# Lightning VPN vs HIKBOX

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.

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

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightning VPN | HIKBOX |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-vpn-fast-and-private/id1615510722/reviews) | **[4.5 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hikbox/id6445837521/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **28** |
| Positive reviews | **36.0% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 158 MB | 272 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [QG TECH PTY LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1615510724) | [武汉海康存储技术有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1247717775) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightning VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightning-vpn-fast-and-private/id1615510722)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 超短7天会员 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 30天会员 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 常规  大杯 季付 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 年度会员-365天 | $18.99 | one-time |
| 常规 超大杯 季付 | $19.99 | one-time |
| 常规  大杯 半年付 | $22.99 | one-time |
| 常规 超大杯 半年付 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 无限流量 半年付 | $39.99 | one-time |
| 常规 超大杯 年付 | $59.99 | one-time |
| 无限流量 年付 | $59.99 | one-time |


### HIKBOX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hikbox/id6445837521)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*