Comparison

Soundby vs Deadwax

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

Head to head
About

Soundby

Features
Read full description

SoundBy – Book Audio Engineers Near You. SoundBy connects artists with professional audio engineers for seamless studio bookings. Whether you’re recording your first single or finishing a full project, SoundBy makes it simple to discover, compare, and book trusted engineers in your area. Find the Right Engineer. Browse detailed profiles featuring: -Studio photos and equipment lists -Genres and specialties -Experience and credits -Pricing and availability -Verified reviews -Filter by location, style, budget, and session type to find the perfect match for your sound. Book Sessions Instantly. No more back-and-forth DMs. With SoundBy you can: -Check real-time availability -Request and confirm sessions -Securely pay through the app -Message your engineer directly Everything you need — in one streamlined workflow! Built for Artists & Engineers! For Artists: Discover reliable professionals, manage bookings, and focus on creating music. For Engineers: Showcase your studio, set your rates, manage your calendar, and attract new clients consistently. SoundBy is designed to remove friction from the recording process. Clear pricing, structured bookings, and direct communication ensure a professional experience for both sides. Whether you're an independent artist, songwriter, or producer, SoundBy helps you turn ideas into finished records — faster and easier. Download SoundBy and book your next session today.

About

Deadwax

This app helps vinyl collectors identify superior pressings within their Discogs collection. It provides detailed insights into mastering engineers, audiophile labels, and forum-recommended versions to help you find the best-sounding records.

Highlights
  • Discogs collection integration
  • Pressing Intelligence insights
  • Audiophile pressing identification
  • Mastering engineer details
  • Curated discovery lists
  • Purposeful wantlist management
Features
Read full description

Most record apps tell you what albums you own. Connect to your Discogs collection, and Deadwax shows you which pressings you own, and whether they’re the ones worth keeping. Deadwax brings the pressing research collectors already do: audiophile versions, notable mastering engineers, forum favorites, and shootout results into one app. Deadwax. I have bought the same album three times, not on purpose. The first was a deal that did not sound right. The second came from a record fair - a dealer I trusted, a sleeve that looked right, a runout I could not quite read. It was not the one either. The third time, I had done the research. Read the threads. Cross-referenced the matrix markings. I paid more than I wanted to. The needle dropped, and I finally understood what all the fuss was about. The pressing makes the record. The same master, cut by a different engineer at a different plant, sounds like a different record. Most of us have been flying blind, or searching through forums and watching shootout videos to find the best pressing. A familiar scenario for any record collector. Deadwax changes that by doing the heavy lifting and research for you and bringing those insights to your fingertips with Pressing Intelligence. No marketplace noise - just the data that separates one copy from another to help you find the pressing to own. PRESSING INTELLIGENCE Every release in your collection gets a pressing-level breakdown: notable mastering engineers, audiophile and audiophile adjacent labels, best pressings from popular forums, and shootout video winners from creators we trust. PI badges flag full pressing Intelligence. AP badges surface the audiophile pressings you may not have known you owned. With a tap, you are directed to review forums and launched into a shootout video reference. YOUR COLLECTION A clean visual grid of your Discogs collection. PI and AP badges surface what matters. Tap any release for full pressing detail. No more cross-referencing different pressings across your browser tabs and reading decade-old forum threads. WANTLIST WITH PURPOSE Add a release directly from Deadwax. Syncs with Discogs. No double-entry, no marketplace upsell - just the pressings you are still hunting. Built around the specific pressing, not just the title. DISCOVER, CURATED A discovery surface organized around mastering engineers, audiophile labels, and the people who actually own these records - curated lists, not algorithmic filler. In the record shop, quickly type in the matrix from the deadwax and know instantly you’re holding a great-sounding pressing. If you have ever bought the same album twice chasing a better pressing -  Deadwax was built for you. If you have ever squinted at a runout etching, trying to decode whether it says A2 or B2, Deadwax was built for you. If you have ever wondered whether the copy on your shelf is the one to keep, you already know the answer. Deadwax shows it to you.

Screenshots

Soundby3 screens
Deadwax4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Deadwax at none against Soundby's shown. Soundby's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Soundby ships an update every 9 days, Deadwax weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Soundby versus Deadwax: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSoundbyDeadwax
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (15 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—15 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysWeekly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKSENIA S PLASTININAJason Means

In-app purchases

None

Soundby

No in-app purchases

None

Deadwax

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Soundby free?
Soundby is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Deadwax free?
Deadwax is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Soundby or Deadwax have ads?
Soundby shows ads; Deadwax does not.
Which is updated more often, Soundby or Deadwax?
Soundby ships an update every 9 days, and Deadwax weekly. Most recently, Soundby was updated on November 5, 2026 and Deadwax on November 9, 2026.

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