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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Voice Memos vs Voice Recorder & Audio Editor

Voice Memos 4.8★ · Free to download 75
Winner Voice Memos
Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 4.7★ · Free + IAP 55

Voice Memos is better for basic, reliable recording, while Voice Recorder & Audio Editor offers more advanced features but struggles with stability and ads.

Full reviews: Voice Memos · Voice Recorder & Audio Editor

Voice Memos is a simple, free, and generally reliable option for basic audio recording, though some users experience bugs and data loss. Voice Recorder & Audio Editor offers advanced features like transcription and editing, but is plagued by ads, bugs, and issues with saving and recovering recordings, especially for paid features.

Head to head

Features edge: Voice Recorder & Audio EditorR1R2R5R11
Voice Memos Voice Memos is praised for its simplicity in recording thoughts, nature sounds, and personal memories R2R5R11. However, users frequently request advanced features like voice changing , multi-layer recording R42, mixing multiple recordings R21, and better integration with other apps for sharing or editing R1R19. Some users also wish for a pause button instead of just stop .
Voice Recorder & Audio Editor Voice Recorder & Audio Editor offers more advanced features, including transcription R67, sound editing and trimming R66R81R84R87, and even AI assist for summaries and translations . Some users appreciate the ability to change voices with AI and import recordings from email . However, many users report that editing and saving trimmed audio is buggy or impossible R66R81R84R87. The AI transcription feature also receives criticism for being unhelpful .
Ease of Use tieR12R19R21R28
Voice Memos Voice Memos is generally considered easy to use for basic recording . However, some users find it hard to work with R12, struggle with starting recordings R28, or find it complicated to change settings or mix recordings R21. Transferring recordings to external storage is also cited as difficult R19.
Voice Recorder & Audio Editor Voice Recorder & Audio Editor is described as very easy to use for basic recording, with a simple record, save, and label process . Some users appreciate its straightforward interface . However, others find it not user-friendly , especially when trying to save trimmed audio R81R84R87 or organize files .
Reliability & Bugs edge: Voice MemosR3R4R7R16
Voice Memos Voice Memos users report significant issues with recordings stopping unexpectedly R3R16, being deleted during syncing R4, or simply disappearing R7R55. The app is also prone to crashing , lagging when starting a new recording , and not syncing memos from Apple Watch . Some users also note distortion or muffled sound quality .
Voice Recorder & Audio Editor Voice Recorder & Audio Editor also suffers from severe reliability issues. Many users report recordings disappearing R61R67R69 or the app shutting down while recording . Bugs include ads muting recordings R78, the app playing multiple songs at once with distortion , and the save button for trimmed audio not working R66R81R84R87. Some users also experience a "no speech detected" notification or the app not recording when speakerphone is on .
Price/Value edge: Voice MemosR30R61R69R72
Voice Memos Voice Memos is free to download and use R30. Users appreciate it for being a good free recording app R30.
Voice Recorder & Audio Editor Voice Recorder & Audio Editor is free to download but heavily relies on In-App Purchases (IAP). Users complain about being automatically charged after free trials R61, constant ads even after purchasing the app R69R72R78, and features like editing being paywalled R81. Many feel it's no longer worth the money since it became monetized . However, some long-term users claim the base version is amazing and completely free, even offering transcripts .
Support tieR4R55R61R67
Voice Memos Voice Memos users report a lack of support, with one user stating Apple didn't know what happened to a deleted recording R4 and another noting no support for recordings not downloading R55.
Voice Recorder & Audio Editor Voice Recorder & Audio Editor users also report poor or non-existent customer support. Users mention sending emails and never hearing back after important recordings disappeared R61, being unable to recover content R67, and not getting support for a non-functional app after an ownership change or general issues .
Pick Voice Memos if

You need a simple, free, and generally reliable voice recorder for basic tasks like capturing thoughts, nature sounds, or personal memories R2R5R11. You prioritize a clean, ad-free experience R30 and are willing to accept occasional bugs or the lack of advanced editing features.

