Comparison

RealVNC Viewer vs LINKA Smart Lock

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

Head to head
About

RealVNC Viewer

Access and control your Mac, Windows, or Linux computers remotely from any device. View your desktop, use your keyboard and mouse, and manage files securely with end-to-end encryption. Sync connections across all your devices for seamless access.

Highlights
  • Instant remote access to computers
  • Control mouse and keyboard remotely
  • End-to-end session encryption
  • Cloud service for easy connection
  • Backup and sync connections
  • Virtual keyboard with advanced keys
  • Bluetooth keyboard support
Read full description

RealVNC® Viewer from RealVNC® gives you instant remote access to your Mac, Windows and Linux computers from anywhere in the world. You can view your computer's desktop, and control its mouse and keyboard as though you were sitting down in front of it. Download RealVNC Connect to each computer you want to control. Then sign in to RealVNC Viewer on your device using your RealVNC account credentials. You'll see your computers automatically appear; simply tap to connect. RealVNC Connect password-protects each computer out-of-the-box. You may need to enter the same user name and password you use to log in to your computer. All sessions are then encrypted end-to-end. During a session, your device's touch screen serves as a trackpad to give you precise control. Drag your finger to move the remote mouse cursor and tap anywhere to left-click (other gestures such as right-click and scroll are explained in-app). As the original inventors of VNC remote access technology, we're confident you'll love what RealVNC Viewer has to offer. If you're still not convinced, check out our reviews! ===Key features=== - Connect with ease via our cloud service to computers running RealVNC Connect. - Backup and sync your connections between all your devices by signing in to RealVNC Viewer on each one. - A scrolling bar above the virtual keyboard includes advanced keys such as Command/Windows. - Support for Bluetooth keyboards. ===Contact=== We’d love to hear from you: iphone-support@realvnc.com twitter.com/RealVNC facebook.com/realvnc Better still, leave us a review!   ===Terms of Use=== https://static.realvnc.com/media/documents/RealVNCServicesTCs.pdf ===Trademarks=== RealVNC and VNC are trademarks of RealVNC Limited and are protected by trademark registrations and/or pending trademark applications in the European Union, United States of America and other jurisdictions. Protected by UK patents 2481870, 2479756; US patent 8760366; EU patent 2652951.

About

LINKA Smart Lock

Control your security devices with a tap. Unlock and lock bikes and other items without physical keys. Share access with friends and family, and receive tamper alerts on compatible devices.

Highlights
  • Keyless unlocking and locking
  • Share access with others
  • Tamper and movement alerts
  • Compatible with multiple LINKA devices
  • High-quality materials and smart technology
Features
Read full description

The LINKA Smart Lock app is the key to all your security needs. With LINKA, you can unlock and lock your bike and other items with a single tap on your phone, no keys required. Compatible with all LINKA devices including: • Original LINKA • LEO 2 / LEO 2 Pro • Lasso • SmartMotion Key • Tethersense Chains Why use LINKA? • Security. LINKA devices combine the highest quality materials alongside innovative smart technology. • Ease of Use. With LINKA, you don't have to worry about losing your keys and you can even share your bike with friends or family. • Convenience. You can unlock and lock your bike with a single tap on your phone. • Peace of mind. You'll get alerts if your bike is tampered with or moved (LEO 2 Pro only). Order yours today at linkalock.com Disclaimer: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Screenshots

RealVNC Viewer4 screens
LINKA Smart Lock3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RealVNC Viewer at 72% against LINKA Smart Lock's 24%. RealVNC Viewer also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (15K vs 30). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

RealVNC Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RealVNC Viewer has 15K ratings behind it against 30, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of RealVNC Viewer's written reviews are positive against 24% of LINKA Smart Lock's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

RealVNC Viewer ships an update every 2 months, LINKA Smart Lock every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
RealVNC Viewer versus LINKA Smart Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRealVNC ViewerLINKA Smart Lock
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (15K ratings) — better4.4 (30 ratings)
Positive reviews72.3% of reviews — better24.0% of reviews
Number of ratings15K — better30
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB128 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRealVNC LimitedLINKA

Customer experience

RealVNC Viewer

All ratings14,634 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews1,525 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral7.1%
Negative20.7%

LINKA Smart Lock

All ratings29 ratings
Positive82.8%
Neutral6.9%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive24.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative56.0%

Bugs and requests

RealVNC Viewer

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Cursor and screen synchronization issues
  • Incompatibility with certain macOS and iOS versions
  • Frequent disconnections and login problems
  • Keyboard input not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for audio streaming
  • Improve clipboard and file transfer functionality
  • Provide better multi-monitor support
  • Allow customization of keyboard and mouse controls
  • Implement a true touch-based interface

LINKA Smart Lock

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

RealVNC Viewer

No in-app purchases

None

LINKA Smart Lock

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is RealVNC Viewer free?
RealVNC Viewer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LINKA Smart Lock free?
LINKA Smart Lock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, RealVNC Viewer or LINKA Smart Lock?
RealVNC Viewer is rated higher. RealVNC Viewer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while LINKA Smart Lock averages 4.4 from 30 ratings.
Do RealVNC Viewer or LINKA Smart Lock have ads?
Neither RealVNC Viewer nor LINKA Smart Lock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, RealVNC Viewer or LINKA Smart Lock?
RealVNC Viewer ships an update every 2 months, and LINKA Smart Lock every 5 weeks. Most recently, RealVNC Viewer was updated on October 26, 2026 and LINKA Smart Lock on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons