# Sonos S1 Controller vs Bose

The clearest difference is update cadence: Bose at monthly against Sonos S1 Controller's every 2 months. Bose also leads on chart position (#8 vs unranked). Sonos S1 Controller's advantage is ratings volume (821K vs 181K) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Sonos S1 Controller against 4.8 for Bose. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 821K and 181K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Sonos S1 Controller's written reviews are positive against 47% of Bose's.

Sonos S1 Controller ships an update every 2 months, Bose monthly. Both last shipped on October 14, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sonos S1 Controller | Bose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (821K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonos-s1-controller/id293523031/reviews) | **[4.8 (181K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bose/id1364986984/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **821K** | 181K |
| Positive reviews | **52.1% of reviews** | 47.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#8** |
| Size | 103 MB | 1.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sonos, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/293523034) | [Bose Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/425230041) |

## What reviewers say

### Sonos S1 Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonos-s1-controller/id293523031)

Manage your older Sonos systems with ease. This app allows you to control volume, group rooms, set alarms, and stream from your favorite services. Enjoy thousands of free stations with Sonos Radio.

**Highlights:** Control older Sonos products, Adjust volume, Group rooms, Save favorites, Set alarms, Stream from services, Listen to Sonos Radio

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 🔍 Versatile and easy to use
- 💡 Whole-home audio experience
- 🎨 Sleek and modern design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
- 🔀 Confusing and unintuitive app updates
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and control
- ⚠️ Planned obsolescence of older products

**Reported bugs**

- App fails to recognize speakers
- Music playback randomly cuts out
- Inability to control volume from lock screen

**Requested features**

- Restore previous app interface
- Improve search and playlist management
- Add Bluetooth connectivity
- Better integration with personal music libraries


### Bose

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bose/id1364986984)

**Currently charting:** #8 Top Free · Music (US App Store)

Control all your Bose audio products from a single app. Personalize noise cancellation, customize EQ settings, and set up your devices for seamless listening. Access your favorite music services and playlists with one-touch ease.

**Highlights:** Unified control for Bose products, Controllable noise cancellation, Customizable EQ settings, One-touch music presets, Integrated music streaming

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy setup and programming
- 🔊 Impressive sound quality
- 👍 Useful app features
- 💡 Customizable EQ and noise cancelling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues and app crashes
- 🔌 Unreliable Bluetooth connection
- 🤖 Lack of accessibility and voice control options
- 🤔 Confusing app layout and navigation

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently fails to recognize connected devices
- Noise cancelling settings revert to default unexpectedly
- Bluetooth pairing and reconnection issues
- Forced firmware updates causing sound quality degradation

**Requested features**

- Add landscape mode support for iPad
- Improve multi-device connectivity and switching
- Provide more customization options for noise cancelling
- Integrate with more music services like Apple Music


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sonos S1 Controller free?

Sonos S1 Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Bose free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sonos S1 Controller or Bose?

Bose is rated higher. Sonos S1 Controller averages 4.7 out of 5 from 821K ratings, while Bose averages 4.8 from 181K ratings.

### Do Sonos S1 Controller or Bose have ads?

Neither Sonos S1 Controller nor Bose shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sonos S1 Controller or Bose?

Sonos S1 Controller ships an update every 2 months, and Bose monthly. Most recently, Sonos S1 Controller was updated on October 14, 2026 and Bose on October 14, 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.*