# ntfy vs Couchside

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ntfy at none against Couchside's 1. ntfy also leads on ratings volume (442 vs 7). Couchside's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly) and review sentiment (100% vs 79%). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Couchside holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ntfy has 442 ratings behind it against 7, 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 100% of Couchside's.

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, Couchside every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ntfy | Couchside |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (442 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ntfy/id1625396347/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/couchside-remote/id6786884115/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **442** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 78.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Philipp Heckel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625396349) | [Taylor Emery](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896613747) |

## 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


### Couchside

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/couchside-remote/id6786884115)

Transform your iPhone into a remote console, game launcher, and controller for your Linux gaming PC. Monitor system health, fix issues without a keyboard, and launch games directly from your couch.

**Highlights:** Live system monitoring dashboard, One-tap runbook actions for troubleshooting, Browse system logs remotely, Launch Steam games and custom applications, Virtual Xbox 360 game controller, Trackpad and swipe control modes, Easy QR code pairing

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Couchside Forever Unlock | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ntfy free?

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

### Is Couchside free?

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

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

Couchside is rated higher. ntfy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 442 ratings, while Couchside averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do ntfy or Couchside have ads?

Neither ntfy nor Couchside shows ads.

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

ntfy ships an update fortnightly, and Couchside every 2 days. Most recently, ntfy was updated on September 27, 2026 and Couchside on September 23, 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.*