Comparison

HP vs Link to Windows

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

Head to head
About

HP

Manage your HP devices, from setup to printing and scanning. Personalize your experience, access creative printables, and get instant support. Keep your HP technology running smoothly with this all-in-one solution.

Highlights
  • Guided device setup
  • Printer and computer management
  • Print and scan documents
  • Access to HP Printables
  • Customizable print shortcuts
  • Instant customer support
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The go-to app for your HP devices. Set up your new printer, personalize your experience, print, scan, and contact support—all in one place. Formerly HP Smart, the new HP app[1] offers you more ways to get more from your HP devices. Easy Setup, Wherever You Are New device? No problem. Get up and running fast with a guided setup that does the heavy lifting for you. Once you are ready to go, you can manage your HP printer and computer and stay on top of the essentials, like checking your ink levels. Make the Most of Your Device Stay informed with top recommendations. Plus, you can adjust your device settings and discover HP products that match your needs—it is all about making your tech work just the way you like it. Print and Scan, On Your Time Print a school form from the kitchen or a last-minute birthday card. Even, scan receipts in seconds and send it straight to your email. Whether you are at home or at the office, completing your print tasks is a click away. Instant Help Whenever You Need It When something goes wrong, help is right there—make a quick call, message live chat or find answers in the app[1]. You’ll be back to what matters before you know it. But wait, your experience just gets better and better! • Unlock a world of creativity with HP Printables[2]. Explore tons of cards, coloring pages, educational worksheets, and fun crafts projects. • Adjust and edit your documents before you hit print. • Set up custom shortcuts for print tasks you use often. • Automatically correct images, name files, flatten pages, extract text, and scan multiple pages at the same time with the HP app.[3] • Get a notification when your printer is low on ink or paper and easily order more to keep printing uninterrupted. We're always adding cool new features to the app. Make sure you turn on auto-updates, so you don't miss all the latest improvements! Disclaimers 1. HP Smart and myHP are now the HP app, available for download on macOS devices; and for iOS mobile phones and iPads. The HP app requires download available at www.hp.com/hp-app. Not all HP devices, services, apps are available in the HP app. Certain features are available in English language only, and may vary by printer and PC model/country, and between desktop/mobile applications. HP reserves the right to introduce charges for use of select HP app functionality. Internet access required. HP account required for full functionality. Fax sending capability only. Live chat and phone support are available during business hours and varies by country. Chat service is localized in supported regions, and where not supported, will default to English. Supported conferencing features vary by device and device configuration. For complete Terms of Service see: www.hp.com/hp-app-terms-of-use. 2. Printables are for personal use only and may not be distributed for any commercial purpose. 3. Choose HP+ at setup to activate benefits. HP+ requires an HP account, ongoing connection to the internet, and the use of only Original HP ink for the life of the printer. More at hp.com/plus

About

Link to Windows

Seamlessly integrate your iPhone with your Windows PC. Access calls, messages, notifications, and contacts directly from your computer. Easily share files between devices for enhanced productivity.

Highlights
  • Make and receive calls
  • Manage phone notifications
  • Read and reply to text messages
  • View phone contacts
  • Share files between phone and PC
Read full description

You love your phone. So does your PC. Get instant access to everything you love on your phone, right from your PC. To get started, connect your iPhone with the Phone Link Feature on your Windows PC. Enjoy these Phone Link features on your PC: • Make and receive calls • Manage your phone's notifications • Read and reply to text messages • View your phone contacts • Share files between your phone and PC Phone Link for iOS requires iPhone running iOS 16 or higher, and a PC with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) support running Windows 10 (with the May 2019 Update or later) or Windows 11. Not available for iPad (iPadOS) or MacOS. By installing this app, you agree to the Microsoft Terms of Use https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=246338 and Privacy Statement https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=248686

Screenshots

HP4 screens
Link to Windows4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HP at 4.7 against Link to Windows's 4.0. HP also leads on ratings volume (4.2M vs 16K). Link to Windows's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (56% vs 36%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and chart position 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

HP holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HP has 4.2M ratings behind it against 16K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 36% of HP's written reviews are positive against 56% of Link to Windows's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HP ships an update every 2 months, Link to Windows fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
HP versus Link to Windows: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHPLink to Windows
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (4.2M ratings) — better4.0 (16K ratings)
Positive reviews35.8% of reviews56.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4.2M — better16K
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#21#14 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size437 MB103 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHP Inc.Microsoft Corporation

Customer experience

HP

All ratings4,222,320 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral1.9%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews6,982 reviews
Positive35.8%
Neutral5.1%
Negative59.1%

Link to Windows

All ratings16,293 ratings
Positive72.6%
Neutral9.5%
Negative18.0%
Written reviews4,535 reviews
Positive56.1%
Neutral14.2%
Negative29.7%

User reviews

HP

From 4.2M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy setup
  • 🚀 Convenient mobile printing
  • 👍 Intuitive app
  • 👍 Helpful for home/office use
  • 👍 Reliable printer performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🐛 Printing problems
  • 🐛 Buggy app
  • 🐛 Unreliable scanning
  • 🔒 Privacy concerns

Link to Windows

From 16K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient text messaging from PC
  • 📱 Ability to see phone notifications on PC
  • 🔋 Battery level display on PC
  • 👍 Helpful for productivity

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent Bluetooth connectivity
  • 🔀 Unreliable message syncing between devices
  • 🚫 Lack of group messaging support
  • 📷 Inability to send/receive media
  • 🔇 Poor call quality

Bugs and requests

HP

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Printer not recognized by app
  • Printing stops midway through job
  • Scan function not working as expected
  • App freezes or crashes frequently

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add option to print multiple pages per sheet
  • Improve app responsiveness and stability
  • Provide more control over printer settings
  • Integrate ink subscription management within app
  • Enable direct printing from apps like Gmail

Link to Windows

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Bluetooth interference with other devices
  • Inability to reconnect after device is out of range

Requested features

4 requests
  • Seamless call handling between phone and PC
  • Full message history sync
  • Support for media sharing
  • Group messaging functionality

In-app purchases

None

HP

No in-app purchases

None

Link to Windows

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HP free?
HP is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Link to Windows free?
Link to Windows is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HP or Link to Windows?
HP is rated higher. HP averages 4.7 out of 5 from 4.2M ratings, while Link to Windows averages 4.0 from 16K ratings.
Do HP or Link to Windows have ads?
Neither HP nor Link to Windows shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HP or Link to Windows?
HP ships an update every 2 months, and Link to Windows fortnightly. Most recently, HP was updated on October 17, 2026 and Link to Windows on October 17, 2026.
Which is more popular, HP or Link to Windows?
HP currently peaks at #21 in the App Store charts, and Link to Windows at #14. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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