Comparison

DS audio vs MusicStreamer

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

MusicStreamer

Access and play your entire music library from your computer or network drive directly on your mobile device without syncing. Stream or download tracks, organize with playlists, and enjoy gapless playback with support for various audio formats and casting devices.

Highlights
  • Stream music from PC, Mac, or network drives
  • Play music without syncing
  • Create and edit playlists
  • Import/export playlists
  • Download tracks for offline playback
  • Stream to Airplay and Chromecast devices
  • Supports lossless audio formats
Features
Read full description

Rediscover your Music Library with MusicStreamer. "One of the best music streaming apps available for the iOS operating system." - appPicker.com "A smart, new app that makes local music streaming easier than ever." - AppAdvice.com “A fantastic answer to a common problem” - 148Apps Do you have a music collection with thousands of files on your PC, Mac, Network Drive or Time Capsule? Now you can play that music directly on your iPad / iPhone without syncing. MusicStreamer will scan your music, display beautiful album artwork and is a joy to use. Our setup wizard will have you connected to your music in no time. Create multiple music collections such as your main collection at home and a WiFi drive in the car. Easily switch between them. Easily create and edit new playlists. Import Playlists. MusicStreamer can import m3u and m3u8 playlist files. Export MusicStreamer playlists to iTunes. Filter your music by genre or search for your favourite song, artist or album. Download tracks, albums or playlists to play when offline. Stream your music to Airplay enabled speakers or Chromecast devices, including Chromecast groups such as your whole house. MusicStreamer plays lossless FLAC, OPUS and WAV files as well as MP3, M4A, AAC and AIF. Supports gapless playback. Scrobble to last.fm. We would love to hear your feedback at support@stratospherix.com and this will drive new features in future updates. To find out more visit our website www.stratospherix.com/products/musicstreamer/ For support email support@stratospherix.com

Screenshots

DS audio4 screens
MusicStreamer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MusicStreamer at 78% against DS audio's 29%. MusicStreamer also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.7) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). DS audio's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

DS audio is free to download; MusicStreamer costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MusicStreamer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 211 and 565 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of DS audio's written reviews are positive against 78% of MusicStreamer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DS audio ships an update every 3 months, MusicStreamer every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
DS audio versus MusicStreamer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDS audioMusicStreamer
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating2.7 (211 ratings)4.6 (565 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.9% of reviews77.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings211565 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSynology Inc.Stratospherix Ltd

Customer experience

DS audio

All ratings206 ratings
Positive34.0%
Neutral17.5%
Negative48.5%
Written reviews280 reviews
Positive28.9%
Neutral23.6%
Negative47.5%

MusicStreamer

All ratings559 ratings
Positive90.7%
Neutral3.4%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews274 reviews
Positive77.7%
Neutral8.4%
Negative13.9%

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

MusicStreamer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

DS audio

No in-app purchases

None

MusicStreamer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DS audio free?
DS audio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MusicStreamer free?
MusicStreamer costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DS audio or MusicStreamer?
MusicStreamer is rated higher. DS audio averages 2.7 out of 5 from 211 ratings, while MusicStreamer averages 4.6 from 565 ratings.
Do DS audio or MusicStreamer have ads?
Neither DS audio nor MusicStreamer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DS audio or MusicStreamer?
DS audio ships an update every 3 months, and MusicStreamer every 6 weeks. Most recently, DS audio was updated on October 20, 2026 and MusicStreamer on October 21, 2026.

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