Comparison

MusicSearch vs Start Playing

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

Head to head
About

MusicSearch

Access a vast music database to find information about artists and songs. Cache data for offline use, filter content, and contribute to the database. Customize the app's appearance and track your listening history.

Highlights
  • Search MusicBrainz database
  • Offline-first data caching
  • Instant content filtering
  • View visit history
  • Save to collections
  • Contribute to MusicBrainz
  • Customizable appearance
Features
Read full description

Features: - Search MusicBrainz's massive database for any information related to your favorite artist or song - Offline-first; all data is cached on device after loading each page/tab - Almost every tab allows you to filter its content instantaneously - Aliases will be used when filtering to help find things in other languages - See every page you've visited in the history screen, and quickly get back to them - Save anything to a collection - Login using your MusicBrainz account to add to your existing collections - Scrobbling to ListenBrainz? Enter your username to explore your listens - Customize the app's appearance with: Light/Dark theme, Material theme based on your wallpaper, or pick a custom color - Is an artist's discography incomplete? Aliases missing? Other data missing? Contribute it to MusicBrainz: https://musicbrainz.org See all features here: https://lydavid.github.io/MusicSearch/docs/all_features.html This is a music database/discovery app, not a music player. There are external links to various streaming platforms which will open the album/song in their app if it's installed. The source code for this project can be found at: https://github.com/lydavid/MusicSearch

About

Start Playing

Streamline your music listening by selecting multiple playlists to play seamlessly. Enjoy intelligent shuffling, original playlist order playback, or artist-avoidance for a smoother audio experience.

Highlights
  • Select multiple playlists
  • Intelligent shuffling
  • Original playlist order playback
  • Avoid back-to-back artists
  • Clean and intentional playback
Read full description

Apple Music is an incredible app - lyrics, discovery, radio, playlists, and more. But when all you want to do is pick a few playlists and press play, things can feel more complicated than they need to be. Start Playing focuses on that one simple idea. Select multiple playlists, then just play them: cleanly and intentionally. Shuffle intelligently, play songs in their original playlist order, or avoid back-to-back artists when possible for a smoother flow. Whether you’re heading to the gym, getting in the car, or letting music run in the background, Start Playing stays out of the way and lets your music take center stage.

Screenshots

MusicSearch4 screens
Start Playing3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Start Playing at 100% against MusicSearch's 0%. Start Playing also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.0). MusicSearch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. Start Playing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MusicSearch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Start Playing holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of MusicSearch's written reviews are positive against 100% of Start Playing's.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MusicSearch versus Start Playing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMusicSearchStart Playing
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.4 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid LyBrian Simmons

Customer experience

MusicSearch

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Start Playing

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MusicSearch

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Start Playing

One-time1
  • Unlimited Play$2.99

Questions

Is MusicSearch free?
MusicSearch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Start Playing free?
Start Playing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MusicSearch or Start Playing?
Start Playing is rated higher. MusicSearch averages 3.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Start Playing averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do MusicSearch or Start Playing have ads?
Neither MusicSearch nor Start Playing shows ads.

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