REWINDREWIND vs MP95: which retro music player for your iPhone?
Both apps play your own music files offline on animated retro machines, with no account and no ads. MP95 is the better pick for hi-res files, a USB DAC, DSD, widgets and Mac. REWIND is the pick for 30 machines from 1968–2005, 8 free machines and a lower lifetime price.
Download free on iPhoneSee all 30 machines
8 machines free forever · no account · works offline
Spin the reels with your finger · press ▶ ■
What is the short answer?
Pick MP95 if sound quality matters most: its App Store listing describes bit-perfect output, an output rate that follows each file for a USB DAC, DSD and 33 audio formats (its site says 35+ codecs). It also runs on iPad and Mac, and its site says an Android version is coming to Google Play. Both apps have 8D audio and slowed + reverb. Pick REWIND if the machines are the point: 30 of them across 1968–2005, 8 free from day one, and a $24.99 lifetime price.
Competitor facts on this page were checked on October 10, 2026 against the App Store listing and the developer's own site. Apps change, so verify before you buy.
REWIND vs MP95 at a glance
| REWIND | MP95 | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone only | iPhone, iPad and Mac, plus an Apple Watch remote; Android listed as coming to Google Play |
| Machines | 30 (1968–2005): pocket cassette, decks, boomboxes, CD, vinyl, early MP3 | Six: cassette deck, turntable, reel-to-reel, digital display, click wheel, disc player |
| Free machines | 8 | Two on Apple devices (cassette deck, turntable); the others get a three-minute preview |
| Hi-res / bit-perfect / USB DAC | Not offered | Yes, per its listing and site |
| File types | MP3, AAC/M4A, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, CAF | 35+ codecs on its site, including DSD, Opus and APE |
| Equalizer | 5-band with five presets | 10-band plus AutoEQ headphone profiles |
| Analog sound | Saturation, wobble, hiss, vinyl crackle | Saturation, wow and flutter, hiss, crackle and rumble |
| Backgrounds | 17 music-reactive scenes | Visualizers (bars, waveform, aurora, pulse, RGB) |
| Slowed + reverb | PRO, with Sped up and a reverb depth slider | Free on Apple devices, per its pricing page |
| 8D audio | Yes (PRO) | Yes (Pro on Apple devices) |
| Machine sound and lo-fi radio | Yes, free | Not listed |
| Mixtapes | Playlists with a handwritten-style label | Playlists, favorites, history |
| Widgets and Apple Watch | No | Home Screen widgets and an Apple Watch remote, per its listing |
| App languages | 13 | 6 on its App Store listing (English, French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish) |
| Lifetime price | $24.99 | $29.99 (one purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac) |
| Privacy | App Store label: Data Not Collected | Says it never connects to the internet |
What does MP95 do better than REWIND?
MP95 suits people who treat the phone as a hi-fi source. Its App Store listing describes bit-perfect output with effects off, an output sample rate that follows the file (44.1, 48, 96 or 192 kHz) so a USB DAC receives the original rate, ReplayGain, gapless playback, a 10-band equalizer and AutoEQ headphone correction.
It also reaches more devices: iPad and Mac versions, Home Screen widgets and an Apple Watch remote. Its site says an Android version is coming to Google Play. REWIND runs on iPhone only and has no widgets. If your music is in DSD, APE or Opus files, MP95 plays them and REWIND does not. REWIND is not a hi-res app and does not claim to be.
What does REWIND do better than MP95?
REWIND has far more machines: 10 pocket cassette players, 2 home decks, 2 boomboxes, 11 portable CD players, 3 turntables and 2 early MP3 players, each tagged with its year. Browse them in the player catalog and see how a 1987 cassette player differs from a 1995 one. MP95 has six machines in total.
REWIND gives you more machines for free (8, against two on Apple devices where MP95 offers a three-minute preview of the rest), 17 music-reactive backgrounds, mixtape labels you write yourself, and 13 interface languages. The analog sound section has tape saturation, wobble, hiss and vinyl crackle on sliders, plus a 5-band equalizer.
How do the prices compare?
REWIND PRO costs $2.99 weekly with no trial, $19.99 yearly with a 3-day free trial, or $24.99 once. MP95's pricing page lists Pro at $14.99 per year, $29.99 once and a $2.99 monthly plan. Its App Store in-app purchase list shows other subscription prices (weekly $2.99, monthly $3.99, and a $19.99 plan), so check the price in the app. MP95's single purchase also covers Mac and iPad, which REWIND has no version of. See the full REWIND pricing.
The free tiers differ. MP95 keeps the cassette deck and turntable free, and on Apple devices also leaves slowed + reverb, the 10-band equalizer and every visualizer free. The other machines get a three-minute preview. REWIND keeps 8 cassette and CD machines free, with 7 backgrounds, the equalizer and one mixtape. Slowed + reverb is part of PRO.
Who should pick which?
- Choose MP95 if you own a USB DAC, play DSD or hi-res files, want widgets, or want the same player on Mac and iPad.
- Choose REWIND if you want the widest range of machines, from a 1968 suitcase turntable to a 2005 portable CD player.
- Choose REWIND if you want a lower lifetime price and more free machines on iPhone.
- Try both if you are undecided. Both are free to download and both play your own files offline.
Sources, checked October 10, 2026: MP95 site, MP95 pricing, MP95 on the App Store.
Frequently asked questions
Is REWIND a good alternative to MP95?
Yes, if you want more machines and more free machines on iPhone. It does not match MP95 on hi-res output, DSD, USB DAC rate matching, widgets or non-iPhone platforms.
Does REWIND support hi-res or bit-perfect playback like MP95?
No. REWIND plays MP3, AAC/M4A, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, FLAC and CAF, but it does not offer bit-perfect or hi-res output. MP95 does.
Which is cheaper, REWIND or MP95?
REWIND PRO is $24.99 for lifetime. MP95 lists $29.99 for lifetime on its pricing page and in its App Store purchases (US prices, October 2026), and that purchase also covers Mac and iPad.
Is there an MP95 for Android?
Not yet. MP95's site says the Android version, free with all six machines, is coming to Google Play. REWIND is iPhone only.
Do both apps work offline without an account?
Yes. Both play files you own, need no account and show no ads. REWIND lists Data Not Collected on its App Store privacy label.
Keep exploring
Analog Sound on iPhoneFour sliders (saturation, wobble, hiss, crackle), automatic machine sound and a lo-fi radio filter, live on your own files. Free.5-Band Equalizer for iPhone Music Files, FreeFive bands (60 Hz to 12 kHz) and five presets, applied in real time to your own files. Free.
REWIND PricingFree vs PRO: $2.99 weekly, $19.99 yearly with a trial, $24.99 lifetime.Best Cassette Player Apps for iPhoneFive cassette player apps for iPhone compared on price, music sources, sound and App Store ratings, October 2026.Supported Audio Formats in REWIND for iPhoneSupported audio formats and what to do about DRM-protected music.Offline Music Player for iPhone, No AccountNo network, no account, no ads, no tracking. Your files stay on the iPhone.