Recordz
Why doesn't my vinyl app track my records?
Because it probably isn't that kind of app. Search "vinyl" on the App Store and many of the top results, such as MD Vinyl, Vinyl Widget, VinylPod and Muwi, are music players and home-screen widgets that make Apple Music or Spotify look like a spinning record. They never ask what's on your shelf. To track records you own, you want a collection app such as Discogs, VinylBox, Discographic, Vinyl Record App, Spinstack, Groovv or CLZ Music. To find records you don't own yet, there's a third kind: discovery apps such as Recordz and Vinyl Swiper. All three are legitimate. They just do different jobs.
How we compared
This guide is based on public App Store listings, developers' websites and published reviews, checked on September 30, 2026. Ratings are US App Store figures from that date. We make Recordz, so weigh this accordingly.
The three kinds of vinyl app at a glance
| App | Kind | Tracks records you own | Price model | US ratings, Sept 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD Vinyl | Widget and player | No | Free; upgrades from $1.99 | 28,679 |
| Vinyl Widget | Widget and player | No | Free; $2.99 lifetime or subscription | 2,416 |
| VinylPod | Widget | No | Free; $3.99 Premium | 698 |
| Muwi | Widget and player | No | Free; $2.99 lifetime | 187 |
| Music Player - Music Widget | Widget and player | No | Free | 147 |
| Vinyls - Record Player | Player | No | Free; Platinum from $1.99/month | 118 |
| Vynilizer | Player | No | Free; $4.99/month or $22.99 lifetime | 0 |
| Discogs | Collection and marketplace | Yes | Free | 67,059 |
| Vinyl Record App | Collection | Yes | Free; Premium subscription | 3,550 |
| VinylBox | Collection | Yes | Free; Pro subscription | 2,807 |
| Discographic | Collection | Yes | Free; one-time upgrades | 435 |
| CLZ Music | Collection | Yes | $1.99/month or $19.99/year after trial | 1,366 |
| Spinstack | Collection | Yes | Free core; Pro $9.99 once | 13 |
| Groovv | Collection | Yes | Free to 100 records | 5 |
| Recordz | Discovery | Through Discogs sync | Free, 10 saves; Pro $2.99/month | New in 2026 |
| Vinyl Swiper | Discovery | No | Free | 0 |
Widget and player apps: streaming that looks like vinyl
Best for: people who stream on Apple Music or Spotify and want the look and ritual of a record player on their phone, whether or not they own a turntable.
These apps take the song you're streaming and show it as a record on a platter, often with a tonearm, a needle-drop sound and a home-screen widget. If that's what you were after, you installed the right thing, and a collection app won't give you this.
MD Vinyl is the most popular by a wide margin, with 28,679 ratings averaging 4.6. It works with Apple Music and Spotify, and has an Android version on Google Play. Vinyl Widget, from KYOTO K.K., is simpler: no accounts, a vinyl widget playing your Apple Music, and a free tier that limits how many songs the widget plays. VinylPod makes now-playing widgets for Apple Music and Spotify and also runs on Mac. Vinyls - Record Player, from Pixelfolio, is Apple Music only and covers iPhone, iPad and Mac. It lets you scratch the disc with your finger, and albums you haven't played in a while gather dust on the sleeve.
Two are older. Muwi was last updated in September 2022 and Music Player - Music Widget in March 2023, both Apple Music only. Vynilizer is the newest, released in July 2026 with no ratings yet, and it requires an Apple Music subscription. For a closer look at this category, see MD Vinyl alternatives.
Collection apps: a catalog of the records you own
Best for: anyone with records on a shelf who wants to know what they own, what it's worth and what they're still missing.
Discogs is the reference: the community-built database of physical releases, plus the largest record marketplace, free on iPhone and Android. Most other collection apps either connect to your Discogs account or borrow its data. VinylBox and Discographic are long-running Discogs clients that add barcode scanning, folders and selling tools. Vinyl Record App keeps its own collection and wantlist, with a feed of what friends add. Barcode and AI cover scanning are part of its Premium subscription. CLZ Music uses its own CLZ Core database alongside Discogs, and is a paid subscription after a 7-day trial. Two newer apps from 2026 have few ratings so far: Spinstack, a one-time $9.99 purchase with a spin log and apps for Apple Watch and Apple TV, and Groovv, which runs on iPhone and Android and is free up to 100 records.
For rankings by job, see the best vinyl apps in 2026.
Discovery apps: finding records you don't own yet
Best for: collectors who know what they own but want help finding what to buy next.
Recordz is a swipeable feed of real releases from the Discogs catalog, personalized to the genres, styles and eras you pick, with a preview on each record where one exists. Saves land in your wantlist and, if you connect Discogs, sync both ways with your Discogs account. It also has 14 curated lists and a directory of 275 record stores in 16 cities. It plays previews only, not full albums, and it isn't a full collection manager. Vinyl Swiper does something similar with record-store stock: swipe through releases from independent stores such as Rush Hour, Hardwax and Juno, hear the store's own audio preview, and go to that store to buy. It needs no account. Neither app replaces Discogs.
Two more that get mistaken for record apps
VinylStudio (306 ratings, 4.8) is a design tool for making mockups of custom vinyl, such as splatter, picture discs and labels, with image and 3D video export. It's aimed at musicians and designers, and its Pro tier is a subscription. MD Widgets, from MD Studio, the developer behind MD Vinyl, makes live wallpapers and home-screen widgets, including a music widget. Neither one tracks or finds records.
Vinyl app FAQ
Why doesn't MD Vinyl show my record collection?
MD Vinyl is a music player and widget for Apple Music and Spotify, not a collection manager. It shows what you're streaming as a turntable and doesn't connect to Discogs or catalog physical records.
How can I tell the kinds apart on the App Store?
Read the first lines of the listing. Widget apps mention Apple Music, Spotify or home-screen widgets. Collection apps mention barcode scanning, a collection, a wantlist or Discogs. Discovery apps describe a feed of records to browse or swipe.
Can I use a widget app and a collection app together?
Yes, and they don't conflict. A common pairing is a collection app such as Discogs for what you own and MD Vinyl for streaming in between records.
Do I need a turntable for a vinyl widget app?
No. Widget apps only need a streaming account; Apple Music or Spotify depending on the app. Collection and discovery apps are about physical records, though you don't need a turntable to browse them.
Which free app tracks my vinyl collection?
The Discogs app is free with no limits on your collection or wantlist. Groovv is free up to 100 records. See the best free vinyl apps for what each free tier includes.
Is Recordz a widget, a collection app or a discovery app?
Discovery. Recordz helps you find records you don't own yet and syncs your saves with Discogs. It has no widgets and doesn't play full songs. For cataloguing in depth, pair it with Discogs or a dedicated collection app.
Last updated September 30, 2026.
Sources: App Store listings for MD Vinyl, Vinyl Widget, VinylPod, Muwi, Music Player - Music Widget, Vinyls - Record Player, Vynilizer, Discogs, Vinyl Record App, VinylBox, Discographic, CLZ Music, Spinstack, Groovv, Vinyl Swiper, VinylStudio and MD Widgets; MD Vinyl on Google Play; Groovv; Spinstack; Vinyl Swiper; ratings from App Store data, September 30, 2026.
All app names are trademarks of their respective developers, including MD Studio, KYOTO K.K., Pixelfolio Inc., CLZ and Zink Media, LLC (Discogs). Recordz is an independent app made by Pangea Roads LLC and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them. Record data is sourced from the Discogs API and the CC0-licensed Discogs data dumps.
