Comparison

Tapes vs Variables

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

Head to head
About

Tapes

Features
Read full description

YOUR MUSIC BELONGS TO YOU, NOT A SERVER. Tapes is the professional audio workspace built for the era of leaks and subscription fatigue. We believe you shouldn’t have to pay monthly rent just to organize your own files on your own device. Designed for producers, songwriters, hobbyists, and audio engineers, Tapes is a completely offline, privacy-first vault for your unreleased music. - No Uploads - No Buffering - No Cloud Storage Limits --- THE "LOCAL-FIRST" ADVANTAGE Most audio apps force you to upload gigabytes of data to their cloud, charging you for storage you already have on your phone. Tapes works differently. We unlock the power of your device’s local storage. - Zero Latency: Files open instantly. No "Downloading..." spinners. - Total Privacy: Your unreleased beats never leave your device. - Works Offline: Perfect for flights, subways, and studios with no reception. --- ON-DEVICE AI STEM SPLITTER Need to check a mix or write a verse over an instrumental? - Isolate Stems: Instantly separate Vocals, Drums, Bass, and Other instruments. - No Data Usage: Our AI runs on your phone’s Neural Engine, not a server. - Leak-Proof: Since you never upload the file, your stems remain 100% secure. --- PROFESSIONAL FILE MANAGEMENT Stop scrolling through a messy "Files" app or a chaotic Camera Roll. - Unlimited Tapes: Create as many project folders as you need. No arbitrary "5 project limit." - Format Freedom: Full support for WAV, MP3, AIFF, M4A, FLAC, and ZIP. - Drag & Drop: Import beats directly from iMessage, WhatsApp, or AirDrop. - Smart Search: Find any demo instantly by sound, melody, or key. --- BUILT FOR WORKFLOW - Visual Waveforms: See the music. Scrub with precision. - Loop Mode: Write verses on repeat without resetting the track. - Audio Denoiser: Clean up rough voice memos with one tap using local DSP. - Zip Export: Send a full project (beats + stems) to a collaborator in a single secure package. --- WHY WE BUILT TAPES The music industry runs on "Work in Progress," but the tools we use either feel like toys or charge us like enterprise software. Tapes is the middle ground: a utility knife for audio that respects your wallet and your data. Whether you have 10 demos or 10,000 archived sessions, Tapes handles it all without slowing down. Download Tapes today and own your workspace. --- Legal: Tapes processes audio locally. Performance depends on device capabilities. Always back up your data. Terms of Use: https://gettapes.netlify.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://gettapes.netlify.app/privacy

About

Variables

Features
Read full description

Variables is a simple way to track anything and actually understand it. Most habit trackers ask "did you succeed?" This one just asks "what happened?" Log whatever matters to you—sleep, mood, coffee, pages read, workouts, anything—and look for patterns later. How it works Create variables with flexible data types: numbers, durations, categories, yes/no, or freeform notes. Log values whenever you remember. No streaks to break, no guilt when you miss a day. A low number is just data, not a failure. Over time, you build up a picture of what your life actually looks like. Then you can start asking questions. Voice logging Tap the microphone and say something like "slept 7 hours, mood good, read 30 pages." The app parses it automatically and logs each value to the right variable. No typing required. Ask questions in plain English "Do I sleep better when I exercise?" "What's my average mood on Mondays?" "How much coffee did I drink last week?" The app translates your question into a database query and gives you the answer. Features - Flexible variable types: numbers, durations, enums, booleans, text - Voice input with automatic parsing - Natural language queries (or write SQL directly if you prefer) - Goal tracking with weekly targets - Analytics dashboard with trends and streaks - Calendar view of your logged data - Dark mode - API access for custom integrations - Self-hostable if you want full control of your data

Screenshots

Tapes4 screens
Variables4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Variables at none against Tapes's 2. On price, update cadence, 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. Tapes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Variables asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tapes ships an update every 2 months, Variables every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Tapes versus Variables: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTapesVariables
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size99 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJeffrey AsanteJohannes Klumpe

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Tapes

Subscriptions2
  • Tapes Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Tapes Pro Monthly7 Days trial$44.991 Year
None

Variables

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tapes free?
Tapes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Variables free?
Variables is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tapes or Variables have ads?
Neither Tapes nor Variables shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tapes or Variables?
Tapes ships an update every 2 months, and Variables every 3 months. Most recently, Tapes was updated on October 24, 2026 and Variables on October 25, 2026.

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