# ntfy vs VimKey

The clearest difference is rating: ntfy at 4.8 against VimKey's 3.4. ntfy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (474 vs 5). VimKey's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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.

ntfy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ntfy has 474 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 67% of VimKey's.

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, VimKey every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ntfy | VimKey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (474 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ntfy/id1625396347/reviews)** | [3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vimkey-code-and-vim-keyboard/id6757208954/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **474** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 4 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-code-and-vim-keyboard/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?

ntfy is rated higher. ntfy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 474 ratings, while VimKey averages 3.4 from 5 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 4 days. Most recently, ntfy was updated on October 25, 2026 and VimKey on October 24, 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.*