Though both play vinyl, a record player will have built-in speakers while a turntable has none. Therefore, you can immediately start playing your record player and get instant audio. However, you will need to purchase additional components for the turntable. This is the most significant difference, but they do both play vinyl exceptionally well. You may prefer to choose your own speaker solution rather than being limited to the built-in ones, or such built-in speakers may well be enough for your needs, sound wise.