# hi vs Roon ARC

The clearest difference is rating: hi at 4.8 against Roon ARC's 3.3. hi also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 36%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Roon ARC's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. hi sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per 6 months. Roon ARC asks for nothing beyond the download.

hi holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 56 and 201 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of hi's written reviews are positive against 36% of Roon ARC's.

hi ships an update every 6 months, Roon ARC monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | hi | Roon ARC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hi-fi-plus-global-network/id406476043/reviews)** | [3.3 (201 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon-arc/id1555549544/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 56 | **201** |
| Positive reviews | **51.1% of reviews** | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 124 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Absolute Multimedia UK Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1544264482) | [Roon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1014764082) |

## What reviewers say

### hi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hi-fi-plus-global-network/id406476043)

Explore the world of high-end audio with Europe's leading English-language magazine. Discover the finest audio components, from classic amplifiers to state-of-the-art music servers, and find the latest music to enrich your listening experience.

**Highlights:** High-end audio reviews, Latest digital audio technology, Turntable and amplifier features, Music server insights, Music discovery, Expert audiophile writers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hi-Fi Plus | $14.99 | per 6 months |
| Hi-Fi Plus | $24.99 | per year |
| Hi-Fi+ Issue 78 (id:353221) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hi-Fi+ Issue 81 (id:353215) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hi-Fi+ Issue 131 (id:410644) | $2.99 | one-time |
| issue134 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Hi-Fi+ & TAS Ul... (id:446013) | $3.99 | one-time |
| hi-fi+ Issue 245 (pp:1114081) | $3.99 | one-time |
| hi-fi+ Issue 235 (pp:1009611) | $3.99 | one-time |
| hi-fi+ Issue 234 (pp:1009617) | $3.99 | one-time |
| hi-fi+ Issue 233 (pp:1009623) | $3.99 | one-time |
| HiFiPlus 6 back issue bundle | $14.99 | one-time |
| 8 issue subscription | $17.99 | one-time |
| 16 issue subscription | $29.99 | one-time |


### Roon ARC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon-arc/id1555549544)

Access your entire Roon music library, including personal files and streaming services, from anywhere. Enjoy high-quality audio playback, offline listening, and in-depth music discovery features optimized for mobile and car use.

**Highlights:** Access Roon library anywhere, Offline music downloads, High-quality audio playback, Advanced EQ and audio shaping, In-depth music discovery, Car integration

**Features:** Siri integration, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with Roon
- 🌍 Access music library anywhere
- 🔊 High-quality audio playback
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 💡 Useful feature additions like EQ presets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🤖 Unreliable performance, especially on mobile networks
- 📱 Lack of iPad-optimized interface
- 🔌 Requires complex network setup for remote access

**Reported bugs**

- Corrupted media files
- Disappearing playlists
- Inability to select external storage for downloads
- Inconsistent connectivity to Roon server

**Requested features**

- Native iPad app
- Siri integration for voice control
- Improved browsing and search capabilities
- Automatic offline downloads
- MQA decoding support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is hi free?

hi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Roon ARC free?

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

### Which has better reviews, hi or Roon ARC?

hi is rated higher. hi averages 4.8 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while Roon ARC averages 3.3 from 201 ratings.

### Do hi or Roon ARC have ads?

Neither hi nor Roon ARC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, hi or Roon ARC?

hi ships an update every 6 months, and Roon ARC monthly. Most recently, hi was updated on October 23, 2026 and Roon ARC on November 3, 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.*