Comparison

SonicMate vs Vinylock

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SonicMate

Features
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SonicMate plays the music you already own: the library hosted on your own Navidrome server, or on any Subsonic-compatible server. No catalogue, no subscription, no algorithm. Just your library, on your server, organised the way you organised it. IMPORTANT SonicMate is a player, not a music service: to use it you need your own Navidrome or Subsonic server, which you already run or set up yourself. If you don't have one, you can still explore the app by tapping "Prova la demo" (Try the demo) on the sign-in screen. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Browse your library by artist, album, genre and playlist • Search across tracks, albums and artists • Stream straight from your server • Download tracks and listen with no connection • Create and edit playlists • Mark favourites • Come back to recently added and most played APPLE WATCH The Apple Watch app works as a remote for your iPhone: it shows what's playing, offers play, pause and track skip, and adjusts the volume with the Digital Crown. IN THE BACKGROUND Playback continues with the screen locked, with controls on the Lock Screen and in Control Centre. PRIVACY SonicMate collects no data. No tracking, no usage analytics, no advertising, no third-party components. The app talks only to the server you configure: your credentials and downloaded tracks stay on your device. REQUIREMENTS A Navidrome or Subsonic-compatible server reachable from your iPhone, on your local network or over the internet. SonicMate is an independent third-party client and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Navidrome project.

About

Vinylock

Stream your self-hosted music library with this native player. Organize by artist, album, or genre, download for offline listening, and enjoy a parametric equalizer. Supports CarPlay and internet radio.

Highlights
  • Browse and stream self-hosted music
  • Download music for offline listening
  • Parametric equalizer with presets
  • CarPlay support
  • Internet radio stations
  • Customizable appearance
Features
Read full description

Vinylock is a native music player for your own Navidrome server. If you self-host your music library with Navidrome, Vinylock gives you a fast, fully native way to browse and stream it on iPhone, iPad, and Mac — no ads, no subscriptions, no third-party cloud in between. Just your library, your rules. Your library, properly organized Browse by artist, album, song, genre, or playlist, with fast alphabetic scrubbing through large libraries. Mark favorites, build playlists, and pick up recently played or recently added albums right from Home. Take it offline Download albums and songs for offline listening — perfect for flights, commutes, or spotty connections. Original quality is always preserved for downloads, with adjustable streaming quality for WiFi and cellular separately. A real equalizer Vinylock includes a full parametric EQ — Bass Booster, Vocal Booster, Small Speakers, Loudness, and more — off by default, on when you want it. In App Purchase. Built for how you actually listen • Full CarPlay support for browsing and playback on the road • Background audio with lock screen and Control Center controls • Internet radio stations • Sleep timer, shuffle, repeat, and a persistent play queue • Animated cover art playback for albums with animated artwork Discover what's missing (optional) Connect a Lidarr instance to browse and request albums you don't have yet, right alongside your existing library. Make it yours Choose from a wide range of accent colors, each with a matching alternate app icon, and switch between light, dark, or system appearance. Vinylock is fully localized in English, Spanish, French, German, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese. Requirements Vinylock connects to a Navidrome server (or any Subsonic/OpenSubsonic-compatible server) that you or someone you trust runs. It does not include or provide any music itself.

Screenshots

SonicMate4 screens
Vinylock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SonicMate at none against Vinylock's 1. On price, update cadence, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Vinylock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SonicMate asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SonicMate ships an update every 9 days, Vinylock weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
SonicMate versus Vinylock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSonicMateVinylock
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuri GanugiAlexandr Garlock Development House LLC

In-app purchases

None

SonicMate

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Vinylock

One-time1
  • Pro$0.99

Questions

Is SonicMate free?
SonicMate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Vinylock free?
Vinylock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SonicMate or Vinylock have ads?
Neither SonicMate nor Vinylock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SonicMate or Vinylock?
SonicMate ships an update every 9 days, and Vinylock weekly. Most recently, SonicMate was updated on November 5, 2026 and Vinylock on November 6, 2026.

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