Start Playing vs Key Lens
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Select multiple playlists
- Intelligent shuffling
- Original playlist order playback
- Avoid back-to-back artists
- Clean and intentional playback
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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.
Key Lens
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Compose your next song! Sequence chords, melody and bass MIDI tracks. Connects to the rest of your setup. Play hardware synths or instruments in your DAW. Use Key Lens as a MIDI controller over USB or Bluetooth. Build better chord progressions. Find your starting point with common chord progressions from multiple genres. Give your chords movement. Use arpeggios and strum to shape how your chords play. Learn to play your chords on piano. Follow along on piano with easy-to-read charts.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Key Lens at 16.4 against Start Playing's 18.6. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Start Playing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Key Lens sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Start Playing | Key Lens |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | — | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 16.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Brian Simmons | Alex Amayo |
In-app purchases
Start Playing
- Unlimited Play$2.99
Key Lens
- Midi Output$9.99
