# Screens 5 vs Aetheryte

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Aetheryte at 100% against Screens 5's 49%. Aetheryte also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5). Screens 5's advantage is ratings volume (578 vs 42) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Aetheryte sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Aetheryte holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screens 5 has 578 ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 49% of Screens 5's written reviews are positive against 100% of Aetheryte's.

Screens 5 ships an update every 2 weeks, Aetheryte monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Screens 5 | Aetheryte |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (578 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912/reviews) | **[4.9 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aetheryte/id6503628105/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **578** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | 48.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 70 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Edovia Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284606519) | [Jan Eisenhuth](https://appshunter.io/developer/1744975230) |

## 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


### Aetheryte

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aetheryte/id6503628105)

This companion app for a popular MMORPG provides essential game information and tools. Access news, search for items and recipes, manage shopping lists, and view detailed data. It helps players optimize their in-game economy and gather efficiently.

**Highlights:** News from The Lodestone, Item and Recipe Search, Dynamic Shopping Lists, Detailed Item Information, Gathering Locations & Times, Live Eorzea Time, Recipe Calculations

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Snack-sized Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Lunch-sized Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pizza-sized Tip | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Screens 5 free?

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

### Is Aetheryte free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Screens 5 or Aetheryte?

Aetheryte is rated higher. Screens 5 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 578 ratings, while Aetheryte averages 4.9 from 42 ratings.

### Do Screens 5 or Aetheryte have ads?

Neither Screens 5 nor Aetheryte shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Screens 5 or Aetheryte?

Screens 5 ships an update every 2 weeks, and Aetheryte monthly. Most recently, Screens 5 was updated on October 25, 2026 and Aetheryte on October 24, 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.*