# WidgetPack vs Screens 5

The clearest difference is price: Screens 5 at Free against WidgetPack's $4.99. Screens 5 also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.4) and ratings volume (584 vs 17). WidgetPack's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Screens 5 is free to download; WidgetPack costs $4.99 up front. Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. WidgetPack asks for nothing beyond the download.

Screens 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screens 5 has 584 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of WidgetPack's written reviews are positive against 49% of Screens 5's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

WidgetPack ships an update weekly, Screens 5 every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WidgetPack | Screens 5 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.4 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widgetpack/id1526805384/reviews) | **[4.5 (584 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **584** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 48.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 5 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bouke van der Bijl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1219803271) | [Edovia Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284606519) |

## What reviewers say

### WidgetPack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widgetpack/id1526805384)

Design custom widgets for your homescreen using the power of Shortcuts. Utilize built-in elements like images and text, or create unique designs from scratch. Display any information directly on your device.

**Highlights:** Create custom widgets, Utilize Shortcuts integration, Modify built-in examples, Design from scratch, Add images and symbols, Apply colors and effects

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 WidgetPack free?

WidgetPack costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Screens 5 free?

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

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

Screens 5 is rated higher. WidgetPack averages 3.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Screens 5 averages 4.5 from 584 ratings.

### Do WidgetPack or Screens 5 have ads?

Neither WidgetPack nor Screens 5 shows ads.

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

WidgetPack ships an update weekly, and Screens 5 every 2 weeks. Most recently, WidgetPack was updated on October 24, 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.*