Comparison

iXflash vs PhotoBackup External

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iXflash

This app extends your iPhone, iPad, or iPod storage with a compatible OTG drive. It allows for quick photo backups, direct recording of 4K videos, file transfers, and offline media playback, saving you from costly cloud storage fees.

Highlights
  • One-touch photo album backup
  • Live recording with 4K support
  • PC/Mac to iDevice file transfer
  • Offline music and movie playback
  • Read-only/write-protect drive option
  • Import iCloud photos and videos
Read full description

The iXflash app works with PIODATA's MFi certified iXflash OTG drive, which has been certified to work with all Apple “i” Devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod) utilizing the lightning port. The iXflash offers so many incredibly useful features, such as: • Quickly perform a complete back-up of your entire photo album with just one touch. o Supports Live Photo and burst photo. o Able to import and back-up all photos and videos stored in your iCloud storage for a complete back-up o Saves money eliminating the need for the costly monthly iCloud expanded storage fees. • Live Recording Plus – Able to take photos and videos directly to the iXflash: o Pause & Resume recording to maintain video continuity without stopping and restarting o Supports 4K recording o Switch between front and rear cameras during recording • Easily transfer files between PC/Mac computers and your iDevices. o Supports compression files such as Zip/7z/RAR formats, including any password protection used o Supports importing/sharing files from 3rd party apps, such as Line, Whatsapp, Facebook, Dropbox, WeChat, etc. o Support iOS Files app • Set the drive to read only / write protect o Prevent others from deleting or altering any content stored on the iXflash to ensure the safety and integrity of your personal photos, files, etc. • Enjoy your personal music and movie collections anytime without the need for an internet connection or using the limited memory on your iPhone, iPad, iPod. o Supports Hi-Resolution music playback, including FLAC and ALAC. o Supports most video formats for playback, and stores your video watch history to quickly continue playback from the last scene played. o Fully supports playing and recording H.265 videos. o Gesture control on video playback; fast forward, rewind, control volume and brightness just by tapping or swiping the screen • Plus many other convenient features that make the iXflash drive even more than just an extended flash storage for your iPhone, iPad, iPod. Intuitive file management The iXflash offers all the critical standard file operational functions. With its state of the art user interface, you can easily access your favorite files or continue working on your most recently opened file in one step. Your digital collection iXflash can be your extended digital library. With built-in media players, you can listen to your favorite music or watch your stored movies and video collections effortlessly. Storing these large files on the iXflash for easy playback means you won’t use up the limited storage memory on your iPhone, iPad, iPod. Plus, since you can access the iXflash without requiring the internet, it means you can play your music and movies while traveling on a plane or in locations that do not have internet connections. Why pay a monthly subscription for added cloud storage when the iXflash provides necessary added storage without charging a monthly fee like a cloud storage service. iXflash Camera You can record 4K videos and take photos using the built-in iXflash camera function. The videos and photos will be saved directly to the iXflash drive, saving precious memory and not occupying any memory on your iPhone, iPad, iPod. Even with all these great features, the PIODATA team promises to continue enhancing the app with more and more user-friendly features that will be released periodically in the future. Make sure you keep the App updated with the latest version for the latest features and benefits. Disclaimer: Due to restrictions set by Apple, this product may have limitations with older iOS devices.

About

PhotoBackup External

Easily back up your iPhone and iPad photos directly to a USB drive. Secure your memories offline and free up device storage without needing iCloud or a computer. Enjoy full control over your photo library with a simple and reliable solution.

Highlights
  • Direct backup to external USB drives
  • No iCloud or computer required
  • Fast and reliable photo export
  • Clear progress tracking
  • Smart space verification before backup
  • Ideal for large photo libraries
Read full description

PhotoBackup External makes it incredibly easy to back up all your iPhone and iPad photos directly to an external USB drive — no iCloud, no computer, no subscriptions. Whether you want to free up space, secure your memories offline, or create a full archive of your photo library, PhotoBackup External gives you full control over your data. Why users love PhotoBackup External • Direct backup to external drives Connect any compatible USB-C or Lightning external drive and export your entire photo library in just a few taps. • No iCloud required Keep your photos offline, private, and fully under your control. • Fast and reliable export The app scans your library, calculates required space, and safely copies your photos without interruptions. • Clear progress tracking See exactly how many files have been exported and how much time remains. • Smart space check PhotoBackup External verifies available space on the drive before starting the backup, preventing failed transfers. • Perfect for large libraries Ideal for users with tens of thousands of photos who need a simple and dependable solution. Built for privacy Your photos never leave your device. The app performs backup locally and does not upload data anywhere. Simple. Safe. Offline. Free up storage, protect your memories, and keep full ownership of your photo library — all with a single app.

Screenshots

iXflash4 screens
PhotoBackup External4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PhotoBackup External at weekly against iXflash's every 3 weeks. iXflash's advantage is ratings volume (113 vs 20) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for iXflash against 4.8 for PhotoBackup External. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iXflash has 113 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of iXflash's written reviews are positive against 80% of PhotoBackup External's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iXflash ships an update every 3 weeks, PhotoBackup External weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
iXflash versus PhotoBackup External: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriXflashPhotoBackup External
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (113 ratings)4.8 (20 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.6% of reviews — better80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings113 — better20
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size220 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVinpower IncFastask OU

Customer experience

iXflash

All ratings113 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral2.7%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%

PhotoBackup External

All ratings20 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

None

iXflash

No in-app purchases

None

PhotoBackup External

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iXflash free?
iXflash is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PhotoBackup External free?
PhotoBackup External is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iXflash or PhotoBackup External?
PhotoBackup External is rated higher. iXflash averages 4.7 out of 5 from 113 ratings, while PhotoBackup External averages 4.8 from 20 ratings.
Do iXflash or PhotoBackup External have ads?
Neither iXflash nor PhotoBackup External shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iXflash or PhotoBackup External?
iXflash ships an update every 3 weeks, and PhotoBackup External weekly. Most recently, iXflash was updated on October 24, 2026 and PhotoBackup External on October 10, 2026.

Other comparisons