# Screens 5 vs Email Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Email Reader at 100% against Screens 5's 49%. Email Reader also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Screens 5's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Email Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Screens 5 ships an update every 2 weeks, Email Reader every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Screens 5 | Email Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (584 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **584** | — |
| Positive reviews | 48.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 70 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Edovia Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284606519) | [Pham Minh Kha](https://appshunter.io/developer/1639024793) |

## What reviewers say

### Screens 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912)

Access and control your Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi computers remotely from any device. Enjoy fast, secure connections with features like privacy masking, multi-display support, and file transfer.

**Highlights:** Remote computer access, Secure connections, Multi-display support, Clipboard sharing, File transfer, Privacy masking (Curtain Mode)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.49 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Family Upgrade | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent remote access
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🔒 Secure SSH-based remote control
- 👍 Native to Apple ecosystem
- 🚀 High-quality remote desktop rendering

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable connection and frequent disconnections
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Requires complex networking setup (port forwarding, Tailscale)
- 🐛 Issues with full-screen mode and window management
- 🐛 Telemetry and analytics cannot be disabled

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Email Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/email-reader-msg-eml-viewer/id6472813131)

Easily read and manage email files with .msg and .eml extensions. Extract attachments and text with a single touch, and share content effortlessly. This utility provides a convenient way to access saved emails from any service.

**Highlights:** Read .msg and .eml email files, Extract and save attachments, Extract and copy email text, View CC, BCC, Subject, and Date, Clickable links within emails, Intuitive file manager for supported formats

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Screens 5 free?

Screens 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Email Reader free?

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

### Do Screens 5 or Email Reader have ads?

Email Reader shows ads; Screens 5 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Screens 5 or Email Reader?

Screens 5 ships an update every 2 weeks, and Email Reader every 4 months. Most recently, Screens 5 was updated on October 27, 2026 and Email Reader on October 20, 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.*