# Sonos S1 Controller vs Bose SoundTouch

The clearest difference is monetization model: Bose SoundTouch at free against Sonos S1 Controller's free with in-app purchases. Bose SoundTouch also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.0). Sonos S1 Controller's advantage is ratings volume (821K vs 121K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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 4.7 for Bose SoundTouch. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sonos S1 Controller has 821K ratings behind it against 121K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Sonos S1 Controller's written reviews are positive against 56% of Bose SoundTouch's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sonos S1 Controller | Bose SoundTouch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (821K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonos-s1-controller/id293523031/reviews) | [4.7 (121K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bose-soundtouch/id708379313/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **821K** | 121K |
| Positive reviews | 52.1% of reviews | **55.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 103 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| 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 SoundTouch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bose-soundtouch/id708379313)

Control your wireless home speakers to play music throughout your house or in different rooms. Access streaming services, internet radio, and your personal music library with ease. Personalize presets for instant access to your favorite content.

**Highlights:** Stream music from multiple services, Personalized one-touch presets, Access over 100,000 radio stations, Play music from local libraries, Control multiple speakers, Play music everywhere or in different rooms

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎉 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 💯 Excellent product
- 🔥 Awesome speakers
- 🌟 Superior audio experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 😤 Unreliable app performance
- 🤯 Frustrating setup process
- 🤔 Lacking features compared to competitors
- 😞 Disappointing user experience

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently loses connection to speakers
- Speakers randomly drop out during playback
- Firmware updates cause more problems than they solve
- App unable to locate music libraries on network devices
- Inconsistent volume control between app and hardware

**Requested features**

- More presets/favorites in the app
- Ability to control subwoofer volume from the app
- Seamless integration between app and hardware controls
- Support for additional music services (e.g. Pandora Premium)
- Improved multi-room synchronization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sonos S1 Controller free?

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

### Is Bose SoundTouch free?

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

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

Sonos S1 Controller and Bose SoundTouch are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 821K and 121K ratings respectively.

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

Neither Sonos S1 Controller nor Bose SoundTouch shows ads.

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

Sonos S1 Controller ships an update every 2 months, and Bose SoundTouch every 2 months. Most recently, Sonos S1 Controller was updated on October 15, 2026 and Bose SoundTouch on October 15, 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.*