# Spade by Axel Glade — user reviews > 63 indexed App Store user reviews of Spade by Axel Glade by Axel Glade LLC, rated 2.66/5 from 41 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spade-by-axel-glade/id1535193019/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spade-by-axel-glade/id1535193019.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 12 · 4★ 2 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 4 · 1★ 18 ## Newest reviews (12 of 63) ### 3/5 — Uhhh *2025-01-14* I love this app and device but I am concerned that this app has not has any updates in over 2 years. I would like to be able to use app in horizontal ### 3/5 — Uhhh *2023-11-20* I love this app and device but I am concerned that this app has not has any updates in over a year. ### 3/5 — App Stability *2022-12-07* This product is slick and works well but the app is prone to crashing and could used some love. The video abruptly cut out on me a few times during use. That’s not ideal when you’re literally millimeters away from one wrong move damaging your hearing. Feature request - I would love some way to connect this thing to my WiFi network so that I don’t have to set it as the access point on my phone every time I go to use it. ### 4/5 — Does the job *2022-03-23* Worked right out of the box. The video feed is not quite as clear as I would like. Lots of hair in my ears makes seeing all the nooks and crannies difficult. Overall my ears feel much better after use and keeps me from going to the cotton swabs which are very bad. For users, don’t rush and don’t go too far. I keep a tissue with alcohol on it to catch the debris and wipe the tip each time. ### 2/5 — Not the greatest *2022-03-22* This device has potential but definitely wasn’t worth $106 ### 3/5 — Spent $99 to find out q tips were working *2022-02-18* Turns out my ears were already clean. I would say this doesn’t allow you to see into your ears as far as I would have expected. ### 2/5 — MUCH room for improvement *2022-01-24* I finally got it to work and DO like the product, but sheesh, instructions are SO non-intuitive, they need to go back to the drawing board to avoid frustrating first-time users. First, their little intro “how to set up” brochure is in teeeeeeny tiny 6-pt type. Even WITH a magnifier, hard to read. Second, they mistakenly assume everyone is a tech wizard that knows LAN language, wifi details, etc. setup instructions are all over the place in DIFFERENT places. After a lot of digging (no pun intended), I finally pieced it all together and got things set up. Third, NOTHING is intuitive. Innovative product, but they need to assume we know NOTHING about it, then redo the How to Start section with step-by-step instructions in ONE place. ### 1/5 — Fraud *2022-01-21, version 1.1.5* This app & product doesn’t work with IOS 15 DO NOT BUY THIS USELESS PRODUCT! ### 1/5 — Waiting *2022-01-17, version 1.06* I am not sure if it is the app or the product but I got this for Christmas and it worked great ONE time. Now I cannot connect to it. They say it’s a software issue and they’re working on it, but that’s not helping me…. Send me one that works…. ### 1/5 — Totally forked *2022-01-08, version 1.06* This app doesn’t connect to the device anymore, presumably after the latest update. ### 1/5 — Keeps dropping connection *2021-12-30, version 1.06* Connection keeps dropping. It didn’t do this before. Now it is an annoying experience. ### 1/5 — Horrible - not worth buying the products *2021-12-03, version 1.06* Got these products thinking that it would be worth having to get your ear clean BUT setting up with wi-fi is no use because it is complicate… I’m going to be sending these products back to the company to get my money refund. Don’t buy these !!!!! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Spade *2023-11-20* A complete and total waste. Calling it garbage would be too kind, as it’s much worse than that. Company should give 100% refunds to all who purchased and struggled to get it to work. It doesn’t work. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work any more just used few months *2023-10-11* Worst product ### 1/5 — Out of business? *2023-02-27* Trying to buy parts. Website says everything out of stock. ### 1/5 — Stop making it so hard *2022-11-16, version 1.1.5* It’s almost 2023….it should not be this hard to make a simple app work. ### 1/5 — The camera *2022-06-24* I can’t see my ear when the camera is on And it is easier to get somebody to clean my ear then use the camera ### 1/5 — Ear picker *2022-06-11, version 1.1.5* The app is not working. I cannot use my ear picker. ### 1/5 — Device no longer works *2022-06-10* I don’t know what you guys did with the recent update, but the camera doesn’t work and the WiFi keeps telling me it can’t connect. This is genuinely disappointing because when it was working, it was a neat little tool to clean your ears with. Please get this fixed- otherwise the only thing this is good for is a miniature flashlight. ### 1/5 — Dangerous *2022-05-06* I wanna throw this thing in the trash. Literally