# AB Remote vs Hearing Buddy

The clearest difference is rating: Hearing Buddy at 4.1 against AB Remote's 3.0. Hearing Buddy also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 29 months) and review sentiment (33% vs 13%). AB Remote's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hearing Buddy sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. AB Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hearing Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 100 and 162 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of AB Remote's written reviews are positive against 33% of Hearing Buddy's.

AB Remote ships an update every 29 months, Hearing Buddy every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AB Remote | Hearing Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (100 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ab-remote/id1502613895/reviews) | **[4.1 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearing-buddy-speech-to-text/id6747363502/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 100 | **162** |
| Positive reviews | 12.8% of reviews | **33.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 29 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#54** |
| Size | 44 MB | 144 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Advanced Bionics, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/533826496) | [Krager Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/641756538) |

## What reviewers say

### AB Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ab-remote/id1502613895)

Control volume and program settings for specific hearing devices. Access helpful information directly through your smartphone.

**Highlights:** Volume control, Program changes, Access help information, Direct connectivity, Sound processor control

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for controlling sound
- 👍 Gets the job done
- 👍 Useful for watching videos/music
- 👍 Good start

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connections suck
- 🐛 UI/UX is awful
- 🐛 App is terrible
- 🐛 Incredibly stupid battery display
- 🐛 Worst app ever

**Reported bugs**

- Unpairs from device
- Doesn't remember settings
- Bluetooth disconnects intermittently
- Needs rebooting speech processor
- Disconnects when one battery dies

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch app
- Tone equalization/treble boost
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Sensitivity slider
- Push alerts for disconnects


### Hearing Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hearing-buddy-speech-to-text/id6747363502)

**Currently charting:** #54 Top Grossing · Medical (US App Store)

This app provides unlimited, on-device live captions for conversations, making them accessible in noisy environments or during fast-paced discussions. It also offers features like sharing captions with others, real-time translation, and personalized alerts for names and questions. Enhanced accuracy and translation are available through an optional subscription.

**Highlights:** Unlimited on-device live captions, Share captions with nearby users, Real-time translation of conversations, Name and question alerts, Conversation summaries, Offline captioning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Pro | $59.99 | per year |
| Pro | $59.99 | per year |
| Buddy+ Annual | $79.99 | per year |
| Buddy+ Annual | $79.99 | per year |
| Pro | $79.99 | per year |
| Pro | $89.99 | per year |
| Buddy+ Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Buddy+ Friend | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AB Remote free?

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

### Is Hearing Buddy free?

Hearing Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, AB Remote or Hearing Buddy?

Hearing Buddy is rated higher. AB Remote averages 3.0 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while Hearing Buddy averages 4.1 from 162 ratings.

### Do AB Remote or Hearing Buddy have ads?

Hearing Buddy shows ads; AB Remote does not.

### Which is updated more often, AB Remote or Hearing Buddy?

AB Remote ships an update every 29 months, and Hearing Buddy every 4 days. Most recently, AB Remote was updated on October 27, 2026 and Hearing Buddy on October 30, 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.*