# System Controls vs Surge Guard

The clearest difference is rating: System Controls at 2.9 against Surge Guard's 1.5. Surge Guard's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (11% vs 0%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

System Controls holds the better App Store score, 2.9 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surge Guard has 73 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 0% of System Controls's written reviews are positive against 11% of Surge Guard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

System Controls ships an update every 3 months, Surge Guard monthly. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | System Controls | Surge Guard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.9 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/system-controls/id1203452611/reviews)** | [1.5 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surge-guard/id1622872744/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **73** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **11.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 5 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SilverLeaf Electronics, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/574200631) | [Southwire Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/440338423) |

## What reviewers say

### System Controls

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/system-controls/id1203452611)

Monitor and control vehicle devices connected to an RVC bus via a web browser. This application provides a quick and easy connection to the LR web interface for seamless management.

**Highlights:** Web browser-based control, Supports Wifi communication with LR devices, Monitors and controls RVC bus devices, Quick and easy connection to LR web interface, RVC enabled vehicle support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Surge Guard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surge-guard/id1622872744)

Monitor your RV's power status remotely. Get real-time error alerts, estimated restoration times, and track your power history. Access troubleshooting guides for easy problem-solving on the go.

**Highlights:** Monitor RV power, Real-time error alerts, Power restoration estimates, Error history tracking, Troubleshooting guides

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works when firmware updated
- 👍 Convenient status view inside RV
- 👍 Responsive support team (for some)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes on pairing
- 🐛 Bluetooth connection issues
- 🐛 Incorrect/no power data displayed
- 🐛 RV shows as powered down
- 🐛 Firmware update required (inconvenient)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when attempting to connect
- Bluetooth won't connect
- Device not connecting to app
- App shows RV as powered down
- App shows no power usage or data

**Requested features**

- Log energy use by day/date
- Note power interruptions without new session
- Display date and time for detected issues in history log
- App can update firmware
- Record and display history of monitored parameters


## Frequently asked questions

### Is System Controls free?

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

### Is Surge Guard free?

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

### Which has better reviews, System Controls or Surge Guard?

System Controls is rated higher. System Controls averages 2.9 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Surge Guard averages 1.5 from 73 ratings.

### Do System Controls or Surge Guard have ads?

Neither System Controls nor Surge Guard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, System Controls or Surge Guard?

System Controls ships an update every 3 months, and Surge Guard monthly. Most recently, System Controls was updated on October 13, 2026 and Surge Guard on October 13, 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.*