Comparison of iPod managers
This article focuses on iPod managing software. i.e. Software that permits the transferring of content between an iPod and a computer or vice versa.
iTunes is the official iPod managing software, but 3rd parties have created alternatives to work around restrictions in iTunes. e.g. Transferring content from an iPod to a computer is restricted by iTunes.
General
Manager |
Creator(s) |
First public release date |
Latest stable version |
Downloadable without paying? |
Software license |
Windows |
Mac OS X |
Linux |
Amarok |
Mark Kretschmann |
2003-06-23 |
2.8 (August 16, 2013 (2013-08-16)) [±] |
Yes |
GPL |
Yes |
Experimental (leopard) |
Yes |
Banshee |
Aaron Bockover |
2005-08 |
2.6.2 (February 18, 2014 (2014-02-18)[1]) [±] |
Yes |
MIT |
Experimental |
Experimental |
Yes |
Clementine |
David Sansome, John Maguire |
February 2010 |
1.2.3 (March 8, 2014 (2014-03-08)) [±] |
Yes |
GPL v3 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
gtkpod |
Jorg Schuler |
? |
2.1.3 (Jan 6, 2013) |
Yes |
GPL |
No |
No |
Yes |
iRip |
The Little App Factory |
2003-09 |
2.1 (Mac) (May 6, 2011 (2011-05-06)[2]) [±]
1.0.1.25 (Windows) (8 April 2010 (2010-04-08)[3]) [±] |
No |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
iTunes |
Apple Inc. |
2001-01-08 |
12.1.2.27 (April 9, 2015 (2015-04-09)) [±][4] |
Yes |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
JRiver Media Center |
J. River |
2003-07 |
19.0.124 (March 27, 2014 (2014-03-27)) [±] |
Yes (trial) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
No |
No |
MediaMonkey |
Ventis Media Inc. |
2003-08-25 |
4.1.5.1719 (October 22, 2014 (2014-10-22)) [±] |
Yes (Standard) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
No |
No |
Rhythmbox |
Colin Walters |
2004-04 |
3.2 (March 29, 2015 (2015-03-29)) [±] |
Yes |
GPL |
No |
No |
Yes |
Senuti |
FadingRed |
2006-04-26 |
1.1.7 (Oct 6, 2009)[5] |
Yes (limited trial) |
Proprietary |
No |
Yes |
No |
MediaChest |
D Rogatkin |
1999-10-10 |
2.1.204 (Jun 12, 2013) |
Yes |
BSD |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Winamp native |
Nullsoft |
1997-06 |
5.666.3516 (December 12, 2013 (2013-12-12)) [±] |
Yes (Bundle & Full) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
No |
No |
XPlay |
Mediafour |
2002-06-24 |
3.5.0 (Dec 30, 2009)[6] |
No |
Proprietary |
Yes |
No |
No |
Manager |
Creator(s) |
First public release date |
Latest stable version |
Downloadable without paying? |
Software license |
Windows |
Mac OS X |
Linux |
Media organization and transfer features
Manager |
Copy Music |
Copy Videos |
Copy Smart Playlists |
Copy Album Artwork |
Extract DRM-Free Music |
Extract DRM-Free Videos |
Extract Playcounts |
Extract Playlists |
Copy Content to iPod |
Amarok |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
No |
Banshee |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
? |
No |
Clementine |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
EphPod |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
? |
? |
? |
gtkpod |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
iRip |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
iTunes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
JRiver Media Center |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
? |
? |
? |
MediaMonkey |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Rhythmbox |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Senuti |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
? |
Winamp native |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
XPlay |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Manager |
Copy Music |
Copy Videos |
Copy Smart Playlists |
Copy Album Artwork |
Extract DRM-Free Music |
Extract DRM-Free Videos |
Extract Playcounts |
Extract Playlists |
Copy Content to iPod |
iPod syncing and maintenance features
Note 2: gtkpod developers have found a workaround .
Note 3: As of Version 3.02 .
Note 4: Support arrived with libgpod >= 0.7.90 due to the use of libimobiledevice.
iPhone & iPod Touch compatibility
Manager |
iPod touch / iPhone Firmware up to 1.1.4 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 2.x |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 3.0 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 3.1 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 4.0.2 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 5.0.x |
Amarok |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes, Read-only |
Yes, Read-only |
Banshee |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes, Read-only |
Yes, Read-only |
Clementine |
Yes, limited |
Yes, limited |
Yes, limited |
Yes, limited |
No |
No |
EphPod |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
gtkpod |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
? |
iRip |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes, Read-only |
iTunes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
JRiver Media Center |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
MediaMonkey |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Rhythmbox |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Senuti |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
? |
Winamp native |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
XPlay |
Yes |
Yes, Read only |
Yes, Read only |
Yes, Read only |
Yes, Read only |
Yes, Read only |
Manager |
iPod touch / iPhone Firmware up to 1.1.4 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 2.x |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 3.0 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 3.1 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 4.0.2 |
iPod touch / iPhone FW 5.0.x |
See also
References
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