Comparison

Primare App vs Roon ARC

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

Head to head
About

Primare App

Stream high-resolution audio from network sources, USB devices, and internet radio. Manage playlists, control playback, and adjust volume for compatible hardware. This app allows renaming inputs and network devices.

Highlights
  • Network audio streaming
  • USB playback
  • High-resolution audio support (24bit/192kHz)
  • Internet radio playback
  • Playlist management
  • Volume control
  • Input source selection
Features
Read full description

The Primare App allows you to choose and play media (including Internet radio) at resolutions up to 24bit/192kHz from network shared music sources and storage through NP30, PRE60 and from I32 and PRE32 with installed MM30 board. Primare App will: - Establish network connections and play from any network shared music source - Play from USB-A, (stick, iPhone etc) - Play files up to 24bit /192 kHz resolution - Play internet radio (vTuner – http://www.vtuner.com) - Display and save playlists - Display format, bit rate and sample rate of the song playing - Provide fast forward and back navigation of the song playing - Provide volume control (fixed or variable on NP30) - Allow source selection of devices connected to inputs of the I32, PRE32, PRE60 and NP30 - Allow the renaming of inputs on I32, PRE32 and PRE60 - Give the I32, PRE32, PRE60 or NP30 a name on the network - Manage software updates on I32, PRE32, PRE60 and NP30

About

Roon ARC

Access your entire Roon music library and streaming services on the go. Enjoy personalized recommendations, offline listening, and advanced audio controls with a familiar interface.

Highlights
  • Access Roon library anywhere
  • Stream TIDAL, Qobuz, KKBOX
  • Offline music downloads
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Advanced audio controls (MUSE)
  • Car integration
Features
Read full description

*** Roon ARC requires a valid Roon subscription *** ARC puts the best possible on-the-go music experience in your pocket and lets you enjoy your Roon library and all of Roon's immersive features wherever you are in the world. ARC is a custom-built streaming service powered by your Roon system at home. Explore your complete collection of artists, albums, playlists, and personal music files, plus TIDAL, Qobuz, and KKBOX streams. Discover added content from Roon's music experts and smart features, such as staff-curated playlists, Daily Mixes, New Releases for You, personalized recommendations, and Roon Radio. You can add albums to your collection, build playlists, set favorites, create tags, and more, just as you can in Roon. Offline listening lets you download your personal music files to keep the music playing wherever your adventures take you – even if you're off the grid entirely. ARC offers remote access to Roon's captivating library of in-depth artist bios and album articles, revealing the stories that take us deep into the heart of our favorite music. And there's more… Ready to hit the road? Your Roon library is too! Roon's browsing and discovery features fully integrate into your car's controls for safe and convenient playback. With ARC within easy reach of the wheel, every road you take is a journey in sound. ARC makes the driver's seat feel like your listening chair at home. ARC is designed to look and feel just like Roon. You get the same intuitive, aesthetically rich Roon interface you know and love, fully optimized for your phone. No more switching between streaming apps; ARC compiles all your music in one place for easy access and maximum enjoyment. And now, Roon's audio shaping suite and pristine sound quality have arrived in ARC - with bold styling never before seen in a mobile app! MUSE delivers the precision audio control of Roon when you're on the go or running a streamlined mobile setup with ARC. It places radically unique EQ handling, optimized balance control, precision volume leveling, FLAC, DSD & MQA support, crossfeed, headroom management, and sample rate conversion in the palm of your hand. You can customize sonic qualities to your specific tastes with MUSE, then save or apply them with a few clicks. To top it all off, MUSE even remembers your presets and reapplies them when you reconnect to a known device. The MUSE Signal Path display provides complete audio signal transparency as the music flows through your device - from source media all the way to your speakers. ARC offers artful design, sound quality, and a music listening experience unmatched by any other music app. Best of all, it's included free with your Roon subscription.

Screenshots

Primare App4 screens
Roon ARC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Roon ARC at monthly against Primare App's every 12 months. Roon ARC also leads on ratings volume (199 vs 4). Primare App's advantage is iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.3 for Primare App against 3.3 for Roon ARC. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roon ARC has 199 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Primare App's written reviews are positive against 36% of Roon ARC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Primare App ships an update every 12 months, Roon ARC monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Primare App versus Roon ARC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrimare AppRoon ARC
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (4 ratings)3.3 (199 ratings) — better
Positive reviews42.9% of reviews — better35.7% of reviews
Number of ratings4199 — better
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS5.1.1 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB122 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPrimare ABRoon Labs

Customer experience

Primare App

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative57.1%

Roon ARC

All ratings196 ratings
Positive54.6%
Neutral8.7%
Negative36.7%
Written reviews224 reviews
Positive35.7%
Neutral11.2%
Negative53.1%

Bugs and requests

Primare App

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Roon ARC

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Corrupted media files
  • Disappearing playlists
  • Inability to select external storage for downloads
  • Inconsistent connectivity to Roon server

Requested features

5 requests
  • Native iPad app
  • Siri integration for voice control
  • Improved browsing and search capabilities
  • Automatic offline downloads
  • MQA decoding support

In-app purchases

None

Primare App

No in-app purchases

None

Roon ARC

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Primare App free?
Primare App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Roon ARC free?
Roon ARC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Primare App or Roon ARC?
Roon ARC is rated higher. Primare App averages 3.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Roon ARC averages 3.3 from 199 ratings.
Do Primare App or Roon ARC have ads?
Neither Primare App nor Roon ARC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Primare App or Roon ARC?
Primare App ships an update every 12 months, and Roon ARC monthly. Most recently, Primare App was updated on October 23, 2026 and Roon ARC on October 24, 2026.

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