Pick Voice Recorder & Audio Editor if

You require advanced features like transcription, sound editing, or AI assistance for your recordings R67. You are willing to tolerate frequent ads, potential bugs with saving edited files, and the risk of recordings disappearing, possibly opting for a paid subscription to remove ads and access full functionality R69.

Evidence note: Reviews for Voice Memos are more numerous and often less detailed, with many short, positive, or nonsensical entries. Negative reviews for Voice Memos tend to focus on core functionality issues like recording stopping or data loss. Reviews for Voice Recorder & Audio Editor, while fewer, are more detailed in their complaints, particularly regarding bugs, ads, and issues with paid features. The free-vs-paid asymmetry is significant for App B, where many negative reviews stem from friction with its IAP model and ads in the 'free' version.

Frequently asked

Does Voice Memos offer transcription?
No, Voice Memos does not offer transcription, and users have expressed a desire for this feature R19R41.
Can I edit recordings in Voice Memos?
Voice Memos offers basic trimming, but users desire more advanced editing features like mixing multiple recordings or adding layers R21R42.
Are there ads in Voice Memos?
Yes, some Voice Memos users report ads popping up during recordings, which can prevent saving or stopping the recording R6.
Does Voice Recorder & Audio Editor have ads?
Yes, Voice Recorder & Audio Editor has frequent ads, including X-rated ones, even for users who have purchased the app or subscriptions, which often mute recordings or make the app unsuitable for certain environments R69R72R73R78.
Can Voice Recorder & Audio Editor save trimmed audio?
Many users report a persistent bug where the save button for trimmed audio does not work, making editing pointless R66R81R84R87.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Voice Memos 1/5 · US Why I think you’re Should be delete it: Because you guys aren’t even doing nothing all you’re making us do is do wraps and stuff and then make it on that then you won’t even let us do it on YouTube so at least making a app where you can record yourself making song put it on your voicemails or your camera, then make a video then go on that one app and then make it together and then make another app
  2. [R2] Voice Memos 5/5 · US Kind: I love it because I have so many memories
  3. [R5] Voice Memos 5/5 · US Record your thoughts and record birds and nature around you: This is a fun app to play with one time I recorded the sound of crunchy leaves other times I’ve recorded birds and even crickets
  4. [R11] Voice Memos 5/5 · US The good thing: I was happy with Voice Memos because it kept beautiful memories in here and I’m glad!
  5. [R12] Voice Memos 3/5 · US Raise your ya ya ya ya: It’s OK, but it’s a little hard to work with because I just I don’t know it’s a little odd ya know what I mean Raise your ya ya ya
  6. [R19] Voice Memos 2/5 · US I use it, when my Pixel isn’t available: It records voice. The next most important feature to me is ease of transferring that to external storage. It’s an Apple product, so: terrible. My next most important feature is transcribing to text, both in real time and for future use, and ease of exporting that to external storage. Again- terrible. But it’s got a microphone and records voice to the pho
  7. [R21] Voice Memos 3/5 · US Dictaphone: C’est trop compliqué de changer un truc et on ne peux pas mélanger plusieurs enregistrement en même temps
  8. [R28] Voice Memos 2/5 · US Voice memos thoughts: How do you start the recording very unhelpful but enjoy recording stuff
  9. [R3] Voice Memos 3/5 · US Recording turns off for dumb reasons: I started recording 40 minutes ago and see that only 13 seconds were recorded. It happens twice: you turn on the camera, it turns off; you turn on video, it turns off. You lock the phone and it turns off! Fix it. · translated
  10. [R4] Voice Memos 1/5 · US Deleted voice memo: I had recorded the last conversation I had with my dad before he passed on here. I bought iCloud storage a few months after thinking the voice memo would sync and I wouldn’t ever lose it. During syncing, the voice memo was deleted and after contacting Apple was told they don’t know what happened and I haven’t been able to recover it since.
  11. [R7] Voice Memos 1/5 · US Distortion / erasure / instantaneous changes: Ongoing for 2.5 years.
