# JBL OnBeat vs wristonic

The clearest difference is review sentiment: wristonic at 100% against JBL OnBeat's 21%. wristonic also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.8) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). JBL OnBeat's advantage is ratings volume (53 vs 4) and iOS requirement (3.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

wristonic holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: JBL OnBeat has 53 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of JBL OnBeat's written reviews are positive against 100% of wristonic's.

JBL OnBeat ships an update every 3 months, wristonic fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | JBL OnBeat | wristonic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jbl-onbeat/id419840202/reviews) | **[4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wristonic/id6762027816/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **53** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 20.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 28 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **3.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Harman International Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/419840205) | [Andy Klimczak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1437752630) |

## What reviewers say

### JBL OnBeat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jbl-onbeat/id419840202)

This application allows users to browse and play music directly from their iPod, iPad, or iPhone. It also includes a convenient alarm clock feature for added functionality.

**Highlights:** Browse and play music, Music from iPod, iPad, iPhone, Alarm clock functionality

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎶 Good sound quality
- ✨ Stylish design
- 🔌 Easy setup
- 🚀 Works well with older devices (sometimes)
- 🔊 Great sound for the size

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Incompatible with newer iOS
- 🧱 Device becomes bricked
- 📉 Poor app support
- 👎 Outdated interface
- 🚫 No firmware updates

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on iPhone 5 iOS 6.1.4
- Wi-Fi connection constantly crashes
- App doesn't wake device from standby
- Alarm doesn't sound when device is in standby
- EQ settings disappeared

**Requested features**

- Update app for latest iOS versions
- Add firmware update functionality
- Improve UI/UX
- Add sleep and alarm functions
- Enable manual SSID entry for Wi-Fi


### wristonic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wristonic/id6762027816)

This open-source music player allows you to browse your library, stream internet radio, and download albums directly from your Subsonic-compatible server to your Apple Watch. Enjoy offline playback and full playback controls without needing your iPhone.

**Highlights:** Standalone Apple Watch app, Browse artists, albums, and tracks, Stream music from your server, Download albums for offline playback, Internet radio support, Playback controls on watch

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is JBL OnBeat free?

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

### Is wristonic free?

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

### Which has better reviews, JBL OnBeat or wristonic?

wristonic is rated higher. JBL OnBeat averages 2.8 out of 5 from 53 ratings, while wristonic averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do JBL OnBeat or wristonic have ads?

Neither JBL OnBeat nor wristonic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, JBL OnBeat or wristonic?

JBL OnBeat ships an update every 3 months, and wristonic fortnightly. Most recently, JBL OnBeat was updated on November 3, 2026 and wristonic on October 31, 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.*