# Focal & Naim vs Play

The clearest difference is rating: Play at 4.5 against Focal & Naim's 2.2. Play also leads on ratings volume (3.5K vs 254) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). Focal & Naim's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Play holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Play has 3.5K ratings behind it against 254, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Focal & Naim's written reviews are positive against 25% of Play's.

Focal & Naim ships an update every 5 weeks, Play every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Focal & Naim | Play |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.2 (254 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-and-naim/id381694252/reviews) | **[4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-fi/id779245456/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 254 | **3.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 23.2% of reviews | **25.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 448 MB | 285 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Naim Audio Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/345898788) | [DTS, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/779245460) |

## What reviewers say

### Focal & Naim

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/focal-and-naim/id381694252)

This app unifies your music experience, offering seamless control over your audio devices and streaming services. Manage your entire ecosystem, set up new products, and enjoy high-resolution playback with personalized settings.

**Highlights:** Unified ecosystem control, Intuitive product setup, High-resolution streaming, Multi-room audio synchronization, Personalized EQ and settings, Internet radio access, CarPlay integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 App works well
- 👍 Focal app works fine
- 👍 Naim app works well with Uniti Atom
- 👍 Seamless Tidal integration
- 👍 Reliable connectivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and crashes
- 🐛 Unstable app, unreliable connectivity
- 🐛 Buggy, freezes, and loses connection
- 🐛 Constantly needs to be reset
- 🐛 Struggles to find and connect to devices

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent disconnections from devices
- Inability to find and connect to devices
- Crashes and freezes during use
- Issues with firmware updates
- Compatibility problems with iOS 16

**Requested features**

- Improve volume control granularity
- Add EQ controls and presets
- Improve Tidal integration
- Enhance radio station browsing
- Implement better multi-room support


### Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/play-fi/id779245456)

Wirelessly stream high-fidelity audio throughout your home using Wi-Fi. Control music from various sources, including streaming services, radio, and your device's library. Easily set up and manage multiple speakers for a whole-home listening experience.

**Highlights:** Whole-home wireless audio, Wi-Fi streaming, Multiple music sources, Speaker group management, Volume control, DLNA server support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works well
- 🔒 Integrates well with amplifier
- 👍 Keeps improving with updates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, glitchy, and unreliable
- 👎 Limited features and functionality
- 🔌 Constant connection issues
- 💤 Slow to load and connect
- 🤯 Frustrating user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Drops connections frequently
- Fails to recognize devices
- Resets music playback unexpectedly
- Issues with volume control and balancing
- Incompatible with recent firmware/software updates

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple Music
- Improve Spotify integration
- Implement gapless playback
- Provide better interface and navigation
- Add search functionality for local music libraries


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Focal & Naim free?

Focal & Naim is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Play free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Focal & Naim or Play?

Play is rated higher. Focal & Naim averages 2.2 out of 5 from 254 ratings, while Play averages 4.5 from 3.5K ratings.

### Do Focal & Naim or Play have ads?

Play shows ads; Focal & Naim does not.

### Which is updated more often, Focal & Naim or Play?

Focal & Naim ships an update every 5 weeks, and Play every 2 months. Most recently, Focal & Naim was updated on November 6, 2026 and Play on November 6, 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.*