System Guard vs MainframeMonitor
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
System Guard
Gain deep insights into your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. Monitor device health, storage, battery, and network status with clear explanations and historical data. Perform hardware diagnostics and optimize your device's performance.
- Device status overview
- Detailed battery health and history
- Comprehensive hardware specifications
- Storage management and optimization
- Network analysis and speed tests
- Hardware diagnostic tests
- Home/Lock Screen widgets and Siri integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
Know your iPhone, iPad and Watch inside out. System Guard shows what your device is, how it is doing right now and whether anything needs your attention - in plain language, with every figure explained. ► AT A GLANCE • One status card: storage, memory, temperature, Low Power Mode, passcode and whether a newer iOS is available for your model • CPU, memory, storage and power as live tiles • Tap any value for a clear explanation of what it means ► BATTERY HEALTH • Real capacity and charge cycles, read from the diagnostics file iOS writes on your device • Charts of capacity, cycles and your daily charge range • A step-by-step guide to find the file, and a weekly reminder if you like • Works for your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch ► EVERY DETAIL OF YOUR DEVICE • Model, chip, GPU, memory, display, cameras, sensors, audio and security • Storage: total, used, free - and what iOS can free up by itself • Compare your device with any other iPhone or iPad ► HISTORY AND ALERTS • Storage, memory and temperature over days and weeks, with charts you can zoom and scroll • A notification before you run out of storage, and when a new iOS version is out ► NETWORK • Connection, addresses, VPN, DNS and cellular technology (LTE, 5G) • Live traffic, and your data use today, yesterday and over 7 and 30 days • Wi-Fi name and access point, and the router • Find the devices on your Wi-Fi network: printers, speakers, TVs and more • Speed test: latency, download and upload ► HARDWARE CHECK-UP • 16 tests: display, touch, speakers, microphone, haptics, vibration, cameras, Face ID or Touch ID, sensors, buttons and more • Ideal before buying or selling a used device • Export a device report as PDF, text or JSON ► WIDGETS, CONTROLS, WATCH AND SHORTCUTS • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets for storage, memory, CPU and status • Control Center controls for the check-up and the speed test • Apple Watch app with the watch's own figures, your iPhone's status and complications • Shortcuts and Siri: ask for free storage, memory, CPU load and more ► SYSTEM GUARD PRO One purchase, no subscription. Removes all ads and unlocks History and alerts, the full check-up, the network details and the speed test, the devices on your network, the device report, and every widget and Shortcut. ► PRIVACY System Guard reads only what iOS makes available to every app, never changes anything on your device and needs no account. Your history and battery readings stay on your device. The free version shows ads; you can choose non-personalized ads at any time.
MainframeMonitor
Transform your iPhone into a vintage mainframe with a nostalgic CRT display. Monitor live system stats like battery, CPU, and memory, all within an authentic retro console experience. Includes hidden classic text-based games.
- Live system monitoring (battery, CPU, memory, storage)
- Home screen widgets
- Authentic CRT effects (glow, scanlines)
- Retro boot sequence
- Hidden classic text-based games
- Customizable color themes (Green, Amber)
Read full descriptionHide full description
Turn your iPhone into a mainframe from the golden age of computing. MAINFRAME MONITOR shows your device's live stats wrapped in a nostalgic CRT console – complete with phosphor glow, scanlines, a boot sequence and satisfying key clicks. Choose between classic GREEN or warm AMBER, each with its own matching app icon. ■ LIVE SYSTEM MONITOR • Battery, CPU, memory and free storage • Uptime, network status and device info • All in real time, right on the glowing screen ■ HOME SCREEN WIDGET • Keep your key system stats always in view • In the same retro CRT style ■ REAL MAINFRAME FEELING • Authentic boot sequence on launch • Scanlines, glow and CRT effects • Terminal-style PF function-key controls ■ HIDDEN CLASSIC GAMES • Snake, Hamurabi, Void Patrol and Bagels • Text-based retro games, just like on the old terminals ■ FAIR & PRIVATE • Completely free • No ads, no trackers, no accounts • All data stays on your device Whether as a stylish system monitor, a home screen widget or a hands-on piece of computing history – MAINFRAME MONITOR brings back the charm of the old data centers. Made with attention to detail. Be sure to check out my other apps right inside the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: MainframeMonitor at 5.0 against System Guard's 4.5. MainframeMonitor also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). System Guard's advantage is ratings volume (979 vs 1). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. System Guard sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MainframeMonitor asks for nothing beyond the download.
MainframeMonitor holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: System Guard has 979 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
System Guard ships an update weekly, MainframeMonitor every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | System Guard | MainframeMonitor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (979 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 979 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 10 days |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RBT Digital LLC | Ralf Langhoff |
Customer experience
System Guard
MainframeMonitor
In-app purchases
System Guard
- System Guard Pro$2.99
MainframeMonitor
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is System Guard free?
Is MainframeMonitor free?
Which has better reviews, System Guard or MainframeMonitor?
Do System Guard or MainframeMonitor have ads?
Which is updated more often, System Guard or MainframeMonitor?
Other comparisons















