Comparison

RPiControl vs Open Pi

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • Real-time system monitoring
  • SSH terminal access
  • Docker container management
  • GPIO control
  • File manager
  • Wake-on-LAN Helper
  • Remote system actions
Features
Read full description

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

RPiControl4 screens
Open Pi4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RPiControl ships an update every 3 weeks, Open Pi weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
RPiControl versus Open Pi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRPiControlOpen Pi
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.5 (11 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings211 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOutWest Systems, Inc.Artem Svitelskyi

Customer experience

RPiControl

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Open Pi

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

RPiControl

One-time1
  • Unlimited Version$15.99
2 purchases

Open Pi

One-time2
  • Single (Lifetime)$5.99
  • Family (Lifetime)$12.99

Questions

Is RPiControl free?
RPiControl is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Open Pi free?
Open Pi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RPiControl or Open Pi?
RPiControl is rated higher. RPiControl averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Open Pi averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.
Do RPiControl or Open Pi have ads?
Neither RPiControl nor Open Pi shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RPiControl or Open Pi?
RPiControl ships an update every 3 weeks, and Open Pi weekly. Most recently, RPiControl was updated on October 18, 2026 and Open Pi on October 29, 2026.

Other comparisons