# Screens 5 vs MeshMapper

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MeshMapper at none against Screens 5's 6. MeshMapper also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). Screens 5's advantage is ratings volume (578 vs 23). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Screens 5 against 4.4 for MeshMapper. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screens 5 has 578 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 49% of Screens 5's written reviews are positive against 43% of MeshMapper's.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Screens 5 | MeshMapper |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (578 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screens-5-vnc-remote-desktop/id1663047912/reviews)** | [4.4 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshmapper/id6758073991/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **578** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **48.9% of reviews** | 42.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 70 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Edovia Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284606519) | [CHRISTOPHER CARL SCHNOBB](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870410772) |

## 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


### MeshMapper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meshmapper/id6758073991)

This utility app connects to companion devices to discover nearby mesh network repeaters. It uses GPS to tag pings and automatically uploads coverage data to a community map. Users can view signal strength and contribute to mapping mesh network coverage.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth Low Energy connection, Real-time GPS tracking, Discover mesh network repeaters, View signal strength (RSSI/SNR), Automatic community database upload

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, 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 MeshMapper free?

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

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

Screens 5 is rated higher. Screens 5 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 578 ratings, while MeshMapper averages 4.4 from 23 ratings.

### Do Screens 5 or MeshMapper have ads?

Neither Screens 5 nor MeshMapper shows ads.

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

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