# SubStreamer vs Plexamp

The clearest difference is rating: Plexamp at 4.7 against SubStreamer's 4.0. Plexamp also leads on ratings volume (10K vs 131) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). SubStreamer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plexamp sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. SubStreamer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Plexamp holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plexamp has 10K ratings behind it against 131, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of SubStreamer's written reviews are positive against 76% of Plexamp's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SubStreamer | Plexamp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (131 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/substreamer/id1012991665/reviews) | **[4.7 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plexamp/id1500797510/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 131 | **10K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.4% of reviews | **75.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gaven Henry](https://appshunter.io/developer/925249622) | [Plex Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/383457676) |

## What reviewers say

### SubStreamer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/substreamer/id1012991665)

Access and stream your personal music library from a Subsonic-compatible server on your mobile device. Enjoy offline playback, personalized mixes, and detailed listening analytics without ads or subscriptions.

**Highlights:** Stream and download music library, Offline listening with background processing, Personalized smart mixes, Listening analytics and scrobbling, Playlist and library management, Background playback with lock screen controls, Open source

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Beautiful and modern UI design
- ⚡ Clean, intuitive interface
- 🎵 Excellent Navidrome server compatibility
- 📱 Works seamlessly with self-hosted music servers
- 🔄 Reliable background playback functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent playback failures and stalling
- 🐛 Random crashes during playback
- 🐛 Scrobbling not working reliably
- 🐛 Large file playback issues (10MB+)
- 🐛 AirPlay/Apple TV streaming broken

**Reported bugs**

- Songs fail to play without double-pressing play button
- Playback stops with 4 seconds remaining in track
- Skipping back crashes the app
- Large files (10MB+) require pause-then-play to start
- Scrobbling fails despite server support

**Requested features**

- CarPlay support for in-car use
- Traditional Chinese language support
- Simplified Chinese language support
- All-songs library view (not just albums/artists)
- Lyrics API integration


### Plexamp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plexamp/id1500797510)

A dedicated music player for your Plex library, offering audiophile-grade playback features, stunning visuals, and personalized radio stations. Enjoy your music collection with advanced customization and offline listening options.

**Highlights:** Audiophile-grade playback (gapless, EQ, loudness leveling), Hypnotic visualizers and UltraBlur backgrounds, Personalized radio stations and Mix Builder, Offline listening for playlists and stations, Powerful search and playback history, Customizable themes and artist exploration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plex Pass | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plex Pass | $69.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Plex Pass | $979.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Best player ever
- 👍 Gorgeous cover flow
- 👍 Flexible, fun, and friendly
- 👍 Beautiful app that functions well
- 👍 Exceptional user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 List by folder is an insult
- 🐛 Offline music experience not great
- 🐛 Hopeless tagging
- 🐛 Can't download full playlists
- 🐛 Slow downloads

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent behavior when offline
- Search function broken
- Slow library loading
- Unreliable downloads
- Incompatibility with certain car systems

**Requested features**

- Repeat functionality
- Ability to edit metadata
- Better offline management and browsing
- Apple Watch app
- Airplay and casting support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SubStreamer free?

SubStreamer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Plexamp free?

Plexamp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SubStreamer or Plexamp?

Plexamp is rated higher. SubStreamer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 131 ratings, while Plexamp averages 4.7 from 10K ratings.

### Do SubStreamer or Plexamp have ads?

Neither SubStreamer nor Plexamp shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SubStreamer or Plexamp?

SubStreamer ships an update every 2 weeks, and Plexamp every 2 weeks. Most recently, SubStreamer was updated on September 22, 2026 and Plexamp on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*