NETGEAR Mobile vs Linksys
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NETGEAR Mobile
Manage your NETGEAR mobile hotspot from your phone. Track data usage, monitor connection status and battery life, and control hotspot settings. Stream media directly from supported models.
- Track data usage
- Monitor connection and battery life
- View connected Wi-Fi devices
- Control hotspot power
- Configure APN settings
- Stream media (M1 Nighthawk only)
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The NETGEAR Mobile App (formerly NETGEAR AirCard) is the official app for managing your NETGEAR Mobile Hotspots. View your connection, settings, and data usage from the convenience of the mobile app. *TRACK DATA usage *STREAM and VIEW media off your hotspot (M1 Nighthawk only) *MONITOR your mobile hotspot connection and battery life in real-time *VIEW CONNECTED Wi-Fi devices *TURN OFF or REBOOT your hotspot *CONFIGURE APN settings *VIEW & COMPOSE SMS Messages (applicable models only) Works with the following mobile hotspots designed by NETGEAR: * Nighthawk M6 Mobile Router * Nighthawk M5 Mobile Router * Nighthawk M1 Mobile Router * AT&T Unite / Unite Pro / Unite Express / Unite Explore * AT&T Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G * Telstra Wi-Fi 4G Advanced I & II * Telstra Ultimate® Mobile Wi-Fi * Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G * BigPond Mobile Wi-Fi 4G Advanced I & II * BigPond Ultimate® Mobile Wi-Fi * Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE * NETGEAR AirCard 815S/810S/791L/790S/785S/782S/779S/771S/770S/763S/762S/754S The following products are *NOT* supported by this app: * NETGEAR Desktop Routers (use NETGEAR Genie) * Sprint W801 / 802S Mobile Hotspots * USB Modems / PC Cards / ExpressCards NETGEAR Mobile App is supported by NETGEAR. If you experience any issues, please contact us at aircardapp_support@netgear.com, as we are unable respond or open tickets based on reviews.
Linksys
Manage your home WiFi network remotely from anywhere. Control connected devices, set up guest networks, and implement parental controls to manage internet access for children. Prioritize devices for better streaming and gaming performance, and enhance security against online threats.
- Remote WiFi access
- Network dashboard
- Guest network setup
- Device prioritization
- Network security features
- Parental controls
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This app is the command center for your Velop system and Linksys Smart WiFi routers. Use the Linksys app anywhere you have an internet connection to check connected devices, set up guest access, or keep your kids off the internet when they should be doing homework. KEY FEATURES • Remote Access – All you need is the internet. • Dashboard – Your WiFi's vital stats on one page. • Guest Access – Give friends internet access, but keep personal data secure. • Device Prioritization – Improve streaming and online gaming by giving WiFi priority to favored devices. • Network Security - Be proactive against network threats and malicious sites with Linksys Shield. • Parental Controls – Encourage kids' healthy internet behavior by pausing internet access. Privacy Policy: https://www.linksys.com/embed/lswf/en-us/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://www.linksys.com/embed/lswf/en-us/terms/ SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS* • Velop systems and Linksys Smart WiFi routers. Full list of supported routers: http://www.LinksysSmartWiFi.com/cloud/ustatic/mobile/supportedRouters.html • User account (created in the app or at http://www.LinksysSmartWiFi.com) connected to your Linksys product. • iOS 14.0 and greater For additional help, visit our support site at http://support.linksys.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Linksys at 4.7 against NETGEAR Mobile's 3.6. Linksys also leads on ratings volume (98K vs 1.8K). NETGEAR Mobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (38% vs 21%). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Linksys sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. NETGEAR Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.
Linksys holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Linksys has 98K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of NETGEAR Mobile's written reviews are positive against 21% of Linksys's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
NETGEAR Mobile ships an update every 2 months, Linksys every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NETGEAR Mobile | Linksys |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (1.8K ratings) | 4.7 (98K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 38.2% of reviews — better | 21.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K | 98K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 111 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NETGEAR | Linksys USA, Inc. |
Customer experience
NETGEAR Mobile
Linksys
User reviews
NETGEAR Mobile
From 1.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Good security features
- 👍 Useful app for managing device
- 👍 Simple and functional
- 👍 Provides good information and tools
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy, crashes frequently
- 🔋 Battery life issues
- 🔍 Limited functionality
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🤔 Clunky, outdated UI
Linksys
From 98K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Reliable and light-weight
- 🔒 Secure and easy to manage
- 👍 Simple and effective interface
- 👍 Helpful parental controls
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- 🐛 Slow and unresponsive app
- 🐛 Inconsistent device detection
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inaccurate network information
Bugs and requests
NETGEAR Mobile
Reported bugs
5 issues- Login issues, app gets stuck in login loop
- Fails to recognize supported devices
- Doesn't save password or login credentials
- Constant pop-ups for terms and conditions
- Displays incorrect or incomplete information
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to update firmware from app
- Include more advanced settings and customization options
- Improve app stability and reliability
- Add support for more device models
- Provide better data usage tracking and notifications
Linksys
Reported bugs
4 issues- App frequently loses connection to router
- Cannot reliably rename or manage connected devices
- Parental controls settings randomly reset or malfunction
- Inability to troubleshoot or diagnose network issues
Requested features
5 requests- Allow device-specific parental controls
- Add option to view network usage statistics
- Improve app navigation and responsiveness
- Provide more granular control over node settings
- Implement dark mode and customization options
In-app purchases
NETGEAR Mobile
No in-app purchases
Linksys
- Linksys Aware3 Months trial$2.991 Month
- Linksys Shield3 Months trial$4.991 Month
Questions
Is NETGEAR Mobile free?
Is Linksys free?
Which has better reviews, NETGEAR Mobile or Linksys?
Do NETGEAR Mobile or Linksys have ads?
Which is updated more often, NETGEAR Mobile or Linksys?
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