Comparison

Plex Dash vs Orb.net

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Plex Dash

Monitor your Plex Media Server in real-time. Track streams, DVR recordings, and server resources with detailed graphs. Manage media artwork and refresh libraries directly from your device.

Highlights
  • Real-time playback status
  • DVR recording monitoring
  • Bandwidth and resource graphs
  • Top media and user history
  • Artwork management
  • Library refresh
  • Server log inspection
Features
Read full description

** You'll need a Plex Media Server and an active Plex Pass to use this app ** ** From the same people who brought you the Plex app ** ** PS - If you’re new to Plex, download the Plex app first ** Pop quiz, hotshot: how many streams is your Plex Media Server dishing out RIGHT NOW? What’s your most-watched movie in the past month? Is that CPU you picked up from a sketchy eBay vendor up to the task? More importantly, are you sure that’s the best poster for Speed (1994)? Plex Dash is a tool created by obsessive Plex Media Server admins for obsessive Plex Media Server admins. Get real-time status of playbacks, DVR recordings, Sync conversions, and more. Monitor bandwidth and server resources with sexy graphs. Dig deeper and learn about top items or individual user history. Fix up artwork. Refresh libraries. Inspect nerdy media details. If it all goes south, check out the raw server logs. MASTER YOUR MEDIAVERSE Who’s streaming what right now? Plex Dash answers in spades. Gorgeous Now Playing tiles keep you apprised of all the latest shenanigans, across all of your servers. Put that giant iPad to great use by duct-taping it to the wall (landscape, duh); lean back, pet your hairless cat, and keep an eye on your empire. DIVE UNDER THE HOOD Server up to something? DVR recording? Media Optimizer doing its… optimizing? You get a chonky lightning bolt to make sure this doesn’t go unnoticed. ONE-HANDED CURATION Browse and change artwork from the palm of your hand while checking out at your local co-op. It’s like that other swipey app, but with less risk of disease.

About

Orb.net

This free platform continuously measures your internet connection's responsiveness, reliability, and speed. It provides easy-to-understand scores and detailed technical information for users who want to understand their true internet experience.

Highlights
  • Measures internet responsiveness
  • Measures internet reliability
  • Measures internet speed
  • Continuous lightweight tests
  • Easy-to-understand scores
  • Technical details for advanced users
Features
Read full description

Orb shows your true internet experience and is a free platform that runs without disrupting your connection or device. It measures Responsiveness, Reliability, and Speed using lightweight, continuous tests, and provides easy-to-understand scores as well as the technical details for nerds.

Screenshots

Plex Dash4 screens
Orb.net4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Orb.net at free against Plex Dash's free with in-app purchases. Plex Dash's advantage is ratings volume (2.2K vs 35) and review sentiment (81% vs 62%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Plex Dash against 4.6 for Orb.net. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plex Dash has 2.2K ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Plex Dash's written reviews are positive against 62% of Orb.net's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Plex Dash ships an update monthly, Orb.net every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Plex Dash versus Orb.net: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlex DashOrb.net
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (2.2K ratings)4.6 (35 ratings)
Positive reviews81.1% of reviews — better61.5% of reviews
Number of ratings2.2K — better35
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPlex Inc.Orb Forge Inc.

Customer experience

Plex Dash

All ratings2,151 ratings
Positive91.9%
Neutral2.5%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews588 reviews
Positive81.1%
Neutral5.8%
Negative13.1%

Orb.net

All ratings35 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral5.7%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive61.5%
Neutral19.2%
Negative19.2%

User reviews

Plex Dash

From 2.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Useful for monitoring server status
  • 🚀 Convenient mobile access to server information
  • 💡 Ability to change artwork remotely
  • 🔒 Works seamlessly with Plex account
  • 👍 Easy to set up and use

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
  • 🔍 Limited functionality compared to web interface
  • 🔍 Clunky navigation and user interface
  • 🔍 Lacking advanced server management features
  • 🔍 Slow to update or refresh server information

Orb.net

From 35 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Good network insights
  • 💡 Helpful for working from home

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Doesn't run in the background
  • 🐛 Inaccurate speed test results
  • 🐛 High system overhead

Bugs and requests

Plex Dash

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Difficulty connecting to server or finding servers
  • Crashes when viewing server graphs
  • Inaccurate or incomplete playback history

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add ability to manage users and permissions
  • Integrate more server administration functions
  • Improve library browsing and media details
  • Provide more detailed playback statistics
  • Add support for GPU monitoring
Show 1 more
  • Allow remote server control and updates

Orb.net

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Console opens on desktop every time
  • Slow performance

Requested features

3 requests
  • Apple TV app
  • PlayStation app
  • Background mode

In-app purchases

None

Plex Dash

No in-app purchases

None

Orb.net

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Plex Dash free?
Plex Dash is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Orb.net free?
Orb.net is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Plex Dash or Orb.net?
Plex Dash and Orb.net are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.2K and 35 ratings respectively.
Do Plex Dash or Orb.net have ads?
Neither Plex Dash nor Orb.net shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Plex Dash or Orb.net?
Plex Dash ships an update monthly, and Orb.net every 2 weeks. Most recently, Plex Dash was updated on September 25, 2026 and Orb.net on August 31, 2026.

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