# Roon vs Lyd

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Lyd at 86% against Roon's 33%. Lyd also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). Roon's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lyd sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. Roon asks for nothing beyond the download.

Lyd holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 556 and 354 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Roon's written reviews are positive against 86% of Lyd's.

Roon ships an update every 3 weeks, Lyd every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Roon | Lyd |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (556 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon/id1014764083/reviews) | **[4.4 (354 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lyd-sonos-control-and-widgets/id1451243766/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **556** | 354 |
| Positive reviews | 32.6% of reviews | **85.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 616 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Roon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1014764082) | [App Lane OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1671488060) |

## What reviewers say

### Roon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon/id1014764083)

This app serves as a controller for a Roon Server, enabling users to browse and play their music library. It offers a rich metadata-driven interface for musical discovery, connecting to over 1,000 compatible audio devices for seamless playback.

**Highlights:** Music library browsing and playback, Rich metadata for musical discovery, Connects to 1,000+ audio devices, Seamless in-home audio connection, Access music library remotely via Roon ARC, Bit-perfect playback and format support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great when it works
- 🎨 Fantastic app
- 🎧 Best way to experience music
- 🤖 Powerful music management
- 🔍 Excellent music discovery

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔌 Unstable connection
- 🕰️ Slow performance
- 🤯 Confusing interface
- 🚫 Lack of accessibility

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on search
- Audio devices disappearing
- Volume issues after updates
- Inability to find Roon core

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Offline music playback
- Better Tidal/Spotify integration
- Improved metadata editing
- Apple Watch support


### Lyd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lyd-sonos-control-and-widgets/id1451243766)

Control your Sonos system directly from your iPhone's Home Screen, Lock Screen, or Apple Watch. Enjoy instant playback control, volume adjustments, and speaker management without needing to open the main app or unlock your device.

**Highlights:** Home Screen widgets, Lock Screen widgets, Dynamic Island Live Activities, Apple Watch remote, Group/ungroup speakers, Sleep timers, Shortcuts and automation

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly tip | $2.99 | per year |
| One-time tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| One-time support | $1.99 | one-time |
| One-time Support | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Unlock | $8.99 | one-time |
| One-time Support | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless Sonos control
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔒 Reliable and stable
- 💡 Convenient Apple Watch integration
- 🚀 Fast and responsive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🔋 Drains Apple Watch battery
- 🔒 Requires Sonos account login

**Reported bugs**

- App sometimes loses connection to Sonos
- Complication disappears after updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to control volume directly from the app
- Support for more Sonos features like creating playlists
- Interactive widgets for iPhone


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Roon free?

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

### Is Lyd free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Roon or Lyd?

Lyd is rated higher. Roon averages 3.6 out of 5 from 556 ratings, while Lyd averages 4.4 from 354 ratings.

### Do Roon or Lyd have ads?

Neither Roon nor Lyd shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Roon or Lyd?

Roon ships an update every 3 weeks, and Lyd every 10 days. Most recently, Roon was updated on October 13, 2026 and Lyd on October 18, 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.*