# SideBand vs Media Assistant

The clearest difference is price: Media Assistant at Free against SideBand's $2.99. Media Assistant also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 22 months). SideBand's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Media Assistant is free to download; SideBand costs $2.99 up front. Media Assistant sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. SideBand asks for nothing beyond the download.

Media Assistant holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 24 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of SideBand's written reviews are positive against 90% of Media Assistant's.

SideBand ships an update every 22 months, Media Assistant every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SideBand | Media Assistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sideband/id721401314/reviews) | **[4.7 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/media-assistant/id6466176223/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **24** |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **90.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 15 MB | 190 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Wil Macaulay](https://appshunter.io/developer/301735019) | [Duc Anh Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621428751) |

## What reviewers say

### SideBand

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sideband/id721401314)

This app helps musicians learn songs by ear. It allows users to slow down music, loop sections, and change the key to match their voice or instrument. Import music from various sources like the Music app or iCloud.

**Highlights:** Adjust tempo, Transpose key, Change tuning, Loop sections, Import unprotected music, Supports iPhone and iPad

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Media Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/media-assistant/id6466176223)

Manage your media files, play audio offline, and edit audio with various tools. This app also includes a web browser with a built-in player to enhance your listening experience.

**Highlights:** File and folder management, Offline media playback, Audio editing and tagging, Web browser with audio player, File transfer over WiFi, Batch file renaming

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Read Aloud & AUv3 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Audio Converter & Joiner | $2.99 | one-time |
| Audio Editor Basic Features | $3.99 | one-time |
| Audio Editor Utilities | $3.99 | one-time |
| Audio Editor De-Reverb | $4.99 | one-time |
| Audio Editor Vocal Removal | $5.99 | one-time |
| Audio Tagger & AUv3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Browser AUv3 + IAA | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SideBand free?

SideBand costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Media Assistant free?

Media Assistant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SideBand or Media Assistant?

Media Assistant is rated higher. SideBand averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Media Assistant averages 4.7 from 24 ratings.

### Do SideBand or Media Assistant have ads?

Neither SideBand nor Media Assistant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SideBand or Media Assistant?

SideBand ships an update every 22 months, and Media Assistant every 8 days. Most recently, SideBand was updated on September 25, 2026 and Media Assistant on August 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*