Comparison

Surge 5 vs Codex Relay

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

Head to head
About

Surge 5

This advanced network utility allows developers to intercept, process, and forward network traffic. It offers deep control over connections, including URL redirection, local file mapping, and HTTPS decryption. Ideal for debugging and network analysis.

Highlights
  • Network connection takeover
  • Modify network requests/responses
  • Forward traffic to other proxies
  • Intercept and save network data
  • Decrypt HTTPS traffic
  • Rule-based forwarding
  • Ad blocking by domain
Features
Read full description

Surge is an advanced network toolbox and proxy utility. It is designed for developers and therefore requires professional knowledge to use. These four capabilities form the core workflow of Surge: · Takeover: Take over the network connections sent by the device. Surge supports both proxy service and virtual NIC takeover, capturing HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, and UDP traffic from any app — even those ignoring proxy settings. All features work on the cellular network. · Processing: Modify the requests and responses that have been taken over: URL rewrite, header and body rewrite, local file mapping, custom DNS answers, and JavaScript-based modification. · Forwarding: Forward requests to proxy servers, either globally or driven by a flexible rule system. Policy groups select the best server automatically by latency, availability, or learned connection quality. · Intercept: Record and inspect requests and responses, including headers and bodies, and decrypt HTTPS traffic with MITM. Highlighted Features · Proxy protocols: HTTP/HTTPS, SOCKS5, SOCKS5-TLS, HTTP2 CONNECT, TrustTunnel, Shadowsocks, Snell, Trojan, Hysteria 2, AnyTLS, and SSH, with UDP relay support. · Used as a WireGuard or Tailscale client, converting the L3 VPN into a proxy policy. · Rules based on domain match/suffix/keyword/wildcard, CIDR IP range, GeoIP, ASN, protocol, port, and logical combinations; reusable rule sets hosted locally or remotely. · Policy groups: manual selection, automatic latency testing, fallback, load balancing, and the self-learning Smart group. · Complete DNS suite: DNS-over-HTTPS, DNS-over-HTTP/3, DNS-over-QUIC, DNS-over-TLS, and concurrent queries for the fastest answer. · Local DNS mapping (equivalent to /etc/hosts) with wildcards, aliases, and per-domain DNS servers. Switch your app between production and development environments without changing any code. · Decrypt HTTPS traffic with Man-in-the-Middle and a built-in CA certificate generator. · Record and display HTTP requests and responses with JSON, text, image, and video viewers for the captured body; album mode for the request list; pre-filter for capturing. · Raw L3 packet capture. · Scripting: extend Surge with JavaScript — modify requests and responses, write custom rules, customize DNS answers, and run scheduled tasks. · Block unwanted requests by rules with high-performance pre-matching. · Measure traffic usage and network speed on Wi-Fi, cellular, and proxy connections. · Remote Dashboard: observe and debug traffic in real time from a Mac via Wi-Fi or USB, including cellular traffic. · Surge Ponte: access your home or office network remotely via your own devices, with no third-party service involved. · HTTPS proxy protocol supports client-side TLS certificate validation. · Safari extension to add rules; widgets and Information Panel for quick control. · Sync profiles across devices with iCloud Drive or Dropbox. · Full IPv6 support, TLS 1.3, HTTP/2, and QUIC. · High performance and industrial-grade stability, suitable for intensive use. Surge does not provide any proxy or VPN service; you need to configure your own servers. You may read the online manual for more information: https://nssurge.com/support Terms and Conditions: https://nssurge.com/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://nssurge.com/legal/privacy

About

Codex Relay

Manage your Codex workflow remotely from your phone. Track active threads, send prompts, review output, and respond to requests. Designed for developers to stay connected to their work without being at their desk.

Highlights
  • Follow Codex conversations remotely
  • Send prompts and follow-up instructions
  • Respond to approval and input requests
  • Attach images for context
  • Review workspace and thread activity
  • Manage relay server state
  • Check usage statistics
Features
Read full description

Codex Relay brings your Codex workflow to your phone. Connect to your local Codex Relay server and keep track of active threads, responses, approvals, and workspace activity without staying at your desk. Send follow-up prompts, review assistant output, attach images for context, and respond when Codex needs input before it can continue. Built for developers who use Codex as part of real work, Codex Relay keeps the mobile experience focused, fast, and close to the terminal workflow. Key features: - Follow Codex conversations from your phone - Send prompts and follow-up instructions - Respond to approval and input requests - Attach images as context - Review workspace and thread activity - Manage connected relay server state - Check usage - Designed for local developer workflows Codex Relay requires a running Codex Relay server on your computer. Start the server with `npx codex-relay@latest`, then connect your device over your local network. GitHub: https://github.com/gronxb/codex-relay Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Surge 54 screens
Codex Relay4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Codex Relay at none against Surge 5's 2. Codex Relay also leads on review sentiment (71% vs 51%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). Surge 5's advantage is ratings volume (994 vs 54) and chart position (#6 vs #92). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. Surge 5 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Codex Relay asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Surge 5 against 4.2 for Codex Relay. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surge 5 has 994 ratings behind it against 54, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 51% of Surge 5's written reviews are positive against 71% of Codex Relay's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surge 5 ships an update every 5 weeks, Codex Relay fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Surge 5 versus Codex Relay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurge 5Codex Relay
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (994 ratings)4.2 (54 ratings) — better
Positive reviews51.5% of reviews70.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings994 — better54
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#6 — better#92
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB111 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperSurge Networks Inc.Kang Sungyu

Customer experience

Surge 5

All ratings994 ratings
Positive77.1%
Neutral2.4%
Negative20.5%
Written reviews447 reviews
Positive51.5%
Neutral4.3%
Negative44.3%

Codex Relay

All ratings54 ratings
Positive79.6%
Neutral3.7%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive70.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative29.4%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Surge 5

Subscriptions1
  • Feature Subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Surge Pro$49.99
None

Codex Relay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Surge 5 free?
Surge 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Codex Relay free?
Codex Relay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Surge 5 or Codex Relay?
Codex Relay is rated higher. Surge 5 averages 4.1 out of 5 from 994 ratings, while Codex Relay averages 4.2 from 54 ratings.
Do Surge 5 or Codex Relay have ads?
Neither Surge 5 nor Codex Relay shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Surge 5 or Codex Relay?
Surge 5 ships an update every 5 weeks, and Codex Relay fortnightly. Most recently, Surge 5 was updated on September 28, 2026 and Codex Relay on September 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, Surge 5 or Codex Relay?
Surge 5 currently peaks at #6 in the App Store charts, and Codex Relay at #92. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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