# Roon Essentials Remote vs JPLAY

The clearest difference is rating: JPLAY at 4.3 against Roon Essentials Remote's 2.6. JPLAY also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (59% vs 43%). Roon Essentials Remote's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. JPLAY sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year. Roon Essentials Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.

JPLAY holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: JPLAY has 52 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of Roon Essentials Remote's written reviews are positive against 59% of JPLAY's.

Roon Essentials Remote ships an update every 4 months, JPLAY every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Roon Essentials Remote | JPLAY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon-essentials-remote/id1105955403/reviews) | **[4.3 (52 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jplay/id1608773457/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **52** |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | **58.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Size | 278 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Roon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1014764082) | [Marcin Ostapowicz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1608773459) |

## What reviewers say

### Roon Essentials Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon-essentials-remote/id1105955403)

Control your Roon Essentials audio system to browse music, play tracks, and adjust settings. This app is specifically designed for Roon Essentials hardware like the ELAC Discovery and is not compatible with standard Roon.

**Highlights:** Browse music library, Play favorite tracks, Configure Roon Essentials system, Control audio playback, Designed for Roon Essentials hardware

**In-app purchases:** none


### JPLAY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jplay/id1608773457)

This app is a high-fidelity music player designed for audiophiles. It seamlessly integrates streaming services like Qobuz and Tidal with local music files, offering a unified interface for all your audio content. Experience superior sound quality and discover new music through its intuitive design and advanced features.

**Highlights:** Plays Qobuz, Tidal, and local music files, Works with most streamers and network DACs, HQPlayer Control API integration, Dramatically better sound quality, Radio feature for music discovery, Extended playlist management, Artist bios and album reviews

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| JPLAY Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $149.00 | one-time |
| JPLAY Lifetime | $199.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 Superior sound quality compared to competitors
- 👍 Intuitive and clean user interface
- 🚀 Fast and responsive app performance
- 🔌 Seamless UPnP/DLNA integration
- 📱 Works without requiring a server

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($50/year, $199 lifetime)
- ❌ No monthly subscription option available
- 🐛 Frequent connectivity and playback issues
- 📱 iOS-only application
- 🔄 No cross-device synchronization

**Reported bugs**

- Tracks fail to render or play from Tidal
- App crashes on startup with older iOS versions
- Playback stuttering and lag issues
- Renderer in transition errors
- Device discovery failures

**Requested features**

- Monthly subscription option
- Cross-device synchronization for playlists and favorites
- EQ and tone adjustment controls
- DSD file playback support
- Multi-room audio capability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Roon Essentials Remote free?

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

### Is JPLAY free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Roon Essentials Remote or JPLAY?

JPLAY is rated higher. Roon Essentials Remote averages 2.6 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while JPLAY averages 4.3 from 52 ratings.

### Do Roon Essentials Remote or JPLAY have ads?

Neither Roon Essentials Remote nor JPLAY shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Roon Essentials Remote or JPLAY?

Roon Essentials Remote ships an update every 4 months, and JPLAY every 3 weeks. Most recently, Roon Essentials Remote was updated on September 15, 2026 and JPLAY on October 12, 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.*