# SmartHear vs CareServer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SmartHear at none against CareServer's 3. SmartHear also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). CareServer's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CareServer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. SmartHear asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmartHear ships an update every 2 months, CareServer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartHear | CareServer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/careserver/id6474921250/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **26** |
| Positive reviews | — | 83.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 46 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [上海合微智能科技有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1121192106) | [Nanjing Jump Leyou Information Technology Co. LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676025905) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartHear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smarthear/id1574424611)

**In-app purchases:** none


### CareServer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/careserver/id6474921250)

Manage Linux servers and containers with SSH, SFTP, and terminal access. Monitor resource usage, network status, and processes. Offers robust file management and port forwarding capabilities.

**Highlights:** SSH, SFTP, and Terminal access, Linux server monitoring (CPU, memory, disk), Container management (Docker, Podman), Port forwarding, Proxy features, File management, Customizable interface

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartHear free?

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

### Is CareServer free?

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

### Do SmartHear or CareServer have ads?

Neither SmartHear nor CareServer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartHear or CareServer?

SmartHear ships an update every 2 months, and CareServer every 3 weeks. Most recently, SmartHear was updated on September 23, 2026 and CareServer on October 9, 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.*