Metrolist vs OuterTune: Which Android Music App Wins in 2026?

What Metrolist and OuterTune have in common

In this Metrolist vs OuterTune comparison, both apps are independent GPL-3.0 Android projects rather than official Google or YouTube products. They use Material 3, play YouTube Music content, support background and offline use, synchronize an account, show timed lyrics and provide audio controls. Both currently document Android 8.0 or newer as the supported baseline.

That shared foundation makes screenshots look more alike than the long-term experience. The useful comparison is not which interface looks newer on one day, but which project direction, library model and release path match your device. Verify every APK against the named project repository because similarly named packages can use different signatures or altered code.

Metrolist vs OuterTune feature comparison

In this Metrolist vs OuterTune comparison, this table uses the official repositories, latest stable releases and store metadata checked on July 30, 2026. “Not emphasized” means the compared first-party documentation did not make the same explicit promise; it does not prove the feature can never exist in another build.

The status row matters most. Metrolist v13.6.1 was released on July 17, 2026 and the project remains in maintenance mode for fixes and minor improvements. OuterTune's latest stable release is v0.10.1 from December 19, 2025, and its README now says the app is no longer in active development.

Current versions and development status

In this Metrolist vs OuterTune comparison, metrolist's latest verified release remains v13.6.1. The standard APK is 24,113,697 bytes, the Google Cast build is 25,741,771 bytes and the Izzy build is 24,109,601 bytes. All three official assets returned HTTP 200 with the Android package MIME type when checked. Metrolist calls itself a maintenance-mode project, which means bug fixes continue even though major feature work is not the goal.

OuterTune v0.10.1 provides a 10,080,644-byte core APK and a 28,599,336-byte full APK. Its official README now tells users that active development has ended and points people seeking a YouTube Music replacement toward Metrolist or ArchiveTune. The repository is not archived, so “abandoned” would be too strong; however, users should not plan around a promised next release.

A working old release can remain useful, especially for local files, but YouTube-facing functions can break when upstream endpoints, login or playback behavior changes. Save playlists, note the exact package source and keep a fallback player before depending on either client for a daily library.

Primary sources: Metrolist official repository, Metrolist v13.6.1 release, OuterTune official repository and OuterTune v0.10.1 release.

YouTube Music, offline playback and local files

In this Metrolist vs OuterTune comparison, metrolist is the clearer choice when YouTube Music is the center of the library. It documents search, account synchronization, offline cache, playlists, translated live lyrics, music recognition, extensive themes and real-time listening with friends. Its separate Cast build is also a concrete advantage for users with compatible receivers.

OuterTune's distinctive strength is local music. Its official description names MP3, OGG and FLAC playback, a custom tag extractor, a folder scanner and the ability to mix local songs with YouTube Music tracks. That can reduce the need to maintain one streaming client and a second local player, although inactive development raises the cost of future Android or service changes.

Offline does not mean identical storage. A YouTube Music download or cache may remain app-managed, while local files are ordinary audio stored on the device. Test where each app keeps data, whether Android cleanup removes it and whether a backup restores playlists before importing a large collection.

Lyrics, queues, Android Auto and Cast

In this Metrolist vs OuterTune comparison, metrolist emphasizes live synchronized lyrics and AI-powered translation. OuterTune supports synchronized lyrics plus word-by-word or karaoke formats such as LRC and TTML. Choose by the files and languages you actually use: a feature label does not guarantee that every track has a matching lyric source.

OuterTune documents multiple queues and a local scanner, which suits album folders and mixed libraries. Metrolist emphasizes discovery, recognition, account playlists and Listen Together. Run the same five-track test in each app: search, add to queue, switch networks, turn off the screen, reconnect Bluetooth and reopen after Android removes the process.

Both projects document Android Auto support. Metrolist v13.6.1 specifically includes fixes for freezes and playback delays, while OuterTune also lists Android Auto as a feature. Metrolist additionally publishes a dedicated Google Cast APK. For car use, configure the phone while parked and use only the vehicle-safe controls while driving.

Installation, migration and account safety

In this Metrolist vs OuterTune comparison, install Metrolist only from MetrolistGroup and OuterTune only from OuterTune/OuterTune or a distribution channel named by that project. Do not install a combined “Metrolist OuterTune APK,” a modded premium package or an APK whose signer and repository cannot be verified. The apps use different package identities and one should not be treated as an update for the other.

Start without a primary account. Confirm anonymous playback, local scanning, downloads, Bluetooth controls and Android Auto before signing in. If account sync is necessary, use the minimum access you need, never share cookies or tokens and review active Google sessions after testing an independent client.

There is no guaranteed one-click migration between the apps. Export or record playlist names and track counts, keep original local files outside app-private storage and test a disposable playlist first. Removing one app should not remove the other's package data, but Android storage cleaners can still delete shared downloads or folders selected by the user.

• Verify the project owner, release tag, filename and Android package source.
• Back up local playlists and note folder locations before switching.
• Test a secondary account before trusting a primary music library.
• Keep an official or local-player fallback for upstream outages.

Which app should you choose in 2026?

In this Metrolist vs OuterTune comparison, choose Metrolist if you mainly stream from YouTube Music and want the newer verified release, maintenance fixes, lyric translation, music recognition, Listen Together or a documented Cast build. It is the lower-friction recommendation for a new installation, though maintenance mode still means users should expect gradual fixes rather than a large feature roadmap.

Choose OuterTune only when its local-file scanner, mixed local/online library, advanced lyric formats or multiple queues solve a real need that Metrolist does not. Its latest stable version can still work, but the official end of active development means you must accept slower or absent responses to future Android and YouTube changes.

If neither trade-off is acceptable, use a maintained local music player for device files and the official YouTube Music app or web player for the service. See the Metrolist alternatives guide, Metrolist vs OpenTune and APK safety checklist before installing.

Metrolist vs OuterTune FAQ

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