RPiControl vs Open Pi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
RPiControl
Control your Raspberry Pi 3 from your phone or tablet via Bluetooth. Create custom control layouts, run commands, and interface with your own programs without writing code. Ideal for educators and hobbyists.
- Bluetooth control for Raspberry Pi 3
- Customizable control layouts
- GPIO pin state control
- Run Pi commands and macros
- Interface with custom programs
- Share layouts online
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Do you want to: - control your Pi without having to write any code? - or, do you have a program you wrote for your Pi and you want to interface to it with a phone app? - or, you're an educator looking for a fun way to teach students the basics of programming? If any of the above apply to you then you definitely need to give RPiControl a spin. Take control of your Raspberry Pi 3 A+/B+ from your phone or tablet via Bluetooth! - Create multiple projects in the app - In each project create a custom control layout using a drag/drop, fill in the blank, graphical interface. Add buttons, switches, lights, etc. - Controls allow you to set GPIO pin state; run Pi commands; play sounds; run macros; display the state of pins plus more. - Create macros to run multiple commands at a single button tap. Macros are written using the built-in, easy to use, scripting language. Want to run a macro without having to connect to your phone? No problem, just upload the macro to your Pi. You'll be able to launch it from the phone and then disconnect. Or, have the macro run on the Pi automatically at startup. Run multiple macros at the same time from the phone or on the Pi! - One of the most powerful features of the app is the ability to pass alphanumeric data from the app to your own programs and to receive data from your programs. Display data from your program in the app easily and just as easily send data back to your program and act on it. Or, trigger actions of your program by just setting GPIO pins high or low. No need to spend valuable time writing your own phone app! - Educators, use RPiControl and a Raspberry Pi to teach your students basic programming principles. Give different types of feedback by connecting hardware to the Pi and control the hardware from the app via its controls and scripts. - Share your layouts with others by uploading them to our online layout library! More controls and features coming soon! Download and try it out for free! Want a custom version for your product? Contact us. Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation
Open Pi
Manage your Raspberry Pi devices remotely without cloud services. Monitor system health, control Docker, run commands, transfer files, and manage GPIO from a modern, privacy-focused interface.
- Real-time system monitoring
- SSH terminal access
- Docker container management
- GPIO control
- File manager
- Wake-on-LAN Helper
- Remote system actions
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Direct, local, and private Raspberry Pi management. Open Pi lets you monitor system health, manage Docker containers, and run SSH commands on your Raspberry Pi right from your phone. No cloud servers, accounts, or subscriptions. Built for homelabs, self-hosting, IoT projects, and software development. Key Features • System Health: Real-time CPU, RAM, storage, and temperature metrics • Docker Management: View, start, stop, and restart containers • Terminal: Secure SSH command-line access over local network or VPN • File Manager: Direct file uploads and downloads • GPIO Control: Monitor and toggle pins • Auto-Discovery: Detect devices automatically on local networks • System Actions: Wake-on-LAN helper, remote reboot, and alerts Privacy • Native SSH connection with no background agents • No accounts, tracking, or telemetry • Local-first architecture with zero subscriptions • All data stays on your local network
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: RPiControl at free against Open Pi's paid. RPiControl also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.0). Open Pi's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (11 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. RPiControl sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Open Pi sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
RPiControl holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Open Pi has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
RPiControl ships an update every 3 weeks, Open Pi weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RPiControl | Open Pi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.5 (11 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 11 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | OutWest Systems, Inc. | Artem Svitelskyi |
Customer experience
RPiControl
Open Pi
In-app purchases
RPiControl
- Unlimited Version$15.99
Open Pi
- Single (Lifetime)$5.99
- Family (Lifetime)$12.99









