# Denon Audio vs Hark Stream

The clearest difference is rating: Denon Audio at 3.9 against Hark Stream's 3.0. Denon Audio also leads on review sentiment (64% vs 33%) and ratings volume (471 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Denon Audio sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hark Stream sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Denon Audio holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Denon Audio has 471 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Denon Audio's written reviews are positive against 33% of Hark Stream's.

Denon Audio ships an update every 6 weeks, Hark Stream monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Denon Audio | Hark Stream |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (471 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/denon-audio/id520604518/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hark-stream/id6449079863/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **471** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **63.7% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 20 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [D&M Holdings](https://appshunter.io/developer/388608883) | [Sergey Kirichenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1532990653) |

## What reviewers say

### Denon Audio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/denon-audio/id520604518)

This app enhances your listening experience with a premium audio player, offering advanced EQ customization for your music library and internet radio. Create custom playlists, access global radio stations, and stream wirelessly to compatible devices.

**Highlights:** Customizable graphical equalizer, Create and save EQ presets, Queue-based playback system, Save playback queues as playlists, Access to 70,000+ internet radio stations, Real-time spectrum analyzer, Stream music over AirPlay and Bluetooth

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Equalizer | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Excellent equalizer with customizable settings
- 🔊 Significantly improves audio quality
- 📚 Integrates well with music library
- 🎶 Versatile playback options (queue, playlists, etc.)
- 🌐 Provides access to online radio stations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or stability issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💸 Equalizer feature requires in-app purchase
- 📱 User interface could use modernization
- 🔍 Difficulty finding or accessing certain features

**Reported bugs**

- Equalizer settings not persisting after app restart
- Playback issues with certain songs or albums
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Gapless playback
- Ability to control music from Apple Watch
- Support for more audio file formats
- Better integration with streaming services
- Improved search and browsing functionality


### Hark Stream

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hark-stream/id6449079863)

This app enables compatible audio equipment to stream music directly from URLs. It supports devices with HEOS Built-in and select Yamaha models. A free version offers limited link playback, with a premium subscription unlocking unlimited streaming.

**Highlights:** Direct URL music streaming, HEOS Built-in device control, Yamaha CRX-N560 compatibility, Unlimited link playback (Premium), Free trial period, Annual subscription option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $2.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Denon Audio free?

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

### Is Hark Stream free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Denon Audio or Hark Stream?

Denon Audio is rated higher. Denon Audio averages 3.9 out of 5 from 471 ratings, while Hark Stream averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Denon Audio or Hark Stream have ads?

Neither Denon Audio nor Hark Stream shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Denon Audio or Hark Stream?

Denon Audio ships an update every 6 weeks, and Hark Stream monthly. Most recently, Denon Audio was updated on October 15, 2026 and Hark Stream on October 7, 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.*