# Tailscale vs Screens 5

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tailscale at none against Screens 5's 6. Tailscale also leads on chart position (#62 vs unranked) and review sentiment (61% vs 49%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Tailscale asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Tailscale against 4.5 for Screens 5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 778 and 597 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of Tailscale's written reviews are positive against 49% of Screens 5's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tailscale | Screens 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (778 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tailscale/id1470499037/reviews) | **[4.5 (597 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **778** | 597 |
| Positive reviews | **60.7% of reviews** | 49.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#62** | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tailscale Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470499035) | [Edovia Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284606519) |

## What reviewers say

### Tailscale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tailscale/id1470499037)

**Currently charting:** #62 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Securely connect devices, workloads, and users to any internet resource. This platform uses identity to control access, creating a modern mesh network that enhances security and performance. It's hardware-agnostic and integrates with numerous technologies.

**Highlights:** Identity-based access control, Mesh networking architecture, Zero Trust security, Hardware-agnostic deployment, Integrates with 100+ technologies, Supports multiple environments

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to set up and use
- 🔒 Secure remote access
- 👍 Convenient for accessing home network
- 👍 Seamless connectivity between devices
- 🚀 Powerful networking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 Significant battery drain
- 🐛 Connectivity issues and bugs
- 🐛 Unreliable performance
- 🐛 Broken functionality after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to connect or authenticate
- Exit node feature not working as expected
- Inconsistent behavior when switching networks
- App getting stuck in a loading state

**Requested features**

- On-demand VPN connection
- Ability to switch between multiple accounts
- More granular control over exit nodes
- Integration with other networking tools
- Dark mode option


### Screens 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912)

Access your Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi computers remotely from your Apple devices. Offers fast, secure, and reliable desktop access for work, travel, or helping others. Integrates with modern workflows and system features for seamless control.

**Highlights:** Remote access to Mac, Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi, Fast and secure VNC connections, Curtain Mode for private sessions, SSH connections and key support, Clipboard and file transfer, Multi-display support, Siri and Shortcuts integration

**Features:** Family Sharing, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.49 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Family Upgrade | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent remote access
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔒 Secure SSH-based remote control
- 👍 Native to Apple ecosystem
- 🚀 High-quality remote desktop rendering

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable connection and frequent disconnections
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Requires complex networking setup (port forwarding, Tailscale)
- 🐛 Issues with full-screen mode and window management
- 🐛 Telemetry and analytics cannot be disabled

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to delete auto-saved nearby devices
- Inconsistent behavior when editing device configurations
- Screens Connect failing to work reliably

**Requested features**

- Ability to block remote input while keeping remote desktop visible
- File transfer between Mac and iOS/iPadOS
- Upgrade pricing for existing users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tailscale free?

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

### Is Screens 5 free?

Screens 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tailscale or Screens 5?

Screens 5 is rated higher. Tailscale averages 4.4 out of 5 from 778 ratings, while Screens 5 averages 4.5 from 597 ratings.

### Do Tailscale or Screens 5 have ads?

Neither Tailscale nor Screens 5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tailscale or Screens 5?

Tailscale ships an update fortnightly, and Screens 5 fortnightly. Most recently, Tailscale was updated on November 3, 2026 and Screens 5 on November 3, 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.*