DS file vs Plex Dash
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DS file
Access, manage, and edit files stored on your Synology NAS from your mobile device. Upload, download, and securely browse documents, pictures, and videos on the go.
- File management on Synology NAS
- Upload and download files
- Basic file editing
- Secure HTTPS access
- Browse pictures and videos
- Access work documents
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**You must own a Synology NAS to run this app, and have upgraded to DSM 5.2 to get the complete set of features** DS file is ideal to manage files stored on your DiskStation, upload or download between the NAS and the iDevice itself, or do basic editing tasks. And always securely with HTTPS support. Besides file management, DS file is also a useful tool to do anything from browsing pictures, watching videos or checking work documents when you are on the go.
Plex Dash
Monitor your Plex Media Server in real-time. Track streams, DVR recordings, and server resources with detailed graphs. Manage media artwork and refresh libraries directly from your device.
- Real-time playback status
- DVR recording monitoring
- Bandwidth and resource graphs
- Top media and user history
- Artwork management
- Library refresh
- Server log inspection
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** You'll need a Plex Media Server and an active Plex Pass to use this app ** ** From the same people who brought you the Plex app ** ** PS - If you’re new to Plex, download the Plex app first ** Pop quiz, hotshot: how many streams is your Plex Media Server dishing out RIGHT NOW? What’s your most-watched movie in the past month? Is that CPU you picked up from a sketchy eBay vendor up to the task? More importantly, are you sure that’s the best poster for Speed (1994)? Plex Dash is a tool created by obsessive Plex Media Server admins for obsessive Plex Media Server admins. Get real-time status of playbacks, DVR recordings, Sync conversions, and more. Monitor bandwidth and server resources with sexy graphs. Dig deeper and learn about top items or individual user history. Fix up artwork. Refresh libraries. Inspect nerdy media details. If it all goes south, check out the raw server logs. MASTER YOUR MEDIAVERSE Who’s streaming what right now? Plex Dash answers in spades. Gorgeous Now Playing tiles keep you apprised of all the latest shenanigans, across all of your servers. Put that giant iPad to great use by duct-taping it to the wall (landscape, duh); lean back, pet your hairless cat, and keep an eye on your empire. DIVE UNDER THE HOOD Server up to something? DVR recording? Media Optimizer doing its… optimizing? You get a chonky lightning bolt to make sure this doesn’t go unnoticed. ONE-HANDED CURATION Browse and change artwork from the palm of your hand while checking out at your local co-op. It’s like that other swipey app, but with less risk of disease.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Plex Dash at 81% against DS file's 31%. Plex Dash also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.8) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). DS file's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Plex Dash holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plex Dash has 2.2K ratings behind it against 357, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of DS file's written reviews are positive against 81% of Plex Dash's.
DS file ships an update every 4 months, Plex Dash monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DS file | Plex Dash |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (357 ratings) | 4.6 (2.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 31.2% of reviews | 81.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 357 | 2.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Synology Inc. | Plex Inc. |
Customer experience
DS file
Plex Dash
User reviews
DS file
From 357 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and efficient file management
- 🚀 Fast file access and transfer
- 💡 Useful photo backup feature
- 🔒 Secure remote access to NAS
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes, especially after updates
- 🔍 Inconsistent file format support (e.g. .MOV, .HEIC)
- 🔍 Lack of advanced features like multi-select and sorting
- 🔍 Slow performance, especially on older devices
Plex Dash
From 2.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Useful for monitoring server status
- 🚀 Convenient mobile access to server information
- 💡 Ability to change artwork remotely
- 🔒 Works seamlessly with Plex account
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to web interface
- 🔍 Clunky navigation and user interface
- 🔍 Lacking advanced server management features
- 🔍 Slow to update or refresh server information
Bugs and requests
DS file
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues, unable to connect to NAS
- Video playback not working, especially on iOS 12+
- Excessive storage usage and cache issues
- Inconsistent behavior after iOS updates
Requested features
5 requests- Integrate with iOS Files app
- Add support for more file formats
- Improve photo/video backup functionality
- Implement dark mode
- Allow multi-file selection and batch operations
Plex Dash
Reported bugs
3 issues- Difficulty connecting to server or finding servers
- Crashes when viewing server graphs
- Inaccurate or incomplete playback history
Requested features
6 requests- Add ability to manage users and permissions
- Integrate more server administration functions
- Improve library browsing and media details
- Provide more detailed playback statistics
- Add support for GPU monitoring
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- Allow remote server control and updates
In-app purchases
DS file
No in-app purchases
Plex Dash
No in-app purchases
