Comparison
The best vinyl collection apps in 2026, compared.
What each app does, what it costs and where it runs, checked on the developers’ own pages. Pick the one that fits the way you collect.
For cataloguing vinyl on iPhone, the main apps are Discogs, CLZ Music, MusicBuddy, Record Scanner, VinylBox, Groovv and Sleevewise. Discogs is the free reference database and marketplace. Record Scanner and Groovv recognise covers from a photo. Sleevewise is the one with a record store map, a dig planner and a record fairs calendar alongside the collection.
The best vinyl collection apps in 2026, compared.
| Feature | Sleevewise | Discogs | CLZ Music | MusicBuddy | Record Scanner | VinylBox | Groovv |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone | iPhone, Android, web | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, web | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, Mac, Android | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, Mac |
| Price | Free up to 100 records; Premium €3.99/month or €24.99/year | Free | US$1.99/month or US$19.99/year after a 7-day trial; no free plan | Free up to 50 albums; US$9.99 one-time | Free with limited scans; Unlimited from US$4.99 | Free; Pro from US$0.99/month or US$9.99/year | Free up to 100 records; Pro US$1.99/month, US$12.99/year or US$29.99 once |
| Barcode scanning | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cover photo recognition | ●5 a day free, unlimited with Premium | — | — | — | ● | — | ●AI cover scan, a few free |
| Condition grading | ●Goldmine scale, media and sleeve | — | ●Condition field | — | ✕ | ●Media and sleeve | ●Goldmine grading assistant |
| Collection value | ●Discogs Marketplace prices; value insights with Premium | ● | ✕eBay search links, no automatic value | — | ● | ● | ●Estimated, adjusted for condition |
| Wantlist price alerts | ●Target price per record | ●New-listing notifications | — | — | — | — | — |
| Record store map | ● | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Record fairs calendar | ● | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Multi-shop trip planner | ● | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Offline scanning | ●Scan queue | ✕ | — | — | — | — | ●Offline mode |
| Export | ●CSV (Premium), insurance PDF | — | — | ●CSV, PDF, HTML | ●CSV, Excel | — | ●CSV (Pro), PDF report (paid) |
| Listening log | ● | — | — | — | — | ●Via Shazam, Apple Music, Last.fm | ●Spin logging |
| App Store rating (US) | Not released yet | 4.8 (67,062) | 4.84 (1,365) | 4.77 (1,106) | 4.83 (2,046) | 4.72 (2,805) | 5.0 (5) |
● Listed✕ Missing, per the source— Not found
Checked on September 24, 2026. Checked on each app’s US App Store page and website on 24 September 2026; competitor prices are US App Store prices, Sleevewise’s are for France. “—” means we couldn’t find the feature on those pages, not that it can’t exist. Sleevewise is not affiliated with any of these apps or with Discogs.
Comparison
What each app does best
- A1
Sleevewise
The app for going out and finding records as well as cataloguing them: record store map, dig planner, fairs calendar and target-price alerts, next to grading, values and a listening log.
- A2
Discogs
The reference: the database every other app relies on, the marketplace, and a free app with a huge community. If you buy and sell on Discogs, you will use it whatever else you choose.
- A3
CLZ Music
A long-standing cataloguer that runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac and details every edition. There is no free plan: it is a subscription after the trial.
- A4
MusicBuddy
A simple tracker you pay for once, with CSV, PDF and HTML exports. Free up to 50 albums; it doesn’t value records.
- B1
Record Scanner
Fast barcode and cover scanning, Discogs values, and CSV or Excel exports; on Android too.
- B2
VinylBox
Closest to Discogs itself: full account sync and Marketplace listing management, for collectors who also sell.
- B3
Groovv
The nearest in scope to Sleevewise: grading assistant, taste match, spin logging, cheaper Pro plans. It doesn’t map record stores or fairs.
Questions
Straight answers.
01Is there a free alternative to the Discogs app?
Discogs itself is free. Among the alternatives, Sleevewise, Groovv and MusicBuddy have free plans with a record limit (100, 100 and 50), and Record Scanner and VinylBox are free with paid upgrades.
02Which vinyl apps can recognise a record from a photo of its cover?
Sleevewise, Record Scanner and Groovv list cover photo recognition on their App Store pages. The others identify records by barcode or search.
03Which app shows record stores near me?
Of the apps compared here, only Sleevewise has a record store map, with a dig planner and a record fairs calendar.
04Can I use Sleevewise and Discogs together?
Yes. Sleevewise identifies records with the Discogs database and values them with Discogs Marketplace prices, and Premium syncs your collection with your Discogs account.
Start with the records on your shelf.
Free up to 100 records. No account needed to start.