# NetGuard vs Guardian Firewall + VPN

The clearest difference is rating: Guardian Firewall + VPN at 4.6 against NetGuard's 2.8. Guardian Firewall + VPN also leads on ratings volume (873 vs 4). NetGuard's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Guardian Firewall + VPN sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. NetGuard asks for nothing beyond the download.

Guardian Firewall + VPN holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Guardian Firewall + VPN has 873 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of NetGuard's written reviews are positive against 46% of Guardian Firewall + VPN's.

NetGuard ships an update every 3 months, Guardian Firewall + VPN every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NetGuard | Guardian Firewall + VPN |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netguard/id446320156/reviews) | **[4.6 (873 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guardian-firewall-plus-vpn/id1363796315/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **873** |
| Positive reviews | 39.2% of reviews | **45.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [POLARIS ELECTRONIC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1801092826) | [Sudo Security Group, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1209778075) |

## What reviewers say

### NetGuard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/netguard/id446320156)

This app allows remote viewing of DVRs and IP cameras. It offers multi-view capabilities, including a quad view upon connection and full-screen multi-view when the device is tilted. Users can easily switch between channels and identify DVRs with auto-generated thumbnails.

**Highlights:** Multi-view quad screen, Full-screen multi-view, Slide-to-channel navigation, Auto thumbnail identification, Transparent event list

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works well
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Good for surveillance
- 👍 Useful for remote checking
- 👍 Picture perfect audio and visual

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 Disconnects often
- 🐛 Fails to connect
- 🐛 Not working after update
- 🐛 Sluggish connection

**Reported bugs**

- App disconnects after 10 seconds
- App not working after update
- Cameras not visible after update
- App crashes
- Cannot re-enter app for several minutes

**Requested features**

- Fix connection issues on 3G
- Improve playback functionality
- Add camera name display
- Allow searching recordings in single channel view
- Fix bugs related to audio playback


### Guardian Firewall + VPN

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guardian-firewall-plus-vpn/id1363796315)

This app provides robust protection against online trackers and hackers by blocking unauthorized data collection and securing your internet activity with a powerful VPN. It offers advanced features like customized blocklists and push notifications for enhanced privacy control.

**Highlights:** Blocks unauthorized third parties from collecting personal data, Adds security layer against hackers and insecure websites, Customizable blocklists for tailored privacy, Push notifications for connection alerts, Generates and exports VPN credentials for other devices, Masks IP address and device identifiers

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Guardian Firewall (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Quarterly | $26.99 | per 3 months |
| Guardian Firewall (Annual) | $99.99 | per year |
| Guardian Pro (Annual) | $149.99 | per year |
| Guardian Firewall (Day Pass) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Guardian Day Pass (Multiple) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Introductory Offer | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and stable VPN
- 🔒 Effective at blocking trackers
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🤖 Impressive firewall capabilities
- 💡 Innovative VPN + firewall combo

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Disconnects and stability issues
- 🔌 Impacts network connectivity
- 🤔 Unclear what is being blocked
- 🤷‍♂️ Compatibility problems with some apps

**Reported bugs**

- Login failures on startup
- Randomly disables VPN protection
- Crashes and freezes on certain devices

**Requested features**

- More granular control over blocking
- Ability to whitelist apps/domains
- Location server selection
- Detailed logging and reporting
- Widget for quick on/off access


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NetGuard free?

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

### Is Guardian Firewall + VPN free?

Guardian Firewall + VPN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, NetGuard or Guardian Firewall + VPN?

Guardian Firewall + VPN is rated higher. NetGuard averages 2.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Guardian Firewall + VPN averages 4.6 from 873 ratings.

### Do NetGuard or Guardian Firewall + VPN have ads?

Neither NetGuard nor Guardian Firewall + VPN shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NetGuard or Guardian Firewall + VPN?

NetGuard ships an update every 3 months, and Guardian Firewall + VPN every 2 months. Most recently, NetGuard was updated on November 1, 2026 and Guardian Firewall + VPN on November 6, 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.*