# Helmarr vs ABS Admin

The clearest difference is monetization model: ABS Admin at free against Helmarr's free with in-app purchases. ABS Admin also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Helmarr's advantage is ratings volume (193 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Helmarr sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and ABS Admin sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ABS Admin holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Helmarr has 193 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Helmarr ships an update weekly, ABS Admin every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Helmarr | ABS Admin |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (193 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abs-admin-audiobookshelf/id6788065635/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **193** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 75.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 170 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Florian Ernst](https://appshunter.io/developer/979192685) | [Corey FELDMAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836967631) |

## What reviewers say

### Helmarr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921)

Manage all your self-hosted services from a single, native iOS interface. Seamlessly integrate and control applications like Sonarr, Radarr, and Unraid with advanced features and customization.

**Highlights:** Unified experience for multiple services, Smart multi-network connectivity, Deep customization options, Home screen widgets, Unraid control, Push notifications, SSH & SFTP access, Download management

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Helmarr Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Ultra Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Helmarr Pro Yearly Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Bazarr | $3.99 | one-time |
| Deluge | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plex | $4.99 | one-time |
| Transmission | $4.99 | one-time |
| NZBGet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lidarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unraid | $4.99 | one-time |
| SABnzbd | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tautulli | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sonarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Radarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Seerr | $4.99 | one-time |
| qBt | $4.99 | one-time |
| Prowlarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Helmarr Pro - Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $34.99 | one-time |


### ABS Admin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abs-admin-audiobookshelf/id6788065635)

Manage your personal audiobook and ebook server, play and read content, and organize your entire library. This app offers a comprehensive suite of tools for server administration, including metadata editing, library cleanup, and user management.

**Highlights:** Manage audiobook and ebook libraries, Built-in audiobook player, EPUB, PDF, and CBZ reader, Edit metadata and fix covers, Organize series, collections, and playlists, Upload media from cloud storage, Podcast management, User and permission management

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Helmarr free?

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

### Is ABS Admin free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Helmarr or ABS Admin?

ABS Admin is rated higher. Helmarr averages 4.8 out of 5 from 193 ratings, while ABS Admin averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Helmarr or ABS Admin have ads?

Neither Helmarr nor ABS Admin shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Helmarr or ABS Admin?

Helmarr ships an update weekly, and ABS Admin every 5 days. Most recently, Helmarr was updated on October 24, 2026 and ABS Admin on October 25, 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.*