Comparison

Screens 5 vs Shwidget

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Screens 5

Access your Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi computers remotely from your Apple devices. Offers fast, secure, and reliable desktop access for work, travel, or helping others. Integrates with modern workflows and system features for seamless control.

Highlights
  • Remote access to Mac, Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi
  • Fast and secure VNC connections
  • Curtain Mode for private sessions
  • SSH connections and key support
  • Clipboard and file transfer
  • Multi-display support
  • Siri and Shortcuts integration
Features
Read full description

Access your computers from anywhere. Screens lets you remotely access your Mac, Windows PC, Linux PC, or Raspberry Pi from your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Vision Pro. Whether you’re connecting to a remote workstation, a headless Mac mini, or helping friends and family, Screens delivers fast, secure, and reliable remote desktop access wherever you are. REMOTE ACCESS FROM ANYWHERE Remote access is built right into Screens on Mac. For older Macs and Windows PCs, install Screens Connect to easily set up remote access over the internet. Need to connect to Linux or Raspberry Pi? Screens also integrates with Tailscale for secure, hassle-free connections. FAST, SECURE REMOTE DESKTOP ACCESS Screens is optimized for responsive remote control with support for: • Curtain Mode for private remote sessions on Mac • SSH connections and SSH keys • Secure password storage and quick logins • Observe or control remote computers • Adaptive and Full display quality BUILT FOR MODERN REMOTE WORKFLOWS Use Screens to: • Access remote Macs, PCs, Linux systems, and Raspberry Pi devices • Connect to headless Mac mini setups and remote workstations • Monitor long-running tasks from anywhere • Help friends, family, or coworkers remotely • Access your computers while traveling or away from home DO MORE WITH SCREENS Take advantage of powerful system features across iPhone and iPad: • Connect using Siri, Shortcuts, and Spotlight • Quickly connect to saved computers from widgets • Use external keyboards, mice, and trackpads • Use Apple Pencil on iPad • Display your remote computer on an external display with AirPlay POWERFUL FEATURES • Multi-display support • Clipboard sharing • File transfer between iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro and Mac • Customizable connection settings for individual computers • Dictation support for remote text input • Session selection on Mac • iCloud synchronization • Full URL Schemes support • Touch ID, Face ID, Apple Watch, and password protection COMPATIBILITY • Connect from iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro • Connect to Mac, Windows PC, Linux PC, and Raspberry Pi • Screens Connect is built into Screens for Mac on macOS 14.6 or later • Standalone Screens Connect is available for Macs running macOS 10.13 or later and PCs running Windows 10 or later • Clipboard sharing on Windows and Linux supports text only • Sound transmission is not supported due to VNC protocol limitations • Screens does not support connections to iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro devices Screens gives you secure, reliable access to your computers anytime, anywhere. Privacy Policy: https://screens.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://screens.app/terms

About

Shwidget

Display your Google Sheets data directly on your iOS device's Home or Lock Screen. Monitor key values and KPIs automatically without needing to open the Sheets app.

Highlights
  • Display Google Sheets data in widgets
  • Automatic widget updates
  • Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets
  • No account required
  • Privacy-friendly data handling
  • Easy setup with Sheet and Cell IDs
Features
Read full description

Do you have a KPI or important value in Google Sheets that updates automatically, and you want to monitor it without constantly opening the Sheets app? Meet Shwidget, your solution! Shwidget is an iOS app that lets you display any Google Sheets cell value directly in a widget on your device. It automatically updates via iOS’s widget system, meaning you can keep tabs on your important data right from your Home or Lock Screen, without the need to check the Sheets app manually. Key Features: * Automatic updates using iOS’s widget update system. * Home Screen widgets in various sizes, as well as Lock Screen widgets. * Privacy-friendly: No account required, and your data never leaves your device. SETTING IT UP Getting started is easy! All you need is the Sheet ID and the Cell IDs of the data you want to display. Optionally, you can add titles for each value, which will appear in the widget for clarity. 1. Find the Sheet ID: This is the long string of characters in your Google Sheets URL (without the dashes). 2. Set Sharing Permissions: Make sure the sheet is set to “Anyone with the link” and read-only to allow Shwidget to fetch the data securely. Once you’ve set these up in the app, Shwidget takes care of the rest. The widget will automatically update at regular intervals thanks to iOS’s background system. PRO TIPS * How to Find the Sheet ID: Open your Google Sheet, and the ID is the long string of random characters in the URL between the slashes. For example:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CMvaCWBAsrAftZjT5nXlntTUsnmkkZDlxMkXhAd_sBs/
In this case, the Sheet ID is: 1CMvaCWBAsrAftZjT5nXlntTUsnmkkZDlxMkXhAd_sBs.
 Paste only this ID into the Shwidget app. (Tip: Double-check you’re not copying the entire URL!) * Sharing Permissions: Ensure your sheet’s general access is set to “Anyone with the link” and role set to “Viewer” to allow Shwidget access without making unnecessary changes to your security settings. * If your widget says "ERROR empty cell?" Then the cell is empty OR sharing is not properly done OR typo in the cell field. Trust me, its one of these. * Data Privacy: If you’re concerned about sharing sensitive data, consider creating a “proxy” spreadsheet and use Google Sheets’ IMPORTRANGE function to pull only the necessary data into a separate sheet that’s shared with Shwidget. EXAMPLE SETUP Test Shwidget with the example sheet below:
Sheet ID: 1CMvaCWBAsrAftZjT5nXlntTUsnmkkZDlxMkXhAd_sBs
 Try cell IDs like D1, D2, D3 or E1-E7, and open the sheet to see the expected values. FREE vs PRO The free version of Shwidget lets you add one row or data field per widget. To unlock more rows, upgrade to the KPI Lover subscription for expanded functionality. The free version also includes a logo on the home screen widget and a subject text on the lock screen widget, which you can remove by subscribing. No hidden fees, no gimmicks — just more features and a cleaner experience! Cheers, Mikko 
P.S. Your feedback is always welcome! Drop me a line at mikko_a_appsipaja.fi. Terms of use, standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Screens 54 screens
Shwidget3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Screens 5 at 4.5 against Shwidget's 3.4. Screens 5 also leads on ratings volume (590 vs 5) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Shwidget sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Screens 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screens 5 has 590 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 49% and 50% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Screens 5 versus Shwidget: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreens 5Shwidget
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (590 ratings) — better3.4 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews49.2% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings590 — better5
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEdovia Inc.Appsipaja Oy

Customer experience

Screens 5

All ratings590 ratings
Positive88.6%
Neutral1.5%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews313 reviews
Positive49.2%
Neutral8.3%
Negative42.5%

Shwidget

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.7%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Screens 5

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to delete auto-saved nearby devices
  • Inconsistent behavior when editing device configurations
  • Screens Connect failing to work reliably

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to block remote input while keeping remote desktop visible
  • File transfer between Mac and iOS/iPadOS
  • Upgrade pricing for existing users

Shwidget

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Screens 5

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.491 Year
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Family UpgradeFree
  • Lifetime2 variants$199.99
2 purchases

Shwidget

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly payment7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly payment7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Screens 5 free?
Screens 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shwidget free?
Shwidget is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Screens 5 or Shwidget?
Screens 5 is rated higher. Screens 5 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 590 ratings, while Shwidget averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.
Do Screens 5 or Shwidget have ads?
Neither Screens 5 nor Shwidget shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Screens 5 or Shwidget?
Screens 5 ships an update fortnightly, and Shwidget fortnightly. Most recently, Screens 5 was updated on October 30, 2026 and Shwidget on October 23, 2026.

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