play:Sub: Subsonic-Compatible Music Streamer for iOS
play:Sub is an iOS music client that speaks the Subsonic API, which means it works with Navidrome, Airsonic, Ampache, and any other server implementing that protocol.
Why the Subsonic API matters
Subsonic’s API became the de facto standard for self-hosted music, and its value is that server and client are decoupled. Pick any compatible server, pick any compatible client, and they work together. If you later migrate from Airsonic to Navidrome, your phone app does not change.
What the app provides
Offline caching for listening without a connection, gapless playback, scrobbling, playlist management, and CarPlay support. It has been maintained for many years, which distinguishes it from the large number of abandoned Subsonic clients.
Choosing a client
play:Sub, Amperfy, and Symfonium (Android) are the commonly recommended options. Feature sets overlap heavily; the practical differences are interface design and how aggressively each caches. Since the server is protocol-compatible, trying more than one costs nothing but time.