Comparison

Loop Note vs Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation

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

Head to head
About

Loop Note

Features
Read full description

Practice listening, shadowing, and dictation with videos and audio you enjoy, one sentence at a time. Loop Note helps you repeat difficult passages, speak along, and return to them for review. Make a difficult sentence easier to hear • AB repeat: set a start and end point to replay just the passage you need. • Shadowing: adjust playback from 0.5x to 2x and speak along at your own pace. • Dictation: type what you hear, compare it with the subtitles, and find the words you missed. • Saved sentences and Grow: collect lines to revisit, then try today's review or a random listen. Set review reminders for a time that suits you. Bring your own study material Add a supported video link or import local video, audio, and SRT or VTT subtitle files. Captions for video links depend on availability. On supported devices and languages, on-device speech recognition can also help create subtitles; check the results for accuracy. Use material in English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, or another language you are learning. Slow down a difficult conversation, then listen again at its original speed as it becomes familiar. Get started with one sentence 1. Add a supported video link or choose a file on your device. 2. Repeat a subtitle sentence or a passage you select yourself. 3. Speak along or try dictation, then save a sentence to practise again. Start without creating an account. On-device speech recognition processes study material on your device. Video links and some features need an internet connection. You can choose whether to send app usage data in Settings; diagnostic information may also be collected. Free to start. Optional Loop Note Pro removes storage limits for saved sentences and manually created repeat ranges. See the purchase details in the app. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation

Practice language pronunciation by listening to audio or video passages, repeating them, and comparing your speech. Offers A/B looping, waveform visualization, and subtitle synchronization for effective shadowing and sentence practice.

Highlights
  • A/B loop practice
  • Shadowing with waveform comparison
  • Subtitle synchronization
  • Video and YouTube stream practice
  • Speech-to-text transcription
  • Background playback
  • Save and bookmark practice ranges
Read full description

The surest way to make a sentence truly your own — listen, repeat, and say it out loud. Phrabbit is an A/B loop practice app for language learners. Grab any passage from an audio file, a video, a podcast, or a YouTube stream, loop it until it clicks, then speak it and write it. ◆ Shadowing · Listen to an A/B range, then repeat it in your own voice · Play your take over the original and compare the waveforms (audio files) · The passage's subtitles show on the shadowing screen, line by line as it plays (audio files) · Shadowing gap — leaves time to speak between loops, with a countdown · Shadowing also works with video files and YouTube streams · My Recordings — save your best takes and pick up on the same range ◆ Dictation · Listen to your A/B range one sentence at a time, write it down, and compare it with the original · With subtitles, differences are marked for you; without them, check against the source yourself · Audio files, video files, and YouTube streams · On iPad, write by hand — your handwriting is saved to look back at · Attempts are kept, so you can practice the same range again ◆ A/B looping right on the waveform · Set precise ranges with your fingertip while watching the waveform · Loop as much as you want, adjust speed (0.5x–2.0x) · Save important ranges as bookmarks ◆ Practice with video · Bring in video files on your device (MP4, M4V, MOV) and loop them the same way · Attach an SRT or VTT subtitle file, show it over the video, and nudge the sync if it drifts · Sentence practice — tap a sentence card, or the subtitle on the video, and it becomes the loop · No subtitles? Mark an A/B range and convert just that part with speech recognition · Fullscreen practice — turn sideways for subtitles and range controls together · Tap a word in the subtitles to save it to your wordbook with its context · Videos are referenced, not copied, so they use almost no app storage ◆ Comfortable anywhere, anytime · Background playback — loops keep running with the screen off or in other apps · Sleep timer — auto-pause after 5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes · Earphone remote — previous/next steps through sentences (or 5 seconds without a transcript) · Bookmark queue — Play All runs saved ranges back-to-back, skippable from the Lock Screen · Control playback right from the Lock Screen and Control Center ◆ Speech to text (STT) · Turn speech into sentence-by-sentence text, synced to the waveform in real time · See exactly which sentence — and which word — is playing as you learn · Type subtitles yourself — practice from your own script; typed lines stay put if you run recognition later · Apple Intelligence subtitle translation — translate a whole transcript on-device and read it beside the original (iOS 26.4+, Apple Intelligence device) · On-device processing — your audio is never sent to a server ◆ Many sources · Import audio files (mp3, m4a, and more) · Import video files (MP4, M4V, MOV) · Podcasts — browse shows curated for your language, or add one by name or RSS address · Download podcast episodes, and bring in your Apple Podcasts subscriptions · Practice any YouTube link as a stream ◆ Keep your library in order · Folders — group your material, nested as deep as you like · Favorites — mark what you open most and reach it straight from Home · Search — finds what is tucked inside a folder, and shows you where it lives ◆ Tools that help you learn · Wordbook — save words you don't know and review them · AI word explanations (Beta) — tap a wordbook entry and Apple Intelligence explains it on-device, in context · Stats — see your practice time and streak at a glance · Works on both iPhone and iPad Start free. A/B looping, playback speed, the shadowing gap, the sleep timer, and one bookmark per file or video are free. STT, shadowing recordings, dictation, unlimited bookmarks and wordbook (with AI word explanations), background playback, podcasts, and subtitle translation come with Premium — a one-time purchase, no subscription.

Screenshots

Loop Note4 screens
Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation at none against Loop Note's shown. Loop Note's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, 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. Loop Note sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Loop Note ships an update every 3 days, Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Loop Note versus Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLoop NotePhrabbit Shadowing & Dictation
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterWeekly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerminsik kimKIYOUN KIM

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Loop Note

Subscriptions2
  • Loop Note Pro Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Loop Note Pro Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
1 purchases

Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation

One-time1
  • Phrabbit Premium$2.99

Questions

Is Loop Note free?
Loop Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation free?
Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Loop Note or Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation have ads?
Loop Note shows ads; Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation does not.
Which is updated more often, Loop Note or Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation?
Loop Note ships an update every 3 days, and Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation weekly. Most recently, Loop Note was updated on October 8, 2026 and Phrabbit Shadowing & Dictation on October 1, 2026.

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