  12. [R16] Voice Memos 1/5 · US Serious bug in iOS 26.5: Dear Apple developers, hello. Recently, when using the Voice Memos feature, I found that my iPhone 17 stops recording immediately after I tap "start recording." I currently cannot solve this problem, so I gave a bad review. I hope Apple developers can pay attention to this issue promptly. I fully support Apple's development work and try to report subtle issues as soon as possible, hoping Apple can enhance user experience. Sincerely. · translated
  13. [R30] Voice Memos 3/5 · GB Good recording app: A good free recording app
  14. [R61] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 1/5 · US Beware of your recording automatically disappearing!!: I am extremely disappointed in this product. I first had a 5 day free trial and then was automatically charged for a monthly subscription. I would not have minded that except that a very important 3 hour recording was automatically deleted. I send two emails to customer support and never heard back. I’d give them a zero rating if I could.
  15. [R69] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 3/5 · US okay, buggy: first of all i purchased this app a while ago and use it from time to time. even though it was purchased i see outside ads and ads that say to get rid of the add i just need to pay $4.99 a month. you get other apps too for that price but i didn’t buy and dont want the other apps, so its $60/year to get rid of the ads for one recording app. also, several times i’ve made a recording
  16. [R72] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 3/5 · US The icon looks the same . . .: But this app just isn’t as good as I remember. To be fair it’s been a couple of years since I’ve used it and it’s been a couple of iPhones ago but when I tried to use it today it was buggy, it was full of ads, it was not a great experience.
  17. [R55] Voice Memos 1/5 · GB Recordings aren’t downloading: Anything before 6 months ago show “downloading”. There is no support for the app, so these recordings are basically lost
  18. [R67] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 1/5 · US Support needed: I upgraded to include transcription. One of my files (EPPP) has 8 folders in it. Each folder had multiple recordings. Three recordings in one of the folders have been transcribed. ALL of the recordings and transcriptions in this file have been deleted. I have other, multiple files with multiple recordings none of which have been deleted. I’m not sure what has happened but am nee
  19. [R41] Voice Memos 1/5 · GB Terrible: Just records and does not transcript.
  20. [R42] Voice Memos 5/5 · US Love this app but one request: It’s a great app if you want to do a duo but you have no friends with the layer tool but you can only do 1 other layer. Pls make it so you can do more than one layers.
  21. [R6] Voice Memos 3/5 · US Aggravating: Sometimes while I’m recording an ad will pop up that cannot be closed. I’m unable to stop or save the recording and am forced to close the app. Extremely annoying.
  22. [R73] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 1/5 · US Contains XXX ads: USES TEMU X-RATED ADS. PARENTS BEWARE
  23. [R78] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 3/5 · US Pop ups mute the recording: I do love this app, and it seems like it used to not do this, but now every time I play one of my recordings as soon as the pop-up advertisement comes up it silences the recording! The recording keeps going on the screen, and I have to pause an unpause to get the sound to come back. Then the sound comes back, but mutes again as soon as the advertisement refreshes. I thi
  24. [R66] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 3/5 · US Editing issues: Recording function is pretty good but it doesn’t all to edit and save. Some bug they need to fix
  25. [R81] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 3/5 · US Issues With Saving a Trimmed Recording: I love the app but for some reason the save button is greyed out after trimming. Is this a feature that lies behind a pay wall perhaps?
  26. [R84] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 3/5 · US The audio trimmer not working: This is a nice audio recorder, but there’s a problem, I can’t save the trimmed audio track because the SAVE BUTTON simply NOT WORKING. It’s not even highlighted. Please fix the SAVE button!
  27. [R87] Voice Recorder & Audio Editor 3/5 · US Almost, EXCEPT for that one thing: I’ve been using Voice Recorder forever and I love this latest version. Especially useful for my purposes is the sound editor, EXCEPT for the fact I cannot save anything once I’ve edited it. Which make it kinda pointless. 🤷‍♂️ I removed another star from my rating because this issue has not been resolved or even acknowledged as far as I can tell. 😐

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store