Comparison

Pushover Notifications vs Screens 5

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

Head to head
About

Pushover Notifications

This service allows you to send custom alerts from various web apps and devices directly to your mobile devices and desktop. It offers seamless integration with tools like IFTTT and network monitoring systems, with an Apple Watch app for on-the-go notifications.

Highlights
  • Send alerts from web apps
  • Integrates with IFTTT and scripts
  • Supports IoT devices and webhooks
  • Apple Watch app and complications
  • Free 30-day trial
  • One-time in-app purchase for unlimited use
Features
Read full description

Pushover is a simple push notification service that integrates easily into web apps like IFTTT, network monitoring systems, security cameras, shell scripts, IoT devices, webhooks, and anything else that needs to send alerts to your iPhone, iPad, Desktop, and other robot-like mobile devices. App has a free 30-day trial and unlimited usage beyond the trial requires a one-time in-app purchase. Pushover includes an Apple Watch app and complications so you can push custom data straight to your watch face with our Glances API. Visit https://pushover.net to find apps, plugins, and services that already natively support Pushover, or get a free API key for your own apps.

About

Screens 5

Access your Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi computers remotely from your iPhone or iPad. Offers fast, secure, and reliable connections with features like dynamic resizing, HEVC streaming, and display privacy.

Highlights
  • Remote access to Mac, Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi
  • High-performance screen sharing
  • Secure connections with encryption
  • Dynamic desktop resizing
  • File transfer and clipboard sharing
  • Multi-display support
  • Siri and Shortcuts integration
Features
Read full description

Access your computers from anywhere. Screens lets you remotely access your Mac, Windows PC, Linux PC, or Raspberry Pi from your iPhone or iPad. Whether you’re connecting to a remote workstation, a headless Mac mini, or helping friends and family, Screens delivers fast, secure, and reliable remote desktop access wherever you are. REMOTE ACCESS FROM ANYWHERE Remote access is built right into Screens on Mac. For older Macs and Windows PCs, install Screens Connect to easily set up remote access over the internet. Need to connect to Linux or Raspberry Pi? Screens also integrates with Tailscale for secure, hassle-free connections. HIGH PERFORMANCE SCREEN SHARING Experience a new level of remote desktop access on compatible Macs with Apple’s High Performance Screen Sharing technology. • Dynamic desktop resizing that adapts to your iPhone or iPad’s display • Fixed or custom desktop resolutions • Private virtual desktops • Smoother HEVC video streaming with remote audio • Display Privacy that blanks the remote Mac’s physical displays • Built-in connection encryption without requiring SSH High Performance requires a remote Mac with Apple silicon running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. Smooth video and audio streaming also require a fast, stable connection with low latency. FAST, SECURE REMOTE DESKTOP ACCESS Screens is optimized for responsive remote control with support for: • Curtain Mode and Display Privacy for private remote sessions on Mac • SSH connections and SSH keys • Secure password storage and quick logins • Observe or control remote computers • Adaptive and Full display quality BUILT FOR MODERN REMOTE WORKFLOWS Use Screens to: • Access remote Macs, PCs, Linux systems, and Raspberry Pi devices • Connect to headless Mac mini setups and remote workstations • Monitor long-running tasks from anywhere • Help friends, family, or coworkers remotely • Access your computers while traveling or away from home DO MORE WITH SCREENS Take advantage of powerful system features across iPhone and iPad: • Connect using Siri, Shortcuts, and Spotlight • Quickly connect to saved computers from widgets • Use external keyboards, mice, and trackpads • Use Apple Pencil on iPad • Display your remote computer on an external display with AirPlay POWERFUL FEATURES • Multi-display support • Clipboard sharing • File transfer between iPhone or iPad and Mac • Customizable connection settings for individual computers • Dictation support for remote text input • Session selection on Mac • iCloud synchronization • Full URL Schemes support • Touch ID, Face ID, Apple Watch, and password protection COMPATIBILITY • Connect from iPhone and iPad to Mac, Windows PC, Linux PC, and Raspberry Pi • High Performance requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 14 Sonoma or later • HEVC video and remote audio require a fast, stable connection and are unavailable over SSH • Screens Connect is built into Screens for Mac on macOS 14.6 or later • Standalone Screens Connect is available for Macs running macOS 10.13 or later and PCs running Windows 10 or later • Clipboard sharing on Windows and Linux supports text only • Remote audio is available with High Performance on compatible Macs; Standard Screen Sharing does not support audio • Screens does not support connections to iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro devices Screens gives you secure, reliable access to your computers anytime, anywhere. Privacy Policy: https://screens.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://screens.app/terms

