# Harman Kardon Controller vs Roon

The clearest difference is rating: Roon at 3.6 against Harman Kardon Controller's 1.8. Roon also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 9%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Roon holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Roon has 556 ratings behind it against 100, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 9% of Harman Kardon Controller's written reviews are positive against 33% of Roon's.

Harman Kardon Controller ships an update every 2 months, Roon every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Harman Kardon Controller | Roon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.8 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harman-kardon-controller/id905859401/reviews) | **[3.6 (556 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon/id1014764083/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 100 | **556** |
| Positive reviews | 9.2% of reviews | **32.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 64 MB | 616 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Harman International Industries](https://appshunter.io/developer/419840205) | [Roon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1014764082) |

## What reviewers say

### Harman Kardon Controller

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harman-kardon-controller/id905859401)

Stream high-definition audio throughout your home with this app. It allows you to set up and customize compatible wireless speakers, create surround sound systems, and control audio playback from local or cloud sources.

**Highlights:** Stream HD audio wirelessly, Set up and customize speakers, Create 5.1 surround sound, Control multi-room audio, Stream local and cloud content

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great sound quality
- 👍 Easy setup
- 🚀 Wireless connectivity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unstable WiFi connection
- 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes
- 👎 Lack of music service integration (Spotify, Apple Music)
- 👎 Unintuitive and limited app functionality
- 👎 Unreliable multi-room/party mode

**Reported bugs**

- Speakers frequently disconnect from WiFi
- App fails to detect or connect to speakers
- Music playback issues like skipping, popping, and abrupt stops
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add support for popular music streaming services
- Improve app stability and user experience
- Implement advanced features like EQ, gapless playback, and custom playlists
- Provide better integration with local music libraries


### Roon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/roon/id1014764083)

This app serves as a controller for a Roon Server, enabling users to browse and play their music library. It offers a rich metadata-driven interface for musical discovery, connecting to over 1,000 compatible audio devices for seamless playback.

**Highlights:** Music library browsing and playback, Rich metadata for musical discovery, Connects to 1,000+ audio devices, Seamless in-home audio connection, Access music library remotely via Roon ARC, Bit-perfect playback and format support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great when it works
- 🎨 Fantastic app
- 🎧 Best way to experience music
- 🤖 Powerful music management
- 🔍 Excellent music discovery

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔌 Unstable connection
- 🕰️ Slow performance
- 🤯 Confusing interface
- 🚫 Lack of accessibility

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on search
- Audio devices disappearing
- Volume issues after updates
- Inability to find Roon core

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Offline music playback
- Better Tidal/Spotify integration
- Improved metadata editing
- Apple Watch support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Harman Kardon Controller free?

Harman Kardon Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Roon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Harman Kardon Controller or Roon?

Roon is rated higher. Harman Kardon Controller averages 1.8 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while Roon averages 3.6 from 556 ratings.

### Do Harman Kardon Controller or Roon have ads?

Neither Harman Kardon Controller nor Roon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Harman Kardon Controller or Roon?

Harman Kardon Controller ships an update every 2 months, and Roon every 3 weeks. Most recently, Harman Kardon Controller was updated on August 13, 2026 and Roon on September 24, 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.*