BluOS Controller vs HEOS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BluOS Controller
Control your wireless hi-res music systems from multiple brands. Stream music from various sources, synchronize playback across rooms, and manage your entire audio experience wirelessly from your smartphone or tablet.
- Universal remote for BluOS-enabled systems
- Wireless multi-room music streaming
- Access streaming services, libraries, and radio
- Synchronized playback across multiple rooms
- Control from smartphone, tablet, or laptop
- High-resolution audio with no lag
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The BluOS Controller app serves as the universal remote for all BluOS-enabled wireless hi-res music systems, including Bluesound, NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, Bluesound Professional, Cyrus Audio, DALI Speakers, and Monitor Audio. Link multiple BluOS-enabled systems to enjoy synchronized music throughout your home. Access, stream, and enjoy music from various sources, such as streaming services, your music library, or global Internet radio stations and podcasts. The best part? It's all wireless, effortlessly controlled from your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, delivering stunning audio with no lag and zero loss in sound quality. Available for iOS devices, the BluOS Controller app is everything you need to set up, control and listen to your music on a BluOS-enabled wireless music system. • Wirelessly stream your music to any BluOS-enabled stereo system, wired loudspeakers, or wireless speakers. • Effortlessly browse, access, and enjoy music from numerous streaming services, Internet radio stations, or your personal library. • Take control of your music from anywhere within your home using your smartphone or tablet. • Play different music in each room simultaneously, or achieve flawless synchronization across all BluOS-enabled speakers and players. • Easily position BluOS-enabled speakers and players throughout your home, connecting them to your WiFi network with user-friendly setup tutorials and support. Learn more about BluOS at www.bluos.io. Have questions or need support? Go to support.bluesound.com for BluOS FAQs, setup tips, and troubleshooting articles.
HEOS
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.
- True multi-room audio
- Quick and easy setup
- Access online music services
- Search across multiple music sources
- Control playback remotely
- Access locally stored music
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HEOS is the controller app for the world’s biggest and best range of connected audio gear. It is a smart music streaming technology found in all devices Powered by HEOS from Denon, Marantz, and Definitive Technology. HEOS is for music lovers who want a beautiful and intuitive way to enjoy the latest advances in connected audio. You can find HEOS built into great sounding AV receivers, Hi-Fi equipment, sound bars, speakers, mini systems and specialty multi-room models. Features: True multi-room audio: play different songs in different rooms or the same song in multiple rooms. Quick and easy setup: add all your speakers with step-by-step instructions. Instant access to your favorite music: play from your favorite online music services, like Spotify, Amazon Music, TIDAL, and more. Search your music in one place: use one search function to browse across multiple music sources. See what’s playing any time: play, pause, and skip music from anywhere in the app. Access locally stored music: play music saved to your phone, USB, analog inputs, computers, and NAS drives. Share with your friends and family: support for multiple users and multiple music service accounts.
Screenshots
Verdict
BluOS Controller and HEOS both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 39% of BluOS Controller's written reviews are positive against 24% of HEOS's. BluOS Controller also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and device support (4 vs 2). HEOS's advantage is ratings volume (27K vs 5.3K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for BluOS Controller against 4.4 for HEOS. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HEOS has 27K ratings behind it against 5.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 39% of BluOS Controller's written reviews are positive against 24% of HEOS's.
BluOS Controller ships an update monthly, HEOS every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | BluOS Controller | HEOS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (5.3K ratings) | 4.4 (27K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 38.8% of reviews — better | 24.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5.3K | 27K — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 100 MB | 327 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bluesound | D&M Holdings |
Customer experience
BluOS Controller
HEOS
User reviews
BluOS Controller
From 5.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great hardware and sound quality
- 💡 Versatile streaming options
- 🔒 Stable and reliable connection
- 👍 Intuitive app interface
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent connectivity issues
- 🐛 Buggy app updates
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 👎 Unintuitive playlist management
- 👎 Poor customer support
HEOS
From 27K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Excellent sound quality
- 🔒 Robust wireless connectivity
- 👍 Convenient app control
- 💡 Integrates with various music services
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable app
- 👎 Poor user interface and navigation
- 🔌 Connectivity issues and frequent disconnects
- 💤 Slow app performance and loading times
Bugs and requests
BluOS Controller
Reported bugs
4 issues- App fails to detect/connect to players
- Playlists not saving/loading properly
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Streaming service integration issues
Requested features
4 requests- Improved Spotify/Apple Music integration
- Better local music library support
- Chromecast/AirPlay integration
- Customizable app interface
HEOS
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Speakers randomly disappear from the network
- Volume controls are inconsistent and unreliable
- Sync issues between grouped speakers
Requested features
4 requests- 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
In-app purchases
BluOS Controller
No in-app purchases
HEOS
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BluOS Controller free?
Is HEOS free?
Which has better reviews, BluOS Controller or HEOS?
Do BluOS Controller or HEOS have ads?
Which is updated more often, BluOS Controller or HEOS?
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