# Zapya vs NextDNS

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zapya at none against NextDNS's 2. Zapya also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (33K vs 1.8K). NextDNS's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Zapya against 4.5 for NextDNS. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zapya has 33K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of Zapya's written reviews are positive against 63% of NextDNS's.

Zapya ships an update every 10 days, NextDNS every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Zapya | NextDNS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zapya-file-sharing/id576309271/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextdns/id1463342498/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **33K** | 1.8K |
| Positive reviews | 62.2% of reviews | **63.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 80 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DewMobile, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/576309274) | [nextdns Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1463342497) |

## What reviewers say

### Zapya

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zapya-file-sharing/id576309271)

Share files between devices wirelessly and quickly, even large amounts of data. Connect with nearby users via GPS or QR codes. Secure your private files and chat offline with friends.

**Highlights:** Wireless file transfer, Cross-platform sharing, Fast transfer speeds, Nearby device discovery (GPS), QR code sharing, Hidden folder for private files, Offline chat, Remote camera control (PeerCam)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast file transfer
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Useful for bridging iOS and non-Apple devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🔋 Drains battery
- 🔒 Privacy concerns
- 🤖 Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on startup
- Unable to connect to PC or other devices
- Transferred files have unknown extensions
- Unexpected folder creation in photo albums

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved video player functionality
- Better support for music file transfers


### NextDNS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nextdns/id1463342498)

Encrypt all your DNS queries across all networks with this app. It leverages native iOS settings to bring your custom blocking policies and traffic analytics directly to your phone. Easily set up your configuration ID to enhance your online privacy and security.

**Highlights:** Encrypts all DNS queries, Uses native iOS Encrypted DNS settings, Apply custom blocking policies, View traffic analytics and logs, Configure with your NextDNS account ID

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient DNS service
- 🔒 Robust security and privacy features
- 👍 Simple and user-friendly setup
- 💡 Highly configurable with advanced options
- 🚀 Improves internet speed and performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- 🐛 Inability to disable on specific Wi-Fi networks
- 🐛 Inconsistent ad blocking performance
- 🔋 High battery drain on mobile devices
- 🐛 Lack of transparency on service status and outages

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for older iOS devices
- Profiles not working correctly after iOS 15 update
- Inability to remove the DNS profile from the device
- Connectivity issues when used in conjunction with a VPN

**Requested features**

- Add a quick toggle to enable/disable the service
- Integrate the web dashboard functionality into the app
- Provide more granular control over blocked content
- Implement a timed mode to temporarily disable the service
- Add support for DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Zapya free?

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

### Is NextDNS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Zapya or NextDNS?

Zapya is rated higher. Zapya averages 4.6 out of 5 from 33K ratings, while NextDNS averages 4.5 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Zapya or NextDNS have ads?

Zapya shows ads; NextDNS does not.

### Which is updated more often, Zapya or NextDNS?

Zapya ships an update every 10 days, and NextDNS every 6 weeks. Most recently, Zapya was updated on October 18, 2026 and NextDNS on October 16, 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.*