# Nintendo Switch App vs SwitchBuddy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SwitchBuddy at 80% against Nintendo Switch App's 35%. SwitchBuddy also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Nintendo Switch App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and chart position (#115 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SwitchBuddy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Nintendo Switch App asks for nothing beyond the download.

SwitchBuddy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nintendo Switch App has 13K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of Nintendo Switch App's written reviews are positive against 80% of SwitchBuddy's.

Nintendo Switch App ships an update every 2 months, SwitchBuddy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nintendo Switch App | SwitchBuddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nintendo-switch-app/id1234806557/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/switchbuddy-switch-app/id1563251210/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 1.6K |
| Positive reviews | 34.6% of reviews | **80.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#115** | — |
| Size | 47 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | +9 |
| Developer | [Nintendo Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1062496488) | [Filip Nemecek](https://appshunter.io/developer/1291909818) |

## What reviewers say

### Nintendo Switch App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nintendo-switch-app/id1234806557)

**Currently charting:** #115 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

Enhance your Nintendo Switch online gaming with this companion app. Check friends' online status, add them easily, and access game-specific services. View and share screenshots and videos directly from your system.

**Highlights:** Check friends' online status, Add friends via QR code or friend code, View and share screenshots/videos, Access game-specific services, Receive notifications for friend online status, Game-specific features for Zelda, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, Smash Bros.

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Useful for Splatoon 2
- 👍 Convenient for ACNH
- 🚀 Information-rich for Splatoon 3

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on login
- 🔋 Drains phone battery
- 👎 Limited game support
- 👎 Confusing voice chat implementation
- 👎 Lacks basic features like messaging

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Infinite loading screens
- Disconnects during voice chat

**Requested features**

- Add messaging/invite system
- Integrate with more games
- Allow access to eShop and game libraries
- Improve voice chat quality and functionality
- Add support for landscape mode on iPad


### SwitchBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/switchbuddy-switch-app/id1563251210)

This app serves as a companion for your gaming console, offering features like game wishlists with sale notifications, faster media transfers, game discovery, and customizable widgets for your home and lock screens. It also provides access to game news and pricing information.

**Highlights:** Game wishlist with sale notifications, Faster screenshot and video transfer, Game discovery and release tracking, Home and Lock Screen widgets, eShop price tracking and region switching, Game news and articles

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SwitchBuddy+ | $1.99 | per month |
| SwitchBuddy+ | $17.99 | per year |
| Coffee-sized Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lunch-sized Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Book-sized Tip | $7.99 | one-time |
| SwitchBuddy+ One-time (OFFER) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Game-sized Tip | $19.99 | one-time |
| SwitchBuddy+ One-time unlock | $34.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy and fast photo/video transfer
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🚀 Convenient way to manage Switch games
- 👍 Helpful for discovering new Switch games
- 👍 Great app for Switch owners

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Issues with deleting/managing stored media
- 💰 Paid subscription required for full features
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes reported
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data usage

**Reported bugs**

- Camera feature not working after recent update
- Inability to delete stored media from the app
- Frequent freezing and performance issues

**Requested features**

- Add folders/organization for transferred media
- Expand platform support beyond just Nintendo Switch
- Improve search and filtering capabilities
- Provide more detailed game information and reviews


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nintendo Switch App free?

Nintendo Switch App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SwitchBuddy free?

SwitchBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Nintendo Switch App or SwitchBuddy?

SwitchBuddy is rated higher. Nintendo Switch App averages 3.1 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while SwitchBuddy averages 4.8 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Nintendo Switch App or SwitchBuddy have ads?

Neither Nintendo Switch App nor SwitchBuddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nintendo Switch App or SwitchBuddy?

Nintendo Switch App ships an update every 2 months, and SwitchBuddy every 3 weeks. Most recently, Nintendo Switch App was updated on September 25, 2026 and SwitchBuddy on September 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*