haftungsbeschränkt)](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857272062) |

## What reviewers say

### RunningBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runningbeat/id6717586780)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### NowPlay Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nowplay-studio/id6755917734)

Control your music playback with convenient widgets without needing to open the main application. Display album art, track title, and artist with customizable widget sizes. Enjoy reliable playback controls like play/pause and track skipping.

**Highlights:** Fast playback controls, Now Playing widget, Artwork-driven design, Apple Music support, Three widget sizes, Play/pause and skip tracks

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Background Styles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Widget Controls | $1.99 | one-time |
| Quick Play Widget | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RunningBeat free?

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

### Is NowPlay Studio free?

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

### Do RunningBeat or NowPlay Studio have ads?

Neither RunningBeat nor NowPlay Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RunningBeat or NowPlay Studio?

RunningBeat ships an update every 3 months, and NowPlay Studio every 10 days. Most recently, RunningBeat was updated on October 5, 2026 and NowPlay Studio on October 16, 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.*