# HEOS vs Meridian Control

The clearest difference is rating: HEOS at 4.4 against Meridian Control's 3.5. HEOS also leads on ratings volume (27K vs 4) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Meridian Control's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 29%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HEOS has 27K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of HEOS's written reviews are positive against 67% of Meridian Control's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HEOS ships an update every 3 weeks, Meridian Control every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HEOS | Meridian Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heos/id843129434/reviews)** | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meridian-control/id1395155756/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **27K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 29.5% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 328 MB | 129 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [D&M Holdings](https://appshunter.io/developer/388608883) | [MERIDIAN AUDIO LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580394368) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Meridian Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meridian-control/id1395155756)

This application acts as a control and setup tool for compatible Meridian audio devices. It allows users to manage various system aspects, including source selection, volume, and tone controls, via their iOS device. The app also provides feedback on device status and network configuration.

**Highlights:** Source selection and volume control, Tone controls, SpeakerLink control, Bluetooth device management, Network configuration, Device feedback display

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HEOS free?

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

### Is Meridian Control free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HEOS or Meridian Control?

HEOS is rated higher. HEOS averages 4.4 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while Meridian Control averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do HEOS or Meridian Control have ads?

Neither HEOS nor Meridian Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HEOS or Meridian Control?

HEOS ships an update every 3 weeks, and Meridian Control every 3 months. Most recently, HEOS was updated on October 23, 2026 and Meridian Control on September 10, 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.*