Comparison

Screens 5 vs DropFile

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

DropFile

This app offers a fast and private way to convert and edit various file types directly on your iPhone and iPad. It processes everything on-device, ensuring your files never leave your phone. Supports images, PDFs, videos, audio, documents, spreadsheets, archives, and vector graphics.

Highlights
  • On-device file conversion
  • Supports numerous file formats
  • Image editing and manipulation
  • PDF compression and management
  • Video conversion and trimming
  • Audio conversion and editing
  • Document conversion
  • Archive extraction and creation
Features
Read full description

Drop it. Done. DropFile is the fast, private way to convert and edit files right on your iPhone and iPad. No account. No cloud. No waiting on uploads. Just drop a file, pick what you want, and share the result in seconds. Everything happens on your device — your files never leave your phone. ONE APP. EVERY FORMAT. Images — Convert between JPG, PNG, WebP, and HEIC. Compress, resize, crop, rotate, flip, add a watermark, strip EXIF/location data, remove backgrounds with on-device AI, turn images into PDFs, or convert a GIF to video. PDF — Compress, password-protect, extract or reorder pages, rotate, convert pages to images, pull out embedded images, and merge multiple PDFs into one. Video — Convert to MP4, compress, trim, extract the audio track, make a GIF, grab still frames, or change resolution. Audio — Convert between M4A, AAC, WAV, AIFF, and FLAC. Compress, trim, and normalize volume. Documents — Turn DOCX and Markdown into PDF, HTML, Markdown, or plain text. Convert HTML to PDF, or turn text into a QR code. Spreadsheets — Convert XLSX and ODS to CSV, JSON, or HTML — and CSV back to XLSX. Archives — Extract ZIP, TAR, and GZ files, zip any file, or bundle several files into a single ZIP. Vector (SVG) — Render SVG graphics to PNG, JPG, or PDF. BUILT FOR iPHONE & iPAD • Share Extension — Convert a file from Photos, Mail, Safari, or any app without opening DropFile first. • Dynamic Island — Watch conversion progress live, even while you're in another app (iPhone 14 Pro and later). • Apple Shortcuts — Automate conversions in your own workflows, or ask Siri. • Batch mode — Convert a whole set of files at once, or merge them into one. • Drag & drop — Pull files straight onto DropFile on iPad. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • 100% on-device processing — nothing is ever uploaded • No account, no login, no sign-up • No tracking, no analytics, no data collection • Converted files stay on your device Whether you're freeing up space, prepping a file to send, or just need the right format right now — DropFile gets it done in a tap.

Screenshots

Screens 54 screens
DropFile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DropFile at 100% against Screens 5's 49%. DropFile also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and rating (5.0 vs 4.5). Screens 5's advantage is price (Free vs $3.99) and ratings volume (608 vs 4). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Screens 5 is free to download; DropFile costs $3.99 up front. Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. DropFile asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DropFile holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Screens 5 has 608 ratings behind it against 4, 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 DropFile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Screens 5 ships an update fortnightly, DropFile every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Screens 5 versus DropFile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScreens 5DropFile
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.5 (608 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews49.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings608 — better4
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEdovia Inc.Van Dien io LLC

Customer experience

Screens 5

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

DropFile

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

DropFile

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
None

DropFile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Screens 5 free?
Screens 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DropFile free?
DropFile costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Screens 5 or DropFile?
DropFile is rated higher. Screens 5 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 608 ratings, while DropFile averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Screens 5 or DropFile have ads?
Neither Screens 5 nor DropFile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Screens 5 or DropFile?
Screens 5 ships an update fortnightly, and DropFile every 6 days. Most recently, Screens 5 was updated on November 7, 2026 and DropFile on October 31, 2026.

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