# ntfy vs Shwidget

The clearest difference is rating: ntfy at 4.8 against Shwidget's 3.4. ntfy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (79% vs 50%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shwidget sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. ntfy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ntfy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ntfy has 425 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of ntfy's written reviews are positive against 50% of Shwidget's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and August 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ntfy | Shwidget |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (425 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ntfy/id1625396347/reviews)** | [3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shwidget/id6466997335/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **425** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 3 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Philipp Heckel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625396349) | [Appsipaja Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/462383203) |

## 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


### Shwidget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shwidget/id6466997335)

Display your Google Sheets data directly on your iOS device's Home or Lock Screen. Monitor key values and KPIs automatically without needing to open the Sheets app.

**Highlights:** Display Google Sheets data in widgets, Automatic widget updates, Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, No account required, Privacy-friendly data handling, Easy setup with Sheet and Cell IDs

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly payment | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly payment | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ntfy free?

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

### Is Shwidget free?

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

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

ntfy is rated higher. ntfy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 425 ratings, while Shwidget averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do ntfy or Shwidget have ads?

Neither ntfy nor Shwidget shows ads.

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

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, and Shwidget fortnightly. Most recently, ntfy was updated on September 24, 2026 and Shwidget on August 16, 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.*