# HF vs PLC

The clearest difference is update cadence: PLC at every 2 weeks against HF's every 17 months. HF's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

HF ships an update every 17 months, PLC every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HF | PLC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hi-Flying](https://appshunter.io/developer/588224788) | [spiritdev Softwareentwicklung GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1530950669) |

## What reviewers say

### HF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hf-smartlink-v8/id1093336666)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PLC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plc-inspector/id6756433005)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HF free?

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

### Is PLC free?

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

### Do HF or PLC have ads?

Neither HF nor PLC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HF or PLC?

HF ships an update every 17 months, and PLC every 2 weeks. Most recently, HF was updated on September 28, 2026 and PLC on October 6, 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.*