Comparison

Sonos S1 Controller vs Garmin Audio

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

Head to head
About

Sonos S1 Controller

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
Currently charting
Read full description

This app controls systems that include the earliest Sonos products: Zone Players, Play:5 (Gen 1), Bridge, Connect (Gen 1) and Connect:Amp (Gen 1) Easily control your system. Adjust volume levels, group rooms, save favorites, set alarms, and more. Stream from popular services. Connect your streaming services and browse all your music, podcasts, radio, and audiobooks in a single app. Listen to Sonos Radio. Enjoy thousands of stations free on your system, including live radio from around the world, genre stations, artist-curated stations, and original programming from Sonos. If you are a California resident, for more information about our privacy practices, please see: California Privacy Notice: https://www.sonos.com/legal/privacy#legal-privacy-addendum-container

About

Garmin Audio

Control your marine entertainment system wirelessly from your device. Manage music sources, adjust volume zones, and navigate your library with ease. Optimize audio with advanced DSP settings for a premium listening experience on the water.

Highlights
  • Wireless remote control
  • Music source navigation
  • Independent volume zone control
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
  • Album art display
  • Over-the-air software updates
  • Digital Signal Processing (DSP) setup
Read full description

The free Garmin Audio app puts entertainment control in the palm of your hand. Whether you’re on the move or at the helm, this app gives you quick access to wireless remote control of your compatible JL Audio® or Fusion® stereo via Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® connectivity (Wi-Fi available on select stereo models only). Enjoy play / pause / skip audio control with source selection, individual zone volume control and the ability to adjust music / stereo settings (including choosing albums, artists and playlists). You will also be able to access over-the-air software updates allowing you to easily keep your compatible stereo up-to-date with the latest features. The app supports Digital Signal Processing (DSP) setup with the Easy Tune feature; where you can select customized speaker, subwoofer, amplifier and environmental profiles to enjoy premium audio that is optimized for your boat, resulting in a superior listening experience. DSP also protects your audio system by adjusting the power output to your system components. Keep a look out for future app updates which may introduce new features and improvements.

Screenshots

Sonos S1 Controller4 screens
Garmin Audio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sonos S1 Controller at 4.7 against Garmin Audio's 4.0. Sonos S1 Controller also leads on ratings volume (821K vs 453) and chart position (#207 vs unranked). Garmin Audio's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (69% vs 52%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Sonos S1 Controller holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonos S1 Controller has 821K ratings behind it against 453, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of Sonos S1 Controller's written reviews are positive against 69% of Garmin Audio's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sonos S1 Controller ships an update every 2 months, Garmin Audio every 3 months. Both last shipped on September 25, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Sonos S1 Controller versus Garmin Audio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSonos S1 ControllerGarmin Audio
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (821K ratings) — better4.0 (453 ratings)
Positive reviews52.1% of reviews69.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings821K — better453
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#207 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size103 MB54 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperSonos, Inc.Garmin

Customer experience

Sonos S1 Controller

All ratings820,654 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.4%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews1,747 reviews
Positive52.1%
Neutral8.2%
Negative39.6%

Garmin Audio

All ratings453 ratings
Positive72.6%
Neutral5.7%
Negative21.6%
Written reviews236 reviews
Positive69.1%
Neutral8.9%
Negative22.0%

User reviews

Sonos S1 Controller

From 821K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Garmin Audio

From 453 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Convenient remote control
  • 💡 Great for multi-zone audio control
  • 🎨 Intuitive interface
  • 🔊 Excellent sound quality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🔍 Inconsistent app performance
  • 🔌 Difficulty updating firmware
  • 🤖 Lack of Apple Watch support
  • 🔇 Volume control problems

Bugs and requests

Sonos S1 Controller

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Garmin Audio

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when adjusting volume
  • Bluetooth disconnects frequently
  • Fails to detect stereo system
  • Inconsistent zone control functionality

Requested features

4 requests
  • Apple Watch app
  • More customization options
  • Improved Bluetooth/WiFi reliability
  • Streamlined firmware update process

In-app purchases

None

Sonos S1 Controller

No in-app purchases

None

Garmin Audio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sonos S1 Controller free?
Sonos S1 Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Garmin Audio free?
Garmin Audio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sonos S1 Controller or Garmin Audio?
Sonos S1 Controller is rated higher. Sonos S1 Controller averages 4.7 out of 5 from 821K ratings, while Garmin Audio averages 4.0 from 453 ratings.
Do Sonos S1 Controller or Garmin Audio have ads?
Neither Sonos S1 Controller nor Garmin Audio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sonos S1 Controller or Garmin Audio?
Sonos S1 Controller ships an update every 2 months, and Garmin Audio every 3 months. Most recently, Sonos S1 Controller was updated on September 25, 2026 and Garmin Audio on September 25, 2026.

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