# Play Dead vs SetMate

The clearest difference is rating: SetMate at 5.0 against Play Dead's 4.3. SetMate also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 weeks). Play Dead's advantage is ratings volume (93 vs 3) and chart position (#106 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Play Dead sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and SetMate sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SetMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Play Dead has 93 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Play Dead's written reviews are positive against 100% of SetMate's.

Play Dead ships an update every 4 weeks, SetMate every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Play Dead | SetMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-dead-grateful-dead-app/id6747825801/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/setmate-gig-sheets/id6770743582/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **93** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#106** | — |
| Size | 88 MB | 67 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [nugs.net enterprises, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/327248667) | [Noah Davison](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864615823) |

## What reviewers say

### Play Dead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-dead-grateful-dead-app/id6747825801)

**Currently charting:** #106 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Access a vast library of officially remastered live Grateful Dead concert recordings. Discover previously unreleased shows every week, including rare CD-only releases now available in high-resolution audio. Listen across your devices with seamless playback.

**Highlights:** Official Grateful Dead live recordings, Hi-res remastered audio, Exclusive 'Dead Drops' weekly, CD-only releases now streaming, Vault organized by year, Cross-device listening, Apple CarPlay support

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $99.99 | per year |


### SetMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/setmate-gig-sheets/id6770743582)

Organize your music library, practice effectively, and perform with confidence using this comprehensive toolkit for musicians. Import or create chord charts, customize song layouts with various widgets, and utilize practice modes for scales, chords, and more. Seamlessly build setlists and perform on stage with a dedicated full-screen view and hands-free scrolling.

**Highlights:** Import and create chord/lyric charts, Customizable song layout with widgets, Practice mode for scales, chords, and tabs, Setlist builder and full-screen performance view, Hands-free auto-scroll for lyrics, Nashville Number System toolkit, Guitar tab editor

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SetMate: Gig Sheets Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| SetMate: Gig Sheets Pro Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| SetMate Pro — Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Play Dead free?

Play Dead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SetMate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Play Dead or SetMate?

SetMate is rated higher. Play Dead averages 4.3 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while SetMate averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Play Dead or SetMate have ads?

Neither Play Dead nor SetMate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Play Dead or SetMate?

Play Dead ships an update every 4 weeks, and SetMate every 2 weeks. Most recently, Play Dead was updated on October 28, 2026 and SetMate on October 20, 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.*