none of the pieces stay in the device (no I am not pressing hard or scraping). Every single time I even attempt to use it the tiny part breaks off INTO MY EAR. It’s literally dangerous. Do not waste your money. I could say more because the app isn’t great either but seriously the device itself is kind of dangerous. I’m going to throw mine away. ### 1/5 — It worked twice. *2022-02-09* After the update it just stopped working. Faulty product, wish they could get their ducks in a row. The product concept is cool. ### 1/5 — Waste of money/time *2022-02-04* I’ve tried to get this to work a few times wishing the new updates would fix the problems. WiFi is unsecured leaving a portal open while you use it, then drops off every second you move. This results in toggling back and forth between settings and app. Doesn’t work. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — User for 4+ years *2025-09-22* Grabbed the product as a gift to myself when I was 19, I haven’t even gone through all the ear picks yet. I only use the app 2-4 times a month when I feel my ears getting bad. It’s over all a great app, a little confusing at first, I’m there are better apps, but this is what the instructions said use and it does its job. Dunno how other people are havin issues, it’s a simple app made for the simplest of people, my 7 year old cousin has learned to use this app now after he saw me doing it. ### 5/5 — So simple after learning curve *2024-03-02* Yes, remembering to change your WiFi to the Spade is a challenge, but after that this app works seamlessly for me, and the interface is simple and responsive enough to feel safe with a pick in my ear. Well done! ### 5/5 — Works Fine *2022-02-28* Software and hardware works as intended and as described by the website and reviews (on a modern iPhone) ### 5/5 — Great Product! Read for tech help w/ the app! *2022-02-18* My first use of this product I pulled literally “the mother lode” of earwax out of my ears while my wife watched in horrified entertainment. My hearing was noticeably improved. It was AMAZING. Tech help: Connect to the “Spade” Ad Hoc WiFi network that is broadcast from the device once you take the cap off as instructions indicate. Upon FIRST LAUNCH of the Spade app, don’t breeze through the permission pop ups! Allow location while using the app and MOST IMPORTANTLY: Allow the device to discover other devices on your WiFi network. If you don’t allow this one, it WILL NOT WORK. If you are a person who has breezed through the permission pop ups, uninstall the app, and re-install from the App Store. The permission pop ups will come up again when first launching the app. If your camera has lag: Close the app completely. Don’t just go back to your Home Screen and re-open the app because this doesn’t restart the app. Also, power off your phone/tablet and power it back on when all else fails. This device noticeably improved my hearing, and prevented a visit to the doctor. As a musician, this is invaluable. I hope others can experience the benefits. Thank you! ### 5/5 — Love it!!! *2022-02-16* I just got my Spade and I absolutely love it. The app worked perfect for me, it’s unfortunate that others are having issues with it. My Spade connected right away and I was able to immediately ((within a minute or less of opening the box) start cleaning out my ears. I didn’t use the picture/video option this time, but so far the app and device have been very easy to use for me. I have an iPhone, so not sure if the issues others are having are with other brands of phone or if they’re also having issues on their iPhone. For me everything worked great right out of the box. ### 5/5 — No problems setting up wifi *2022-01-21* I followed the instructions on the packaging and connected my phone to the spade wifi and it works perfectly. I can see the camera video on my phone in real time at 20fps. ### 5/5 — App and pick work really well *2022-01-03, version 1.06* Don’t know what people in the negative reviews are doing wrong but they are definitely the problem. Also, someone below calls this an “overpriced qtip”. If you’re not going to use this product at the very least stop using qtips, they’re bad for you. ### 5/5 — Works fine *2021-11-30, version 1.06* Just used it once so far, but wanted to review right away because of so many negative reviews. It worked fine for me. It’s a little weird that you have to connect to the product’s wifi versus Bluetooth, but setup was easy and the live video image is good. It will take some time getting used to using the tool itself, but that’s not germane to an app review. ### 5/5 — Great app, works a great *2021-11-17, version 1.06* Great little app, no issues here ### 5/5 — Simple and Easy *2021-09-28, version 1.06* Love this device and the app! The Spade is basically incomplete without this app! My favorite feature is knowing exactly how long I have before I need to charge my spade. It is also so simple to use and the quality pics/videos is amazing. Definitely impressed! --- *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 2026-06-10.*