Comparing ArrMatey and Cupola.
ArrMatey is an open-source arr client for Android; on iOS you build it yourself in Xcode. Cupola installs on iPhone, iPad and Mac from a public beta and on Android from an APK, and reaches further into downloads, streaming and your server.
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Where Cupola stands out
- Installs on iPhone, iPad and Mac from a public TestFlight beta, no Xcode needed.
- Reaches your server: TrueNAS, Unraid, Dockge and Nginx Proxy Manager.
- Jellyfin and Plex sessions, and NZBGet.
- Family members can request with their own Seerr account.
Side by side
| Fact | ArrMatey | Cupola |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Android; iOS when built from source | iPhone, iPad, Android and Mac; Windows and Linux builds not yet tested on real machines |
| Price | No price stated; donation links | Free, nothing to unlock |
| Source code | Open source, MIT License | Open source, Apache License 2.0 |
| Around since | 2026 (first release in February), still before 1.0 | 2026 as Cupola, earlier as Seekarr |
| Media and requests | Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, Bookshelf, Listenarr, Seerr, Bazarr | Sonarr, Radarr, Lidarr, Readarr, Bazarr, Seerr (with sign-in for household members) |
| Download clients and indexers | qBittorrent, Transmission, Deluge, SABnzbd, Prowlarr | SABnzbd, NZBGet, qBittorrent, Transmission, Prowlarr |
| Streaming and server | Tracearr | Jellyfin and Plex sessions, TrueNAS, Unraid, Dockge, Nginx Proxy Manager |
Where ArrMatey is ahead
- Book and audiobook apps, Bookshelf and Listenarr, plus Deluge and Tracearr.
- A dashboard you arrange yourself, and import and export of settings.
Moving to Cupola
- Cupola does not import ArrMatey settings: add each connection again with the same address and key or password.
- Test each connection before you save it. If it fails, Cupola tells you why.
Questions
Does Cupola need a server or an account?
No. There is no Cupola account and no Cupola server. The app talks straight to your own services, and their keys and passwords stay on your device, in the Keychain or the Android Keystore.
Is Cupola free?
Yes. It is open source under the Apache License 2.0, with nothing to buy or unlock. If it helps you, a donation on Ko-fi keeps it moving.
How do I manage my home server from my phone when I am away?
With the route you already have: a VPN such as WireGuard or Tailscale, or a reverse proxy. Give a connection a second address for when you are out, and Cupola uses whichever one answers.