Comparison

Melos vs Retro MP3 Pocket

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

Head to head
About

Melos

Listen to your locally stored music files without needing an internet connection or subscriptions. Organize your library, create playlists, and enjoy your tracks in original quality with various playback controls.

Highlights
  • Offline playback
  • Supports MP3, FLAC, AAC, WAV
  • Organize by tracks, albums, artists
  • Create custom playlists
  • Scrubbing, shuffle, repeat
  • Dark mode
Read full description

Melos — an audio player for those who store music locally. Listen to your tracks offline, without subscriptions or streaming services. Just add your files and enjoy music in its original quality. What Melos can do: • Supports MP3, FLAC, AAC, WAV and more • Organize your library by tracks, albums, artists and playlists • Create your own playlists • Scrubbing, shuffle, repeat • Volume control • Dark mode Your music. Your rules.

About

Retro MP3 Pocket

Relive the nostalgia of early 2000s portable music players with this app. It allows you to play your own MP3 and M4A files from local storage or iCloud Drive, or connect to your Apple Music library. Enjoy retro themes, playlist creation, and internet radio.

Highlights
  • Play local MP3/M4A files
  • Connect to Apple Music library
  • Three retro themes
  • Playlist creation and management
  • Full-text library search
  • Internet radio with 46,000+ stations
  • Background playback
Features
Read full description

Retro MP3 Pocket brings back the joy of having your own music collection. Designed in the spirit of early-2000s portable players, it gives your iPhone the look and feel of an old-school music device while playing the music YOU own. YOUR MUSIC, YOUR LIBRARY, YOUR WAY • Point Retro MP3 at any folder of MP3 or M4A files in iCloud Drive, Files, or On My iPhone. No streaming subscriptions, no cloud uploads, just your local music. • Or connect to your existing Apple Music library to play your iTunes purchases and synced songs. THREE RETRO THEMES, ONE PLAYER • 2005, Volcanic Orange. Black body, cyan LCD, that early MP3 player feel. • 2003, Green Pixel LCD. Monochrome, minimalist, just the essentials. • 1979, Chrome and Tape. Silver case, blue label, the classic cassette look. EVERYTHING A MUSIC PLAYER SHOULD HAVE • Browse by Songs, Albums, Artists, or your own Playlists. • Full-text search across your entire library. • Create, rename, and reorder playlists. • Edit track titles locally, without changing the original file. • Lock screen and Bluetooth controls (AirPods, car stereos). • Background playback that continues when the app is closed. • Auto-resume to your last-played track on relaunch. INTERNET RADIO, BUILT IN Browse and search over 46,000 radio stations from around the world, fully offline. Save your favorites and play them with the same retro controls, live track info included. NO TRACKING, NO ADS, NO NONSENSE Retro MP3 does not collect any data, does not show ads, and does not require an account. Your music stays on your device. Your privacy stays yours.

Screenshots

Melos4 screens
Retro MP3 Pocket4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Retro MP3 Pocket at none against Melos's 3. Melos's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Melos sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Retro MP3 Pocket asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Melos against 5.0 for Retro MP3 Pocket. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Melos ships an update every 4 days, Retro MP3 Pocket every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Melos versus Retro MP3 Pocket: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMelosRetro MP3 Pocket
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDmitrii RogozinDimitrios Zarkadas

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Melos

One-time3
  • A loaf of bread$0.99
  • Some butter$5.99
  • THIS IS ALMOST AN INVESTMENT$9.99
None

Retro MP3 Pocket

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Melos free?
Melos is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Retro MP3 Pocket free?
Retro MP3 Pocket is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Melos or Retro MP3 Pocket?
Melos and Retro MP3 Pocket are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Melos or Retro MP3 Pocket have ads?
Neither Melos nor Retro MP3 Pocket shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Melos or Retro MP3 Pocket?
Melos ships an update every 4 days, and Retro MP3 Pocket every 3 days. Most recently, Melos was updated on October 31, 2026 and Retro MP3 Pocket on October 31, 2026.

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