# Backfeed — Thermal Printer Manager

> Manage and print labels with Zebra thermal printers, locally or remotely. (iPhone/iPad app by Robert Owens.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backfeed/id6792926352 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Robert Owens](https://appshunter.io/developer/1865139091)
- Category: Utilities, Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 5 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-08-05
- Data updated: 2026-09-01
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backfeed/id6792926352/reviews.md

## What is Backfeed?

Backfeed finds the Zebra thermal label printers on your network and keeps them working — then prints your own labels, locally or from anywhere.

FREE — NO ACCOUNT, NO SIGN-UP
• Automatic discovery of Zebra ZD printers on your local network
• Add a printer by IP when it sits on another subnet or a routed network
• Set up a brand-new printer over Bluetooth — Backfeed hands it your Wi-Fi name and password
• Live status: ready, paper out, head open, paused, buffer full, temperature
• Manage your own label sizes, calibrate all four edges, and let the printer's gap sensor suggest the size that's loaded
• Test prints: test label, boundary probe, wrap border
• Diagnostics: connection checks, status flags, a print-geometry health check with one-tap reset, and an advanced console for raw SGD and ZPL
• Maintenance: cancel all jobs, reboot the printer
• Printer details: IP, model, MAC address, firmware and serial

Finding, managing, calibrating and test-printing your printers costs nothing. Printing your own files is the paid part.

BACKFEED LOCAL — ONE-TIME UNLOCK
• Print your own PDFs and images over your local network, for good
• Import in the app, use Open With, or drag and drop on Mac
• A live 1-bit preview of exactly what the print head will burn, sized to your label
• No account and no relay — nothing leaves your network

BACKFEED CLOUD — SUBSCRIPTION
• Print to your printers from anywhere, through the Backfeed relay
• The printer dials out, so there's no VPN, no port forwarding and nothing listening for inbound connections
• Includes everything Backfeed Local does, on your own network too, for as long as you subscribe
• Tiers by printer count: 1 printer, 5 printers, or up to 25
• Export or delete your cloud data from inside the app

MAC, IPHONE AND IPAD
Native on every platform — a Mac split view with menu-bar commands, and a three-tab iPhone and iPad app. Backfeed Local and Backfeed Cloud are Universal Purchases: buy once and use them on every device signed in to the same Apple ID.

NO ANALYTICS, NO ADS, NO TRACKING
Backfeed ships no analytics SDK, no advertising and no third-party trackers. Local printing needs no account at all.

HARDWARE
Backfeed talks directly to network-capable Zebra ZD label printers — ZD410, ZD411 and ZD421 — over TCP. Direct thermal is what Backfeed is developed and tested against. Bluetooth setup works on models that have it. Automatic discovery needs your device and printer on the same network segment; for anything else there's Add by IP, or Backfeed Cloud.

TERMS AND PRIVACY
Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Backfeed Terms of Service: https://backfeed.cloud/terms
Privacy Policy: https://backfeed.cloud/privacy
Backfeed Cloud is an auto-renewing subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase, and renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings.

Backfeed is an independent app for managing Zebra thermal label printers. Zebra and ZD are trademarks of their respective owners; Backfeed is not affiliated with Zebra Technologies.

## Key features

- Automatic Zebra printer discovery
- Printer setup via Bluetooth or IP
- Live printer status monitoring
- Custom label size management
- Test printing and diagnostics
- Local PDF/image printing
- Remote printing via cloud subscription

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud — 1 Printer | $3.99 | per month |
| Cloud — 5 Printers | $15.99 | per month |
| Cloud Pro | $39.99 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Backfeed Local | $9.99 | one-time |



## Frequently asked questions about Backfeed

### What printers does Backfeed support?

Backfeed is designed to work with network-capable Zebra ZD label printers, specifically models like the ZD410, ZD411, and ZD421. It is primarily developed and tested for direct thermal printing.

### How does Backfeed handle local printing?

Local printing of your own PDFs and images is available through a one-time unlock called Backfeed Local. This feature allows you to print directly over your local network without any account or data leaving your network.

### What are the subscription options for Backfeed Cloud?

Backfeed Cloud offers subscription tiers based on the number of printers you wish to manage remotely. Options include 1 printer, 5 printers, or up to 25 printers, with all tiers providing a 14-day free trial.

### Is Backfeed available on multiple Apple devices?

Yes, Backfeed is a Universal Purchase for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Once you purchase Backfeed Local or Backfeed Cloud, you can use it on all devices signed in to the same Apple ID.

### Does Backfeed collect user data or show ads?

No, Backfeed explicitly states it ships no analytics SDK, no advertising, and no third-party trackers. Local printing requires no account at all.

### How often is Backfeed updated?

The app was last updated on August 26, 2026, with version 1.0.1. This indicates a recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support.

### What is the user sentiment for Backfeed?

Based on the provided data, Backfeed has a perfect rating of 5.0 stars from 1 rating, indicating a highly positive initial user experience.

### Can I set up a new printer with Backfeed?

Yes, Backfeed can help set up a brand-new printer over Bluetooth. It can then hand the printer your Wi-Fi name and password for network connectivity.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.0.1 — 2026-08-26

Bluetooth setup now reads your printer's identity and Wi-Fi settings while pairing. If it's a printer Backfeed already knows, it offers to open it instead of rewriting its configuration and rebooting it — and it remembers your network name (never your password) for the next printer you set up.

Fixed: opening a printer's details page or the setup guide no longer asks for Bluetooth permission before you've done anything that needs it.

Plus a round of interface polish across printers, labels, and printing.

### 1.0 — 2026-08-18

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*