# ntfy vs Helmarr

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ntfy at none against Helmarr's 19. ntfy also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Helmarr's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Helmarr sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. ntfy asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for ntfy against 4.9 for Helmarr. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 425 and 172 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of ntfy's written reviews are positive against 76% of Helmarr's.

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, Helmarr weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ntfy | Helmarr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (425 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ntfy/id1625396347/reviews) | **[4.9 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **425** | 172 |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 75.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 170 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Philipp Heckel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625396349) | [Florian Ernst](https://appshunter.io/developer/979192685) |

## What reviewers say

### ntfy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ntfy/id1625396347)

This app allows you to send push notifications to your phone from scripts or other applications using simple HTTP requests. It acts as a client for a free, open-source pub-sub service, enabling you to receive alerts and updates directly on your device.

**Highlights:** Send notifications via REST API, Subscribe to topics, Publish messages via HTTP, Integrates with Bash/PowerShell, Free and open source client

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Great for self-hosting
- 👍 Reliable and works as expected
- 🚀 Quick and easy to set up
- 🚀 Lightweight and functional

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Notification issues on iOS
- 🔍 Limited features compared to other platforms
- 🔍 Lacks customization options
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or delivery issues

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working on iOS
- Broken click URLs in notifications
- Compatibility issues with iOS notification summarizing

**Requested features**

- Ability to change notification sounds
- Support for Apple Watch
- Customizable topic names/aliases
- Improved iOS notification handling
- All topics view and read/unread indicators


### Helmarr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921)

Manage all your self-hosted services from a single, native iOS interface. Seamlessly integrate and control applications like Sonarr, Radarr, and Unraid with advanced features and customization.

**Highlights:** Unified experience for multiple services, Smart multi-network connectivity, Deep customization options, Home screen widgets, Unraid control, Push notifications, SSH & SFTP access, Download management

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Helmarr Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Ultra Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Helmarr Pro Yearly Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Bazarr | $3.99 | one-time |
| Deluge | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plex | $4.99 | one-time |
| Transmission | $4.99 | one-time |
| NZBGet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lidarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unraid | $4.99 | one-time |
| SABnzbd | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tautulli | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sonarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Radarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Seerr | $4.99 | one-time |
| qBt | $4.99 | one-time |
| Prowlarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Helmarr Pro - Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ntfy free?

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

### Is Helmarr free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ntfy or Helmarr?

Helmarr is rated higher. ntfy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 425 ratings, while Helmarr averages 4.9 from 172 ratings.

### Do ntfy or Helmarr have ads?

Neither ntfy nor Helmarr shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ntfy or Helmarr?

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, and Helmarr weekly. Most recently, ntfy was updated on September 24, 2026 and Helmarr on September 22, 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.*