# Linksys vs SURFboard Central

The clearest difference is rating: Linksys at 4.7 against SURFboard Central's 1.6. Linksys also leads on ratings volume (98K vs 1.5K) and review sentiment (21% vs 10%). SURFboard Central's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Linksys sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SURFboard Central asks for nothing beyond the download.

Linksys holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Linksys has 98K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of Linksys's written reviews are positive against 10% of SURFboard Central's.

Linksys ships an update every 5 weeks, SURFboard Central every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Linksys | SURFboard Central |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (98K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linksys/id533516503/reviews)** | [1.6 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfboard-central/id1478418148/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **98K** | 1.5K |
| Positive reviews | **21.0% of reviews** | 10.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 111 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Linksys USA, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1598557948) | [ARRIS Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/571770115) |

## What reviewers say

### Linksys

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linksys/id533516503)

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.

**Highlights:** Remote WiFi access, Network dashboard, Guest network setup, Device prioritization, Network security features, Parental controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Linksys Aware | $2.99 | per month |
| Linksys Shield | $4.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and light-weight
- 🔒 Secure and easy to manage
- 👍 Simple and effective interface
- 👍 Helpful parental controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
- 🐛 Slow and unresponsive app
- 🐛 Inconsistent device detection
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inaccurate network information

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### SURFboard Central

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfboard-central/id1478418148)

Simplify the setup and management of your home network devices. This app provides step-by-step installation guides, Wi-Fi configuration, and network monitoring for various modems, routers, and mesh systems.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step device installation guides, Wi-Fi network configuration and management, Guest network setup, Client device monitoring, Parental controls and screen time management, Network health monitoring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Fast setup
- 💡 Helpful for monitoring home network
- 🔒 Secure connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔍 Limited functionality
- 💤 Slow and unresponsive
- 🤔 Confusing setup process
- 🔒 Poor security and privacy

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Fails to connect to network
- Incorrect device information displayed
- Parental controls don't work as expected
- Unable to change network name or password

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced configuration options
- Improve parental controls and internet scheduling
- Provide a web-based interface instead of just a mobile app
- Allow users to bypass the app and access router settings directly


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Linksys free?

Linksys is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SURFboard Central free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Linksys or SURFboard Central?

Linksys is rated higher. Linksys averages 4.7 out of 5 from 98K ratings, while SURFboard Central averages 1.6 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do Linksys or SURFboard Central have ads?

Neither Linksys nor SURFboard Central shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Linksys or SURFboard Central?

Linksys ships an update every 5 weeks, and SURFboard Central every 2 months. Most recently, Linksys was updated on September 28, 2026 and SURFboard Central on September 26, 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.*