Comparison

DS audio vs Plexamp

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

Head to head
About

DS audio

Stream your music library from your Synology NAS to your iPhone or iPad. Enjoy offline playback, organize music by various criteria, create and share playlists, and even rate your tracks. It can also function as a remote control for streaming to home stereo speakers.

Highlights
  • Stream music from Synology NAS
  • Offline music playback
  • Browse by albums, artists, genres
  • Create and share playlists
  • Rate music tracks
  • Remote control for home speakers
Features
Read full description

**You must own a Synology NAS to run this app, and be running the Audio Station 6.5.0 package to get the complete set of features** DS audio allows you to stream music stored on your DiskStation with an iPhone/iPad wherever an Internet connection is available. Better yet, with the offline mode you can listen to songs stored in the device’s local memory for when no network connection is available. You can browse music by albums, artists, folders or genres, create your own playlists or share them with your friends, and even rate your music! And if you have dedicated stereo speakers at home, DS audio can also become a remote control to stream music to them. Find all detailed features about the app on our website: www.synology.com > NAS > DSM 7.1 > Apps > Mobile Apps > Software Specs https://www.synology.com/en-global/dsm/7.1/software_spec/video_station#affiliated_utility__ds_video_mobile__feature

About

Plexamp

A dedicated music player for your Plex library, offering audiophile-grade playback features, stunning visuals, and personalized radio stations. Enjoy your music collection with advanced customization and offline listening options.

Highlights
  • Audiophile-grade playback (gapless, EQ, loudness leveling)
  • Hypnotic visualizers and UltraBlur backgrounds
  • Personalized radio stations and Mix Builder
  • Offline listening for playlists and stations
  • Powerful search and playback history
  • Customizable themes and artist exploration
Features
Read full description

** You'll need a Plex Media Server and a Plex account to use this app ** Plexamp is the answer to the question "what would happen if you gave a handful of Plex music and pixel nerds a few cocktails and free rein to create the app of their dreams?" Plexamp is a beautiful, dedicated Plex music player with tons of goodies for audiophile purists, music curators, and music fans of all ages looking for their next aural fix. SUPER AUDIO PLAYER Loudness leveling, true gapless playback, Sweet Fades™, soft transitions, a configurable preamp, a 7-band EQ, and more. Perfection for golden ears, buttery smooth touches for the rest of us. Custom pre-caching so your music keeps playing, because sometimes life brings you through tunnels. MUSIC TO YOUR EYES Experience your music collection like you’ve never seen it before, with our UltraBlur backgrounds, over a dozen hypnotic visualizers, and four visual themes to satisfy every taste. FIND YOUR FIX Radios built from your library and your cooler friends' collections. Travel through time, pick a style or mood, or listen album-by-album like the purist you are. Use the Mix Builder to explore and craft your perfect blend. Explore your personal charts and see what you were into last Fall or your top albums from the 60s. OFFLINE BLISS Grab a few hours of your favorite playlist or stations with just a few taps. Download a custom mix or artist radio for the plane. Simple but powerful offline support for when you’re in the woods or run out of cellular data. IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS Powerful search. Playback activity history. Swipe-up play queue peeking. Fun artist explorations. As many settings and tweaks as our resident UXpert let us add. ENTERPRISE CLASS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT Just kidding. It's a music player. Follow us on Twitter @plexamp or Mastodon https://mstdn.social/@plexamp See the terms of service at https://www.plex.tv/about/privacy-legal/plex-terms-of-service/

Screenshots

DS audio4 screens
Plexamp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Plexamp at 76% against DS audio's 29%. Plexamp also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.8) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). DS audio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Plexamp sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. DS audio asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Plexamp holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plexamp has 10K ratings behind it against 206, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of DS audio's written reviews are positive against 76% of Plexamp's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DS audio ships an update every 3 months, Plexamp every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
DS audio versus Plexamp: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDS audioPlexamp
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (206 ratings)4.7 (10K ratings) — better
Positive reviews29.1% of reviews75.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings20610K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB44 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSynology Inc.Plex Inc.

Customer experience

DS audio

All ratings206 ratings
Positive34.0%
Neutral17.5%
Negative48.5%
Written reviews278 reviews
Positive29.1%
Neutral23.4%
Negative47.5%

Plexamp

All ratings9,958 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral1.9%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews1,595 reviews
Positive75.5%
Neutral6.5%
Negative17.9%

User reviews

DS audio

From 206 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Streaming music from NAS
  • 👍 Allows offline playback
  • 💡 Integrates with home audio systems
  • 👍 Provides access to entire music library

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🐛 Unreliable connectivity and login issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent performance and skipping songs
  • 🐛 Outdated and cluttered user interface

Plexamp

From 10K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Best player ever
  • 👍 Gorgeous cover flow
  • 👍 Flexible, fun, and friendly
  • 👍 Beautiful app that functions well
  • 👍 Exceptional user interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 List by folder is an insult
  • 🐛 Offline music experience not great
  • 🐛 Hopeless tagging
  • 🐛 Can't download full playlists
  • 🐛 Slow downloads

Bugs and requests

DS audio

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App randomly closes or stops playing
  • Fails to remember playback position
  • Incompatible with latest iOS versions
  • Issues with downloading and caching music

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for Dolby Atmos and surround sound
  • Implement gapless playback
  • Improve playlist management and editing
  • Add search and sorting functionality
  • Provide better integration with CarPlay and Chromecast

Plexamp

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inconsistent behavior when offline
  • Search function broken
  • Slow library loading
  • Unreliable downloads
  • Incompatibility with certain car systems

Requested features

6 requests
  • Repeat functionality
  • Ability to edit metadata
  • Better offline management and browsing
  • Apple Watch app
  • Airplay and casting support
Show 1 more
  • Customizable home screen and layout

In-app purchases

None

DS audio

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Plexamp

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plex Pass$6.991 Month
  • Yearly Plex Pass$69.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Plex Pass$979.00

Questions

Is DS audio free?
DS audio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Plexamp free?
Plexamp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, DS audio or Plexamp?
Plexamp is rated higher. DS audio averages 2.8 out of 5 from 206 ratings, while Plexamp averages 4.7 from 10K ratings.
Do DS audio or Plexamp have ads?
Neither DS audio nor Plexamp shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DS audio or Plexamp?
DS audio ships an update every 3 months, and Plexamp every 2 weeks. Most recently, DS audio was updated on October 8, 2026 and Plexamp on October 14, 2026.

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