# AV CONTROLLER vs HEOS

The clearest difference is rating: HEOS at 4.4 against AV CONTROLLER's 2.5. HEOS also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (27K vs 760). AV CONTROLLER's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and review sentiment (39% vs 29%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

HEOS holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HEOS has 27K ratings behind it against 760, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 39% of AV CONTROLLER's written reviews are positive against 29% of HEOS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

AV CONTROLLER ships an update every 3 months, HEOS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AV CONTROLLER | HEOS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (760 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-controller-us/id467496375/reviews) | **[4.4 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heos/id843129434/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 760 | **27K** |
| Positive reviews | **38.9% of reviews** | 29.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 92 MB | 328 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yamaha Corporation of America](https://appshunter.io/developer/408058585) | [D&M Holdings](https://appshunter.io/developer/388608883) |

## What reviewers say

### AV CONTROLLER

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-controller-us/id467496375)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a Wi-Fi remote for compatible Yamaha network products. Control inputs, volume, power, and stream music directly from your device to your AV system. Enjoy seamless control over your home entertainment setup.

**Highlights:** Wi-Fi remote control, Input selection, Volume and power control, Music streaming from device, DSP and SCENE selection, Blu-ray player control

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Phenomenal internet radio and USB audio playback
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🚀 Flawless receiver control
- 👍 Excellent range of setup and ease of use
- 👍 Convenient remote control

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent connection issues and app crashes
- 🐛 Lack of support for newer receivers
- 🐛 Unreliable performance, often fails to connect
- 🐛 Buggy updates break functionality
- 👎 Cluttered and unintuitive user interface

**Reported bugs**

- App stuck in demo mode, unable to connect to receiver
- Crashes when trying to access certain features
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Receiver not recognized after firmware updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to search and play music by song title
- Independent volume control for multiple zones
- Apple Watch and Apple TV apps
- HomeKit and Siri support
- Customizable user interface and favorites


### HEOS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heos/id843129434)

Control a wide range of connected audio devices from Denon, Marantz, and Definitive Technology. Stream music from online services or local storage, and enjoy true multi-room audio with easy setup and intuitive control.

**Highlights:** True multi-room audio, Quick and easy setup, Access online music services, Search across multiple music sources, Control playback remotely, Access locally stored music

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent sound quality
- 🔒 Robust wireless connectivity
- 👍 Convenient app control
- 💡 Integrates with various music services

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 👎 Poor user interface and navigation
- 🔌 Connectivity issues and frequent disconnects
- 💤 Slow app performance and loading times

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Speakers randomly disappear from the network
- Volume controls are inconsistent and unreliable
- Sync issues between grouped speakers

**Requested features**

- Add support for Apple Music
- Improve playlist management and queue functionality
- Provide better customization options for rooms and speakers
- Implement a more intuitive and user-friendly app design


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AV CONTROLLER free?

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

### Is HEOS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AV CONTROLLER or HEOS?

HEOS is rated higher. AV CONTROLLER averages 2.5 out of 5 from 760 ratings, while HEOS averages 4.4 from 27K ratings.

### Do AV CONTROLLER or HEOS have ads?

Neither AV CONTROLLER nor HEOS shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AV CONTROLLER or HEOS?

AV CONTROLLER ships an update every 3 months, and HEOS every 3 weeks. Most recently, AV CONTROLLER was updated on October 12, 2026 and HEOS on October 13, 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.*