# ntfy vs Shellbee

The clearest difference is update cadence: Shellbee at every 2 days against ntfy's fortnightly. Shellbee also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). ntfy's advantage is ratings volume (452 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shellbee 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 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, Shellbee every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ntfy | Shellbee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (452 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ntfy/id1625396347/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellbee/id6763139074/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **452** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 78.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Philipp Heckel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625396349) | [Kenneth Berg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895180037) |

## 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


### Shellbee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellbee/id6763139074)

Control and configure your Zigbee devices directly from your mobile device. Monitor network health, manage device settings, and update firmware with a native, cloud-free experience. Requires a running Zigbee2MQTT server.

**Highlights:** Real-time network map, Device control and configuration, Firmware updates with Live Activities, Multi-bridge support, Customizable Home screen, Offline device documentation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ntfy free?

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

### Is Shellbee free?

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

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

Shellbee is rated higher. ntfy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 452 ratings, while Shellbee averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ntfy or Shellbee have ads?

Neither ntfy nor Shellbee shows ads.

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

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, and Shellbee every 2 days. Most recently, ntfy was updated on October 11, 2026 and Shellbee on October 12, 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.*