Comparison

Tiny Instrument vs Starflight DJ

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

Head to head
About

Tiny Instrument

This app simplifies playing, recording, and exploring MIDI keyboards with real-time visual feedback. It allows users to record performances, import MIDI files, and customize instruments and playback settings.

Highlights
  • Plug & Play MIDI keyboard connection
  • Real-time note visualization on staff
  • Record and save MIDI performances
  • Import and play MIDI files
  • Customizable instruments with SF2 support
  • Flexible playback and display settings
Features
Read full description

Learn music by playing it. Tiny Instrument is a keyboard-first way to learn music theory, train your ear, and practice scales, chords, and songs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Instead of treating theory like a textbook, it turns learning into something hands-on: play notes on the keyboard, hear how they sound, build chords and scales, train your ear, and explore ideas as you go. Start with the basics of notes, rhythm, intervals, scales, and chords. Then grow into keys, harmony, progressions, modes, and composition. Tiny Instrument keeps the experience light and musical with guided lessons, playful warm-ups, open-ended exploration, ear training, and beginner-friendly practice tools. Why Tiny Instrument feels different: - Learn theory through the keyboard, not away from it - Reinforce concepts with ear training and practice in the same app - Explore musical ideas through playful exercises and warm-ups - Sketch chord progressions and first song ideas in Compose - Use Aria, an optional learning companion, on supported Apple Intelligence devices - Keep learning across iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Connect a MIDI keyboard for a more instrument-like experience Tiny Instrument includes: - Guided music theory lessons - Ear training levels - Play & Explore exercises - Practice for scales, chords, songs, and MIDI - Beginner-friendly composition tools - Focus sessions for intentional practice - Music Library concept browsing - Spotlight search and other Apple-platform integrations The app is free to download and includes a genuine free tier you can keep using: Intro lessons, Keyboard basics, the Scales chapter, starter ear training in every stage, the first Play & Explore group, core practice tools, and Aria on supported Apple Intelligence devices. When you want more, additional chapters and tools are unlocked with one-time purchases. That includes deeper theory chapters, expanded practice and ear training, extra Play & Explore groups, and the Composition path. No subscription required. Whether you are starting from your very first keypress or filling in theory gaps as a self-taught player, Tiny Instrument is designed to make learning music feel more playful, connected, and alive. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Starflight DJ

Features
Read full description

Starflight DJ is a music player that keeps the songs of the idol unit "Starflight Girls" flowing non-stop, mixed like a club set by an automatic DJ. Watch a character VJ lip-sync along while the music never breaks. A simple player for listening to albums in order is included too. - PLAYER: albums in order In the Player tab of the Auto DJ screen, pick an album by its cover and it plays from track 1, every song in full. Songs are not overlapped: the next one starts from the top when the previous one ends. - Play an album in order or shuffle it - Play Next and Add to Queue let you slip in any song later - Reorder or remove songs in the queue - When the queue runs out, choose whether to continue with random songs or stop - Switch to the DJ tab while a song is playing and it keeps playing; the next song is mixed the DJ way - AUTO DJ: the music never stops Every bundled track is pre-analysed for BPM, beat phase and song structure (intro / chorus / outro). Auto DJ judges how well two songs fit together, matches their tempo and crossfades at the best mix point. It is a different feeling from a plain playlist: the lift of a real DJ mix just keeps going. - Pick the songs for DECK A and DECK B yourself (cover, then album, then song), or leave every choice to Auto DJ - GOOD / BAD feedback on each transition tunes the selection towards your taste - Chorus medley mode strings together just the hooks, one song after another - CHARACTER VJ: they move and sing A VJ visual follows the track that is playing, with the members of Starflight Girls lip-syncing the vocals. Beat-synced effects add to the live feel, and karaoke-style lyric captions are included. - Luna Kurohana, Ray Shitou, Layra Aone and Sophia Tsukishiro appear in DJ outfits made for this app - TIMELINE DESIGNER: your own setlist "Start chilled, build towards the end." Draw the energy curve and a setlist is generated for you. Review and edit the running order and mix points on the timeline to design the perfect one-hour mix. - DJ LIVE: ride the beat Tap in time with the track that is playing and push the members' energy higher in a time attack. A gold band and a shrinking ring show exactly when a tap counts as PERFECT, and a miss tells you how many milliseconds early or late you were. Your best score is saved. - SLEEP TIMER: fall asleep to the music Available in both the Player and DJ tabs. When time is up the music fades out and stops, and a member in pajamas says goodnight, lips moving as she speaks. - ASMR: drift off to their voices Each of the four members whispers you to sleep for over 10 minutes, with captions of what they are saying, the time remaining, and a goodnight at the end. - WHAT IS INCLUDED - All 30 original Starflight Girls tracks (albums 16th to 18th) - Expand the library with add-on album packs downloaded inside the app (1st to 15th and 19th to 21st Flight and more, 207 tracks in total) - A News section in the Manage tab for announcements such as new albums - Four bedtime ASMR tracks (over 10 minutes each) and 20 goodnight voice lines - GOOD FOR - Anyone who does not want their background music to stop - Fans of DJ mixes and club music - Anyone who wants to keep their favourite character's MV running - Anyone who wants to fall asleep to their favourite member's voice - Anyone who finds playlist shuffle a little flat Playback of the bundled tracks is fully offline. Enjoy non-stop music on your commute or on a plane.

Screenshots

Tiny Instrument4 screens
Starflight DJ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Starflight DJ at none against Tiny Instrument's 10. Tiny Instrument's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 days) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads and iOS requirement 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. Tiny Instrument sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Starflight DJ asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tiny Instrument ships an update every 3 days, Starflight DJ every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Tiny Instrument versus Starflight DJ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTiny InstrumentStarflight DJ
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.417.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size299 MB253 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCodeloopSatoshi Kobayashi

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Tiny Instrument

One-time10
  • Small Donation$0.99
  • Keyboard Themes$1.99
  • Core Theory$2.99
Show 7 more
  • Chord Lab$2.99
  • Medium Donation$2.99
  • Composition Studio$4.99
  • Advanced Theory$4.99
  • Practice Studio$4.99
  • Large Donation$4.99
  • Full Library$14.99
None

Starflight DJ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tiny Instrument free?
Tiny Instrument is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Starflight DJ free?
Starflight DJ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tiny Instrument or Starflight DJ have ads?
Neither Tiny Instrument nor Starflight DJ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tiny Instrument or Starflight DJ?
Tiny Instrument ships an update every 3 days, and Starflight DJ every 6 days. Most recently, Tiny Instrument was updated on October 28, 2026 and Starflight DJ on October 28, 2026.

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