Comparison

ArchersPlayer vs tapeworm

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

Head to head
About

ArchersPlayer

This audio player functions as a plugin within other music production apps. It allows users to create playlists from files or folders, with options for shuffling, reordering, and adding delays between tracks. Advanced features include MIDI control, pitch and speed warping, and custom start/end times for audio regions.

Highlights
  • AUv3 Generator plugin
  • Load audio files individually or by folder
  • Sequential playback with shuffle and skip
  • Configurable random delay between tracks
  • MIDI control for playback and tracks
  • Real-time pitch and speed warping
  • Save/Load multiple playlists
Features
Read full description

ArchersPlayer is a lightweight audio file player built as an AUv3 Generator plugin. Load it into your favorite AUv3 host — like AUM, ApeMatrix, or Audiobus — and use it as a sound source alongside your other instruments and effects. Build a playlist from individual files or entire folders. Tracks play sequentially from top to bottom, and you can reorder them with a long-press drag, shuffle the list, or tap any track to jump straight to it. A seekable playback slider lets you scrub to any point in the current track. Need a pause between tracks? Enable the configurable track delay to insert a random gap (2–10 seconds) before the next track starts. Great for DJ/radio, live performance, rehearsal playback, or backing tracks that need breathing room. FEATURES • AUv3 Generator plugin — works inside any compatible host app • Load audio files individually or by folder • Supports MP3, WAV, AIFF, M4A, CAF, FLAC, and AAC • Sequential playback with shuffle, skip, and previous controls • Tap any track to play it immediately • Drag to reorder your playlist • Swipe left to delete individual tracks • Swipe right to lock a track's position in place (won't be affected by shuffle) • Seekable playback slider with elapsed and total time display • Configurable random delay between tracks (2–10 seconds) • Automatic sample rate conversion to match the host • Security-scoped bookmarks for persistent file access • Save/Load multiple playlists • Trigger playback controls, tracks, and playlist w/ MIDI • Set custom start/end times per Track to only play a region of the audio file • Warp playback pitch and speed in real time, or lock the control to only do one or the other • Designed for iPhone and iPad

About

tapeworm

This music app offers a unique tape delay effect with a "wiggly, dirty" sound. Control delay time by stretching or flicking a virtual tapeworm, with options for manual or random adjustments. It includes analog-modeled saturation, compression, and amplifier stages for a rich audio experience.

Highlights
  • Interactive tape delay time control
  • Manual and free modes for delay
  • Analog-modeled tape saturation and compression
  • Overdrivable feedback
  • AUv3 plugin compatibility
  • Performative sound design elements
Features
Read full description

Tapeworm is a tape echo with a unique method of changing the delay time, and a wiggly, dirty sound. You can set the delay time manually by stretching the worm. The record button will flash to show the current interval. You can exit the fixed time mode and enter free mode by toggling. This lets the delay time change randomly, which you can encourage by flicking the tapeworm around. Double tap to reset, adding a fun performative element to your sound. Feedback can be overdriven. An analog-modeled tape saturation and compression, and amplifier and limiter stage, keep it sounding juicy when it gets loud. Tapeworm is audio unit (AUv3) compatible, meaning you can use it as a plugin in your app of choice like AUM, GarageBand or Logic. We hope you enjoy using tapeworm for music, or just for fun.

Screenshots

ArchersPlayer2 screens
tapeworm3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ArchersPlayer at 5.0 against tapeworm's 4.3. tapeworm's advantage is ratings volume (12 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ArchersPlayer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: tapeworm has 12 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ArchersPlayer ships an update weekly, tapeworm every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
ArchersPlayer versus tapeworm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArchersPlayertapeworm
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.3 (12 ratings)
Positive reviews—71.4% of reviews
Number of ratings112 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicholas McLarenRadii Research

Customer experience

ArchersPlayer

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

tapeworm

All ratings12 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

In-app purchases

None

ArchersPlayer

No in-app purchases

None

tapeworm

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ArchersPlayer free?
ArchersPlayer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is tapeworm free?
tapeworm is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ArchersPlayer or tapeworm?
ArchersPlayer is rated higher. ArchersPlayer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while tapeworm averages 4.3 from 12 ratings.
Do ArchersPlayer or tapeworm have ads?
Neither ArchersPlayer nor tapeworm shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ArchersPlayer or tapeworm?
ArchersPlayer ships an update weekly, and tapeworm every 2 weeks. Most recently, ArchersPlayer was updated on September 9, 2026 and tapeworm on August 19, 2026.

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