Comparison

ntfy vs Point to Text

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

Head to head
About

ntfy

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
Read full description

Send push notifications to your phone from any Bash or PowerShell script, or from your own app using PUT/POST requests, e.g. via curl on Linux or Invoke-WebRequest. ntfy is a client for https://ntfy.sh, a free and open source HTTP-based pub-sub service. You can subscribe to topics in this app, and then publish messages via a simple HTTP API. Uses: * Notify yourself when a long-running process is done * Ping your phone when a backup has failed * Alerts when someone logs into your server Example: $ curl -d "Your backup is done" ntfy.sh/mytopic Find more examples and usage instructions here: https://ntfy.sh/docs

About

Point to Text

Read full description

If you're looking at a bookshelf, or an aisle in the supermarket or drug store, and you want some help locating a title or label, then Point to Text is for you. When you launch Point to Text, it will start using the camera to scan the world. Type in the text you are seeking in the text field at the top, tap the screen, and Point to Text will point to the text. It works in either landscape or portrait mode. If Point to Text doesn't spot your text right away, step in closer and point the camera at the various places to search. You can try scanning slowly, or stopping at each spot and then moving to an adjacent spot. To reach lower shelves, reach down and turn the phone upside down. Because it uses Augmented Reality, it remembers where it spotted text -- so if you step back when you're done scanning up close, Point to Text will point to the text it found while you were moving the phone camera. If more than one instance of the search string is found, Point to Text will point to up to four of them. The gear icon on the bottom right of the screen will allow you to select alternate pointer styles.

Screenshots

ntfy2 screens
Point to Text4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Point to Text at every 3 days against ntfy's fortnightly. ntfy's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, Point to Text every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
ntfy versus Point to Text: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterntfyPoint to Text
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (442 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews78.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings442 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhilipp HeckelRobert Lefkowitz

Bugs and requests

ntfy

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

Point to Text

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ntfy

No in-app purchases

None

Point to Text

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ntfy free?
ntfy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Point to Text free?
Point to Text is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ntfy or Point to Text have ads?
Neither ntfy nor Point to Text shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ntfy or Point to Text?
ntfy ships an update fortnightly, and Point to Text every 3 days. Most recently, ntfy was updated on September 27, 2026 and Point to Text on September 8, 2026.

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