Onkyo Controller vs PlashLights
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Onkyo Controller
Control compatible Onkyo network products with this official remote app. Stream music from various sources, manage playback, and operate connected home theater devices. Features automatic sound field correction for compatible products.
- Music playback from streaming services
- Control music library and NAS drives
- Remote control functions (play, volume, input)
- Operate connected Blu-Ray players and TVs
- Automatic sound field correction (Dirac Live)
- Check audio/video formats
- Turn on compatible units remotely
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Onkyo Controller is the official Onkyo remote control application that allows users to conveniently operate compatible Onkyo network products from their iPhone/iPod touch/iPad. The intuitive, user-friendly interface makes it easy to get more from your AV home entertainment experience. Main functions that can be operated through this application. (1) Play music in each room or every room - Lets you play music from music streaming services such as Pandora, Spotify, DEEZER and TIDAL, your music library on your smart device, or your NAS drive on compatible products. - You can play your music via radio, Bluetooth and USB. (2) Remote control functions - You can operate general control functions (play/stop, control the volume, select the input source, etc.) from your smartphone. (3) Operation of connected product(home theater product such as AV amplifier) - Lets you control a Blu-Ray Disc player or TV that is connected to an AV amplifier or home theater product via HDMI. (4) Dirac Live-enabled products measure automatic sound field correction. In addition, filters can be edited. (5) Audio/Video formats of input and output can also be checked. *By setting the “Network Standby” menu item in the unit’s initial settings to ON, you can use this application to turn on the power of the unit. Compatible models Network AV Receivers/Network Audio Player/Home Theater/Wireless Speaker in April 2016 or later ■ Please note ・To use Application it needs to read and agree Terms of Service. ・All models require a firmware update to use Onkyo Controller. ・Available Service depends on regions. ・Why Device's location is needed? Answer: In order to set-up your wireless devices which are located around you, SSID and Access Point info is needed. There is no other purpose to use the information of Device’s Location.
PlashLights
Control RGB and RGBW LED lights with custom colors and pre-programmed patterns. Manage multiple zones and devices wirelessly via Bluetooth. Ideal for vehicles, pools, and entertainment spaces.
- Custom color selection via color wheel
- 32 pre-programmed flash, fade, and jump patterns
- Adjustable speed and intensity
- Control multiple zones with up to 8 devices each
- Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity
- Offline mode for learning
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PlashLights App is a professional-grade lighting controller made in the USA for RGB and RGBW LED lights with the ability to control multiple zones utilizing low energy Bluetooth technology. Engineered for simple control of lighting in boats, off-road vehicles, bars and restaurants, swimming pools, RV's, golf carts, and motorcycles. Use the color wheel to choose your custom color, choose from our 32 programmed flash, fade, and jump patterns, and change the speeds or intensity. Highlights: Menu Tabs/Pages: 1. Direct Color Selection Tab a) Color Selector(RGB/Hue), Wheel Style b) Palette/Preset/Saved Color Icons c) Updates selected color live as user drags d) Brightness Slider e) All elements appear on the same page without scrolling f) RGB color values displayed somewhere, value range is 0 - 255 2. Color Sequence Selection Tab a) Sequence Controls: i. Controls: On/Off, Play/Pause, Previous Sequence, Next Sequence ii. Intensity Slider iii. Speed +/- buttons or slider b) Scrolling rows of sequences, scrolls up c) 32 pre-programmed color sequences d) Clicking an icon triggers a command 3. Home Tab a) Select Zone - all commands are sent to all devices assigned to the currently selected zone. 4. Device Manager Tab a) Bluetooth Pairing and Connecting b) Device Zones i. Up to 8 zones with 8 devices each. ii. Assign currently paired BLE device to zone. Adds it to a list of devices assigned to zone. iii. Rename Zones - Up to 32(or 16) Character string 5. Information Tab a) Plashlights info: URL, phone number, logo, copyright b) App Info: Version, license, creator information c) Currently Connected Device Information Specifications: - Compatibility: bluetooth 4.0 (bluetooth phones of 4.0 or above) - Supports mobile phone system: IOS 6.0 - Operating Voltage: 12~24V DC - Software language: English - Control distance: 65 feet - Working temperature: - 4°F to 185°F - 100% MADE & ASSEMBLED IN USA This is just a small taste of what the PlashLights App can do. Please visit https://plashlights.com for more information. IMPORTANT: - PlashLights App requires external hardware to control lights, but can be used offline as a learning tool. - Multiple zones require multiple unit(s) of hardware.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: PlashLights at 80% against Onkyo Controller's 26%. PlashLights also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Onkyo Controller's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (620 vs 10). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
PlashLights holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Onkyo Controller has 620 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Onkyo Controller's written reviews are positive against 80% of PlashLights's.
Onkyo Controller ships an update every 2 months, PlashLights every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Onkyo Controller | PlashLights |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.2 (620 ratings) | 4.2 (10 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | 80.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 620 — better | 10 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 13 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 80 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 11 Trading Company LLC | PlashLights LLC. |
Customer experience
Onkyo Controller
PlashLights
Bugs and requests
Onkyo Controller
Reported bugs
5 issues- App doesn't recognize receiver
- Fails to connect to Wi-Fi
- Loses connection during use
- Doesn't work with iOS 13 and newer
- Causes receiver to enter Direct mode unexpectedly
Requested features
5 requests- Add support for Apple Music
- Improve Tidal and Deezer integration
- Allow customization of input names
- Add sleep timer and power off options
- Improve volume control and speaker balance adjustments
PlashLights
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Onkyo Controller
No in-app purchases
PlashLights
No in-app purchases








