Comparison

Desktop Apps vs Argus

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

Head to head
About

Desktop Apps

Discover and browse Mac App Store applications directly from your mobile device. Easily search by category or keywords, view detailed app information including screenshots, and share links for later access.

Highlights
  • Browse Mac App Store
  • Search by category
  • Search by keywords
  • View app details
  • Share app links
Features
Read full description

Browse the Mac AppStore to find the best and latest apps * Share links or email yourself so you can easily find that killer app again when you get home. * Browse by category or search by keywords * View screenshots, description and other app details

About

Argus

This app transforms your iPhone into a comprehensive counter-surveillance tool. It helps users detect hidden cameras, listening devices, and trackers in various locations with a structured sweep protocol and multiple detection methods.

Highlights
  • Six independent detection methods
  • Optical lens reflection scan
  • Infrared light source detection
  • WiFi network audit
  • Bluetooth Low Energy scan
  • Magnetic field meter
  • Guided room presets
Features
Read full description

Argus is a counter-surveillance field instrument for iPhone. It turns your phone into a six-tool sweep kit for travelers, hosts, parents and privacy-minded users — built to check any room for hidden cameras, listening devices, BLE trackers and rogue WiFi nodes in roughly three minutes. Most "spy detector" apps do one trick (a magnetometer dial in a fake radar UI) and call it a day. Argus rejects that model. It chains real iPhone sensors into a structured sweep protocol that mirrors how counter-surveillance teams actually inspect a room. — WHAT MAKES ARGUS DIFFERENT — ◉ A real protocol, not a single trick Six independent detection methods, each surfacing a different class of threat. Every reading folds into a structured dossier. ◉ Six instruments, one workflow Optical lens reflection, infrared light source, WiFi network audit, Bluetooth Low Energy scan, magnetic field meter, maximum-brightness flashlight beacon. All driven by real iPhone telemetry. ◉ Guided room presets Six location presets — Hotel, Airbnb / Vrbo, Office, Bathroom, Changing Room, General — each walks you step by step through where to point, what to listen for and what to flag. ◉ Threat Map (unique to Argus) Every sweep is geotagged and pinned on a MapKit view, color-coded by threat level. Browse every hotel, rental and venue you've checked. Useful for frequent travelers and hosts auditing their own units. ◉ Sweep Dossier reports Each sweep produces a shareable PDF report (safety score, flagged devices, timestamps, findings). Records live on-device. ◉ Field Manual built in Real counter-surveillance tradecraft — how spy cameras hide, how to spot them, your legal rights, what to do if you find one. Researched content, not filler. ◉ Privacy by design No account. No cloud sync. No telemetry. The app works fully offline. Useful in hotel WiFi situations where you don't want to broadcast what you're doing. — INSTRUMENT REFERENCE — ◉ Optical Lens Scan — flags reflective glints from camera lenses hidden in mirrors, smoke detectors, vents and décor. ◉ Infrared Detector — surfaces invisible IR light sources from night-vision spy cameras via the front sensor. ◉ WiFi Network Audit — enumerates every device on the local network and flags unknown vendors and rogue cameras. ◉ Bluetooth RF Sweep — discovers BLE transmitters in the 2.4 GHz band, including Bluetooth item trackers and BLE bugs. ◉ EMF Magnetic Meter — baseline + peak detection of magnetic anomalies from electronics hidden behind walls and furniture. ◉ Flashlight Beacon — maximum-brightness mode for manual lens-glint inspection. — QUICK SCAN PRESETS — Hotel Room · Airbnb / Vrbo · Office · Bathroom · Changing Room · General. Each preset chains the relevant instruments into one dossier. — WHO ARGUS IS FOR — • Travelers checking hotel rooms before unpacking • Airbnb / Vrbo guests auditing short-term rentals • Hosts inspecting their own properties • Parents checking rooms, dorms or daycares • Anyone in shared housing, gyms or rentals • Privacy-conscious professionals on the road — IMPORTANT — No consumer app can guarantee 100% detection of every hidden camera or covert device. Argus is a supplementary tool that helps a careful user inspect a room more thoroughly than they could unaided. Use Argus to sharpen awareness, structure the sweep, and create a record — not to replace common sense. — PRO ACCESS — Unlimited sweeps, all six room presets, PDF dossier export, ad-free. Weekly, yearly or lifetime. — LEGAL — Terms of Use: https://pnkl26.web.app/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://pnkl26.web.app/privacy-policy — SUPPORT — pnkhanhlinh0206@gmail.com

Screenshots

Desktop Apps4 screens
Argus3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Argus at 100% against Desktop Apps's 54%. Argus also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (5.0 vs 2.9). Desktop Apps's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On ads 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

Argus is free to download; Desktop Apps costs $0.99 up front. Desktop Apps sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Argus asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Argus holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desktop Apps has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Desktop Apps's written reviews are positive against 100% of Argus's.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Desktop Apps versus Argus: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDesktop AppsArgus
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating2.9 (9 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews53.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings9 — better1
Update frequencyMonthly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS8.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB7 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperThirteen32 Pty LtdLinh Phan Nhat Khanh

Customer experience

Desktop Apps

All ratings9 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral11.1%
Negative55.6%
Written reviews41 reviews
Positive53.7%
Neutral4.9%
Negative41.5%

Argus

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Desktop Apps

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.99
None

Argus

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Desktop Apps free?
Desktop Apps costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Argus free?
Argus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Desktop Apps or Argus?
Argus is rated higher. Desktop Apps averages 2.9 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Argus averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Desktop Apps or Argus have ads?
Neither Desktop Apps nor Argus shows ads.

Other comparisons