# Helmarr vs Couchside

The clearest difference is monetization model: Couchside at free against Helmarr's free with in-app purchases. Couchside also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). Helmarr's advantage is ratings volume (172 vs 7). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Helmarr sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Couchside sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Helmarr against 5.0 for Couchside. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Helmarr has 172 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Helmarr's written reviews are positive against 100% of Couchside's.

Helmarr ships an update weekly, Couchside every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Helmarr | Couchside |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/couchside-remote/id6786884115/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **172** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 75.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 170 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Florian Ernst](https://appshunter.io/developer/979192685) | [Taylor Emery](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896613747) |

## What reviewers say

### Helmarr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmarr/id1638624921)

Manage all your self-hosted services from a single, native iOS interface. Seamlessly integrate and control applications like Sonarr, Radarr, and Unraid with advanced features and customization.

**Highlights:** Unified experience for multiple services, Smart multi-network connectivity, Deep customization options, Home screen widgets, Unraid control, Push notifications, SSH & SFTP access, Download management

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Helmarr Pro Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Ultra Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Helmarr Pro Yearly Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Bazarr | $3.99 | one-time |
| Deluge | $4.99 | one-time |
| Plex | $4.99 | one-time |
| Transmission | $4.99 | one-time |
| NZBGet | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lidarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Unraid | $4.99 | one-time |
| SABnzbd | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tautulli | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sonarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Radarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Seerr | $4.99 | one-time |
| qBt | $4.99 | one-time |
| Prowlarr | $4.99 | one-time |
| Helmarr Pro - Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $34.99 | one-time |


### 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 Helmarr free?

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

### Is Couchside free?

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

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

Couchside is rated higher. Helmarr averages 4.9 out of 5 from 172 ratings, while Couchside averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Helmarr or Couchside have ads?

Neither Helmarr nor Couchside shows ads.

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

Helmarr ships an update weekly, and Couchside every 2 days. Most recently, Helmarr was updated on September 26, 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.*