# NETGEAR Armor vs SURFboard Central

The clearest difference is rating: NETGEAR Armor at 4.7 against SURFboard Central's 1.6. NETGEAR Armor also leads on review sentiment (35% vs 10%) and ratings volume (13K vs 1.7K). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

NETGEAR Armor holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NETGEAR Armor has 13K ratings behind it against 1.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of NETGEAR Armor's written reviews are positive against 10% of SURFboard Central's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NETGEAR Armor | SURFboard Central |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netgear-armor/id1322992373/reviews)** | [1.6 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfboard-central/id1478418148/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 1.7K |
| Positive reviews | **35.4% of reviews** | 10.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 167 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bitdefender SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/384899757) | [ARRIS Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/571770115) |

## What reviewers say

### NETGEAR Armor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netgear-armor/id1322992373)

This app offers robust mobile security and privacy features for NETGEAR Armor customers. It protects against scams, phishing, and malicious websites, while also providing VPN services and account breach monitoring. Keep your sensitive information safe on any network.

**Highlights:** Scam Alert & SMS/MMS Filter, Calendar Protection, Security Scan, Web Protection, VPN, Account Privacy Check

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 🔒 Good security features
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful security tools

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🤔 Confusing setup and configuration
- 🤷‍♀️ Lacks key features

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and session expiration
- Devices not properly recognized
- Inconsistent performance and connectivity
- Compatibility problems with iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Better integration with Orbi app
- More transparent reporting and alerts
- Improved VPN functionality


### SURFboard Central

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfboard-central/id1478418148)

Simplify the setup and management of your home network devices. This app provides step-by-step installation guides, Wi-Fi configuration, and network monitoring for various modems, routers, and mesh systems.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step device installation guides, Wi-Fi network configuration and management, Guest network setup, Client device monitoring, Parental controls and screen time management, Network health monitoring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast setup
- 💡 Helpful for monitoring home network
- 🔒 Secure connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔍 Limited functionality
- 💤 Slow and unresponsive
- 🤔 Confusing setup process
- 🔒 Poor security and privacy

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Fails to connect to network
- Incorrect device information displayed
- Parental controls don't work as expected
- Unable to change network name or password

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced configuration options
- Improve parental controls and internet scheduling
- Provide a web-based interface instead of just a mobile app
- Allow users to bypass the app and access router settings directly


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NETGEAR Armor free?

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

### Is SURFboard Central free?

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

### Which has better reviews, NETGEAR Armor or SURFboard Central?

NETGEAR Armor is rated higher. NETGEAR Armor averages 4.7 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while SURFboard Central averages 1.6 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do NETGEAR Armor or SURFboard Central have ads?

Neither NETGEAR Armor nor SURFboard Central shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NETGEAR Armor or SURFboard Central?

NETGEAR Armor ships an update every 2 months, and SURFboard Central every 2 months. Most recently, NETGEAR Armor was updated on October 28, 2026 and SURFboard Central on October 27, 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.*