Yes, there are differences in cooking characteristics depending on the material it's made of and the finish on the metal.
I don't think you have to spend a fortune in bakeware in most cases. Buy a fairly sturdy muffin tin and bake some muffins. If you have to adjust your cooking time and or temperature a little, that's fairly easy to do.
I'd look for dark metal muffin tins. Some are also available with a non-stick coating.
I wish I could recommend what I've been using for years. I got the muffin pan in 1953. I know it's some form of aluminum but, beyond that, I couldn't tell you more. I DO know it's cooked more muffins and cupcakes than I can count.
Someone gave me a Teflon-coated muffin pan one time. Mediocre at best. I still greased and floured it.
My only recommendation would be to be sure the material is nice and heavy, regardless of whether or not it's light or dark.
....And don't even get me started with silicon bakeware. I don't know anyone who likes that stuff. The baked goods tear and stick; it is too flimsy.
Light weight materials with a darker colour will decrease the baking time. On the other hand, insulated pans will slow baking. Also, size of the muffin cup capacity will affect cooking time and evenness, obviously, as you will be baking a larger sized batter in each cup.I've been looking at muffin pans and I've seen them range from about $8-$20. Is there really a difference between them? Thanks for the help.