# Xiao vs Soulear

The clearest difference is rating: Soulear at 2.4 against Xiao's 2.1. Soulear also leads on review sentiment (32% vs 22%) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Soulear holds the better App Store score, 2.4 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 136 and 218 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Xiao's written reviews are positive against 32% of Soulear's.

Xiao ships an update every 5 weeks, Soulear every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Xiao | Soulear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (136 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xiao-e/id1542174595/reviews) | **[2.4 (218 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soulear/id1603195840/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 136 | **218** |
| Positive reviews | 22.3% of reviews | **32.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 79 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [文平 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521439717) | [晓玲 曹](https://appshunter.io/developer/1636642355) |

## What reviewers say

### Xiao

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xiao-e/id1542174595)

This utility app connects to ear-picking equipment via Wi-Fi to display a real-time view of the ear canal on your mobile device. It allows users to easily examine ear conditions, capture photos, and record videos for later comparison.

**Highlights:** Real-time ear canal imaging, Wi-Fi connectivity, Photo and video capture, Ear condition comparison, Ear canal examination tool

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Soulear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/soulear/id1603195840)

View real-time camera image data from a connected hardware device. Save photos and videos directly to your system's photo album and access them later through the application.

**Highlights:** Real-time camera image viewing, Save photos and videos, Access saved media, Device connection support

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📸 High-quality image and video clarity
- ✅ Works as advertised when functioning properly
- 🎯 Easy to use interface and simple setup
- 💰 Affordable price point
- ⚡ Effective ear cleaning results

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Excessive permission requests for unnecessary data access
- 📡 WiFi connection instability and frequent disconnections
- 🔄 Unreliable connectivity - works initially then fails
- ⚠️ Suspicious data collection practices (GPS, voice, IMEI)
- 🎥 Inverted/reversed camera angle causing usability issues

**Reported bugs**

- WiFi connection drops after initial pairing
- Black screen display preventing camera feed
- Device won't reconnect after first use
- App fails to recognize connected device
- Camera image distorted or not transmitting

**Requested features**

- Mirror/flip option for reversed camera view
- Bluetooth connectivity instead of WiFi requirement
- Better camera positioning control within ear
- Improved customer support and troubleshooting resources
- Ability to deny permissions without breaking functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Xiao free?

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

### Is Soulear free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Xiao or Soulear?

Soulear is rated higher. Xiao averages 2.1 out of 5 from 136 ratings, while Soulear averages 2.4 from 218 ratings.

### Do Xiao or Soulear have ads?

Neither Xiao nor Soulear shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Xiao or Soulear?

Xiao ships an update every 5 weeks, and Soulear every 2 months. Most recently, Xiao was updated on October 7, 2026 and Soulear on October 12, 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.*