# SURFboard Central vs PowerPlate Update

The clearest difference is update cadence: SURFboard Central at every 2 months against PowerPlate Update's every 5 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SURFboard Central ships an update every 2 months, PowerPlate Update every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SURFboard Central | PowerPlate Update |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.6 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfboard-central/id1478418148/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 10.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 193 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ARRIS Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/571770115) | [Wing Hung Chak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1342551308) |

## What reviewers say

### SURFboard Central

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfboard-central/id1478418148)

Simplify the setup and management of your home network devices. This app provides step-by-step installation guides, Wi-Fi configuration, and network monitoring for various modems, routers, and mesh systems.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step device installation guides, Wi-Fi network configuration and management, Guest network setup, Client device monitoring, Parental controls and screen time management, Network health monitoring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast setup
- 💡 Helpful for monitoring home network
- 🔒 Secure connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔍 Limited functionality
- 💤 Slow and unresponsive
- 🤔 Confusing setup process
- 🔒 Poor security and privacy

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Fails to connect to network
- Incorrect device information displayed
- Parental controls don't work as expected
- Unable to change network name or password

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced configuration options
- Improve parental controls and internet scheduling
- Provide a web-based interface instead of just a mobile app
- Allow users to bypass the app and access router settings directly


### PowerPlate Update

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powerplate-update/id6755076936)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SURFboard Central free?

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

### Is PowerPlate Update free?

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

### Do SURFboard Central or PowerPlate Update have ads?

Neither SURFboard Central nor PowerPlate Update shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SURFboard Central or PowerPlate Update?

SURFboard Central ships an update every 2 months, and PowerPlate Update every 5 months. Most recently, SURFboard Central was updated on October 27, 2026 and PowerPlate Update on October 16, 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.*