Comparison

Lightning VPN vs HIKBOX

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lightning VPN

Easily secure your internet connection with a single tap. This app offers a straightforward way to browse privately, work securely, and travel with less friction by providing VPN connections and route management.

Highlights
  • One-tap VPN connection
  • Route selection and testing
  • Traffic and connection management
  • Subscription and plan management
  • Multiple routing modes
  • Configuration pairing
Features
Read full description

Tired of complicated VPN setup or uncertain public Wi‑Fi? Lightning VPN makes private connection simple. Sign in to start your 2-day free trial, choose a route, and connect with one tap. At a cafe, airport, hotel, or on the road, Lightning VPN helps you get back to browsing, working, and traveling with less friction. Features: • VPN connection: Start or stop the VPN and check the current connection status. • Route selection: View available nodes and routes and switch routes when needed. • Node latency testing: Check node latency before selecting a route. • Plan management: View plans, service periods, usage, and renewal information. • Subscription management: Update remote profiles and route information. • Routing modes: Choose between rule-based, global, and direct modes. • Traffic overview: View upload, download, daily usage, and overall traffic. • Connection management: View active connections, connection details, and proxy chains. • Configuration pairing: Sync configuration to supported companion devices with a QR code. • Account services: View orders, service status, and account information. Lightning VPN provides VPN connections, routes, and service plans. Users need to register or sign in to a Lightning VPN account and select the service that fits their needs. The number of available routes, connection speed, and stability may vary depending on the user's region, network environment, server status, and selected plan. Please review applicable laws, network requirements, and service terms before use.

About

HIKBOX

Securely back up and manage photos, videos, and other files from your smart storage device to your phone. Features auto-backup, intelligent picture recognition, and remote access from any device. Enjoy seamless file viewing, projection, and even video surveillance capabilities.

Highlights
  • Auto Backup and Classification
  • Deep Learning Picture Recognition
  • Remote Access Anytime, Anywhere
  • Offline File Caching
  • One-Touch Multimedia Projection
  • Video Surveillance and Recording
  • Baidu Netdisk Integration
Features
Read full description

Hikbox is an app to manage smart storage device. With this app, you can share the information from the smart device to the mobile phone more conveniently, and realize the safe storage for photo, video, contacts, etc. what’s more, you can upload pictures in the camera or USB flash disk to this app automatically, and it is easy to be shared. 1. Auto Backup, Auto Classification It can enable auto backup of phone album quickly to release phone memory. The backup files can be classified automatically. You don’t need to worry about insufficient free space or phone loss. 2. Deep Learning, Picture Recognition Supports smart classification for pictures to People, Thing, Location with deep learning technology. 3. Accessible to You Anytime and Anywhere View or get files via mobile phone or computer anytime and anywhere. The intelligent compression on pictures requires less bandwidth, to provide a better experience. Support online playing with any mainstream multi-media format. 4. Download Offline Resource Control the home device remotely with the app to download blockbusters- no matter where you are. 5. One-Touch Multimedia Projection Support one-touch projection via multiple ways like DLAN/AirPlay, from which you can enjoy a high definition video at home. 6. Video Surveillance, Real-Time Recording Support connecting to the network camera to realize high definition and reliable video surveillance, and recording at home. 7. Connect Baidu Netdisk Support Baidu Netdisk, to which you can transmit local file, such as video, picture to Baidu Netdisk. 8. View Files Online and Offline View files in multiple formats (word, excel, ppt, pdf, text, etc.) online anytime and anywhere. Also you can cache files into your mobile phone and view them offline. 9. Decompress File Online Supports decompressing zip. or tar. format package within 4 GB online. Operating system: iOS 8.0 or above version. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Note: When Auto Background Backup is enabled, the GPS keeps connected even when the app is switched to background. The app will detect and backup latest album automatically if the location is changed. And more battery is consumed.

Screenshots

Lightning VPN4 screens
HIKBOX4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HIKBOX at none against Lightning VPN's 10. HIKBOX also leads on ratings volume (28 vs 4) and iOS requirement (13 vs 15.0). Lightning VPN's advantage is review sentiment (36% vs 17%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Lightning VPN sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. HIKBOX asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HIKBOX holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HIKBOX has 28 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of Lightning VPN's written reviews are positive against 17% of HIKBOX's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightning VPN ships an update fortnightly, HIKBOX every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Lightning VPN versus HIKBOX: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightning VPNHIKBOX
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (4 ratings)4.5 (28 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.0% of reviews — better16.7% of reviews
Number of ratings428 — better
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013 — better
Further details — not scored
Size158 MB272 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperQG TECH PTY LTD武汉海康存储技术有限公司

Customer experience

Lightning VPN

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive36.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative60.0%

HIKBOX

All ratings28 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.7%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Lightning VPN

One-time10
  • 超短7天会员$0.99
  • 30天会员$3.99
  • 常规 大杯 季付$14.99
Show 7 more
  • 年度会员-365天$18.99
  • 常规 超大杯 季付$19.99
  • 常规 大杯 半年付$22.99
  • 常规 超大杯 半年付$29.99
  • 无限流量 半年付$39.99
  • 常规 超大杯 年付$59.99
  • 无限流量 年付$59.99
None

HIKBOX

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lightning VPN free?
Lightning VPN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HIKBOX free?
HIKBOX is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lightning VPN or HIKBOX?
HIKBOX is rated higher. Lightning VPN averages 4.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while HIKBOX averages 4.5 from 28 ratings.
Do Lightning VPN or HIKBOX have ads?
Neither Lightning VPN nor HIKBOX shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lightning VPN or HIKBOX?
Lightning VPN ships an update fortnightly, and HIKBOX every 6 weeks. Most recently, Lightning VPN was updated on November 12, 2026 and HIKBOX on November 3, 2026.

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