# ntfy vs VimKey

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ntfy at none against VimKey's 1. ntfy also leads on ratings volume (452 vs 3). VimKey's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 78%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. VimKey sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ntfy asks for nothing beyond the download.

VimKey holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ntfy has 452 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of ntfy's written reviews are positive against 100% of VimKey's.

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, VimKey every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ntfy | VimKey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (452 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ntfy/id1625396347/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vimkey-arrow/id6757208954/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **452** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 78.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Philipp Heckel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625396349) | [chuncheng su](https://appshunter.io/developer/1865334918) |

## 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


### VimKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vimkey-arrow/id6757208954)

Enhance your mobile editing experience with Vim-style navigation and dedicated arrow keys. This app offers precise cursor control for developers and power users on iOS devices, bringing desktop-level efficiency to your fingertips.

**Highlights:** Vim-style HJKL navigation, Dedicated directional arrow keys, Dual layout switching, Privacy-focused data handling, Haptic feedback and click sounds

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| qwert Layout | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ntfy free?

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

### Is VimKey free?

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

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

VimKey is rated higher. ntfy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 452 ratings, while VimKey averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do ntfy or VimKey have ads?

Neither ntfy nor VimKey shows ads.

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

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, and VimKey every 10 days. Most recently, ntfy was updated on October 13, 2026 and VimKey on September 30, 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.*