Comparison

Tapes vs Tap Pointer

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

Head to head
About

Tapes

This app converts spoken audio into text, offering transcription and translation directly on your device. It allows for editing, summarization, and export in various formats, ensuring all data remains private.

Highlights
  • Offline transcription in 29 languages
  • On-device translation in 19 languages
  • AI-powered summaries and titles
  • Apple Watch recording
  • Widget and Siri integration
  • Audio import and export (.txt, .md, .srt)
  • Organized recordings with search
Features
Read full description

Record a meeting and read it as text when it is over. Transcription and translation both run on your phone. Nothing is uploaded. You can record an interview on a plane and finish reading it before you land. โ–  Transcription โ€” 29 languages Each exchange shows its time. Tap a line to play from that point. You can edit any line that was transcribed incorrectly. โ–  Translation โ€” 19 languages Read the translation alongside the original text. Translation runs on the device as well. โ–  Summaries and titles An hour-long meeting can be summarized into a few lines. Titles are generated from the content. (Requires a device that supports Apple Intelligence) โ–  Apple Watch You can record on the watch alone, without your iPhone nearby. โ–  Without opening the app Start from the widget, Control Center, or Siri. Recording shows on the Lock Screen and continues with the screen off, even through a phone call. โ–  Import You can bring in audio from other apps and turn it into text. โ–  Organize Deleted recordings stay in the trash for 30 days. Favorites, date sections, and search are available, and search covers what was said. โ–  Export Export as .txt, .md, or subtitles (.srt), with translations included. You can back up to iCloud. โ–  Not a subscription Recording, playback, search, and sharing are free. Transcription, translation, and summaries are a single purchase you keep. โ–  No server No analytics, no ads. Not even the developer can see what you recorded.

About

Tap Pointer

Features
Read full description

Tap Pointer helps you turn recorded app demos into clearer tutorial and support videos. Import a video from Photos or Files, then add visible tap effects and rectangular area highlights exactly where viewers should look. Adjust timing on the timeline, preview the result, and optionally record a voiceover before exporting a high-quality MP4. Tap Pointer is designed for product demos, app walkthroughs, bug reports, training clips, and support videos. It works with already-recorded videos and does not record your screen or capture touches from other apps. Editing and preview are free. High-quality MP4 export is available with a one-time Export Unlock purchase.

Screenshots

Tapes4 screens
Tap Pointer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Tap Pointer at 17.0 against Tapes's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Tapes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Tap Pointer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tapes ships an update every 3 weeks, Tap Pointer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 7 level
Tapes versus Tap Pointer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTapesTap Pointer
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks โ€” betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesโ€”
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size6 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperByungil ParkICHITAP

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tapes

One-time1
  • Voice to Text$2.99
1 purchases

Tap Pointer

One-time1
  • Export Unlock$3.99

Questions

Is Tapes free?
Tapes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tap Pointer free?
Tap Pointer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tapes or Tap Pointer have ads?
Neither Tapes nor Tap Pointer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tapes or Tap Pointer?
Tapes ships an update every 3 weeks, and Tap Pointer monthly. Most recently, Tapes was updated on October 22, 2026 and Tap Pointer on October 25, 2026.

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