# FairyNest vs SimplePi for Raspberry Pi

The clearest difference is rating: SimplePi for Raspberry Pi at 3.9 against FairyNest's 2.0. SimplePi for Raspberry Pi also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). FairyNest's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimplePi for Raspberry Pi sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. FairyNest asks for nothing beyond the download.

SimplePi for Raspberry Pi holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 87 and 125 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of FairyNest's written reviews are positive against 26% of SimplePi for Raspberry Pi's.

FairyNest ships an update every 2 months, SimplePi for Raspberry Pi every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FairyNest | SimplePi for Raspberry Pi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fairynest/id1468834577/reviews) | **[3.9 (125 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplepi-for-raspberry-pi/id1524142767/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 87 | **125** |
| Positive reviews | 22.5% of reviews | **25.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 33 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shenzhen Sperll Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1373080686) | [Benedikt Hirmer](https://appshunter.io/developer/844106496) |

## What reviewers say

### FairyNest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fairynest/id1468834577)

Control your smart home LED devices remotely via the internet. This app offers easy setup and an excellent user experience, integrating with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa.

**Highlights:** Remote control over internet, Amazon Alexa integration, Control LED controllers, Control LED switches, Control LED bulbs, Easy setup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy setup (sometimes)
- ✨ Good UI (sometimes)
- 🌈 Beautiful colors and modes
- 💡 Good features for the price
- 🔊 Sound reactive mode works well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- ❌ Login/signup issues
- 🔌 Disconnecting devices
- 🚫 No Wi-Fi required control
- 🔄 Requires frequent re-adding

**Reported bugs**

- PIN code not sent for signup/reset
- App crashes on login/signup
- Device disconnects frequently
- Cannot log in or sign up
- Servers offline

**Requested features**

- Group lights control
- More dynamic patterns/scenes
- Share function for devices
- Scene function for Alexa/Google
- Apple Shortcuts Integration


### SimplePi for Raspberry Pi

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplepi-for-raspberry-pi/id1524142767)

Manage your Raspberry Pi from your iPhone or iPad. Monitor system activity with graphs, run custom commands, and access a terminal shell. Includes widgets, file browsing, and support for multiple Pis.

**Highlights:** Monitor CPU, Memory, Temperature, Disk Usage, Run custom commands with one tap, Full terminal shell access, Home screen widgets for monitoring and control, File browser with export options, Manage multiple Raspberry Pi devices, Public key authentication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access (12 months) | $4.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful tool, does what it says
- 🚀 Fantastic app, great CLI access
- 💡 Full Bash and Python support
- 📈 Provides CPU, GPU, RAM stats
- 💰 Low annual cost (£4.99/year)

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Subscription required to function
- ❌ Frequent connection issues
- ❌ Paywall limits functionality
- ❌ App crashes frequently
- ❌ Fails to display stats

**Reported bugs**

- App refuses to connect after closing
- Opening app redirects to paywall
- Temporary fix for connection issues: remove host, force close, re-add
- App crashes several times
- Fails 50% of the time to display GPU, CPU, and temp settings

**Requested features**

- Allow commands to keep running when phone screen locks
- Ability to view results log for commands
- Option to remove added commands
- Improve navigation for raspi-config
- Store SSH private keys securely using iOS Keychain


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FairyNest free?

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

### Is SimplePi for Raspberry Pi free?

SimplePi for Raspberry Pi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FairyNest or SimplePi for Raspberry Pi?

SimplePi for Raspberry Pi is rated higher. FairyNest averages 2.0 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while SimplePi for Raspberry Pi averages 3.9 from 125 ratings.

### Do FairyNest or SimplePi for Raspberry Pi have ads?

Neither FairyNest nor SimplePi for Raspberry Pi shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FairyNest or SimplePi for Raspberry Pi?

FairyNest ships an update every 2 months, and SimplePi for Raspberry Pi every 8 days. Most recently, FairyNest was updated on October 9, 2026 and SimplePi for Raspberry Pi on October 12, 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.*