# Plex Dash vs Screens 5

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Plex Dash at none against Screens 5's 6. Plex Dash also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 49%) and ratings volume (2.2K vs 584). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Plex Dash against 4.5 for Screens 5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.2K and 584 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Plex Dash's written reviews are positive against 49% of Screens 5's.

Plex Dash ships an update monthly, Screens 5 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Plex Dash | Screens 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plex-dash/id1500797677/reviews)** | [4.5 (584 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 584 |
| Positive reviews | **81.3% of reviews** | 48.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 36 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Plex Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/383457676) | [Edovia Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284606519) |

## What reviewers say

### Plex Dash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plex-dash/id1500797677)

Monitor your Plex Media Server in real-time. Track streams, DVR recordings, and server resources with detailed graphs. Manage media artwork and refresh libraries directly from your device.

**Highlights:** Real-time playback status, DVR recording monitoring, Bandwidth and resource graphs, Top media and user history, Artwork management, Library refresh, Server log inspection

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Useful for monitoring server status
- 🚀 Convenient mobile access to server information
- 💡 Ability to change artwork remotely
- 🔒 Works seamlessly with Plex account
- 👍 Easy to set up and use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to web interface
- 🔍 Clunky navigation and user interface
- 🔍 Lacking advanced server management features
- 🔍 Slow to update or refresh server information

**Reported bugs**

- Difficulty connecting to server or finding servers
- Crashes when viewing server graphs
- Inaccurate or incomplete playback history

**Requested features**

- Add ability to manage users and permissions
- Integrate more server administration functions
- Improve library browsing and media details
- Provide more detailed playback statistics
- Add support for GPU monitoring


### Screens 5

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

Access and control your Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi computers remotely from any device. Enjoy fast, secure connections with features like privacy masking, multi-display support, and file transfer.

**Highlights:** Remote computer access, Secure connections, Multi-display support, Clipboard sharing, File transfer, Privacy masking (Curtain Mode)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**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 Plex Dash free?

Plex Dash 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, Plex Dash or Screens 5?

Plex Dash is rated higher. Plex Dash averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Screens 5 averages 4.5 from 584 ratings.

### Do Plex Dash or Screens 5 have ads?

Neither Plex Dash nor Screens 5 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Plex Dash or Screens 5?

Plex Dash ships an update monthly, and Screens 5 every 2 weeks. Most recently, Plex Dash was updated on October 29, 2026 and Screens 5 on October 27, 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.*