Screenshots

Pushover Notifications4 screens
Screens 54 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Pushover Notifications at 92% against Screens 5's 49%. Pushover Notifications also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (4K vs 620). Screens 5's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs monthly). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pushover Notifications sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pushover Notifications holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pushover Notifications has 4K ratings behind it against 620, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Pushover Notifications's written reviews are positive against 49% of Screens 5's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pushover Notifications ships an update monthly, Screens 5 every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Pushover Notifications versus Screens 5: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPushover NotificationsScreens 5
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (4K ratings) — better4.5 (620 ratings)
Positive reviews91.9% of reviews — better49.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4K — better620
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPushover, LLCEdovia Inc.

Customer experience

Pushover Notifications

All ratings3,911 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.2%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews471 reviews
Positive91.9%
Neutral1.3%
Negative6.8%

Screens 5

All ratings620 ratings
Positive89.0%
Neutral1.5%
Negative9.5%
Written reviews314 reviews
Positive49.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative42.7%

User reviews

Pushover Notifications

From 4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fantastic service
  • 👍 Couldn't be easier
  • 👍 Best App on my phone for awareness of energy efficient house
  • 👍 Really good app
  • 👍 Truly excellent

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Stopped working after I paid for it
  • 🐛 Hasn't worked yet
  • 🐛 Charged twice for liscense
  • 🐛 Needs volume for other things besides critical
  • 🐛 Encrypted message

Screens 5

From 620 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent remote access
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🔒 Secure SSH-based remote control
  • 👍 Native to Apple ecosystem
  • 🚀 High-quality remote desktop rendering

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable connection and frequent disconnections
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🔒 Requires complex networking setup (port forwarding, Tailscale)
  • 🐛 Issues with full-screen mode and window management
  • 🐛 Telemetry and analytics cannot be disabled

Bugs and requests

Pushover Notifications

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Notifications not working after update
  • Syncing issues causing crashes
  • Notifications re-appearing after being deleted

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add a delete all notifications option
  • Add support for custom notification sounds
  • Add 24-hour time format option
  • Improve Apple Watch notifications
  • Add custom actions to notifications

Screens 5

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to delete auto-saved nearby devices
  • Inconsistent behavior when editing device configurations
  • Screens Connect failing to work reliably

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to block remote input while keeping remote desktop visible
  • File transfer between Mac and iOS/iPadOS
  • Upgrade pricing for existing users

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Pushover Notifications

One-time3
  • Pushover License$4.99
  • Tip$4.99
  • Tip$9.99
5 purchases

Screens 5

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.491 Year
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Family UpgradeFree
  • Lifetime2 variants$249.99

Questions

Is Pushover Notifications free?
Pushover Notifications is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screens 5 free?
Screens 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pushover Notifications or Screens 5?
Pushover Notifications is rated higher. Pushover Notifications averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while Screens 5 averages 4.5 from 620 ratings.
Do Pushover Notifications or Screens 5 have ads?
Neither Pushover Notifications nor Screens 5 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pushover Notifications or Screens 5?
Pushover Notifications ships an update monthly, and Screens 5 every 11 days. Most recently, Pushover Notifications was updated on November 10, 2026 and Screens 5 on November 12, 2026.

Other comparisons