# Orchid VMS vs Relay | Communicator

The clearest difference is update cadence: Relay | Communicator at every 3 weeks against Orchid VMS's every 12 months. Relay | Communicator also leads on ratings volume (437 vs 4). Orchid VMS's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Orchid VMS against 4.9 for Relay | Communicator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Relay | Communicator has 437 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Orchid VMS ships an update every 12 months, Relay | Communicator every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Orchid VMS | Relay | Communicator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orchid-vms/id1611071163/reviews)** | [4.9 (437 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/relay-communicator/id1643141011/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **437** |
| Positive reviews | — | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ipconfigure, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1610782669) | [Relay, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1221474222) |

## What reviewers say

### Orchid VMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orchid-vms/id1611071163)

Access and manage your Orchid video surveillance system from your mobile device. Connect securely over HTTPS to view live video feeds and control your system's settings from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Connect to Orchid VMS systems, View live video feeds, Manage system settings, Secure HTTPS connection, Save system credentials

**In-app purchases:** none


### Relay | Communicator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/relay-communicator/id1643141011)

This app provides two-way communication and location tracking for teams. It includes features like a panic button and work tracking to enhance team performance and operational efficiency.

**Highlights:** Two-way communication, Panic button, GPS tracking, Work tracking, Radio replacement

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Orchid VMS free?

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

### Is Relay | Communicator free?

Relay | Communicator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Orchid VMS or Relay | Communicator?

Orchid VMS is rated higher. Orchid VMS averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Relay | Communicator averages 4.9 from 437 ratings.

### Do Orchid VMS or Relay | Communicator have ads?

Neither Orchid VMS nor Relay | Communicator shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Orchid VMS or Relay | Communicator?

Orchid VMS ships an update every 12 months, and Relay | Communicator every 3 weeks. Most recently, Orchid VMS was updated on September 16, 2026 and Relay | Communicator on September 18, 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.*