# TP vs SURFboard Central

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TP at 95% against SURFboard Central's 11%. TP also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.6) and ratings volume (158K vs 1.5K). SURFboard Central's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 15). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. TP sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SURFboard Central asks for nothing beyond the download.

TP holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TP has 158K ratings behind it against 1.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of TP's written reviews are positive against 11% of SURFboard Central's.

TP ships an update fortnightly, SURFboard Central every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TP | SURFboard Central |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (158K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tp-link-tether/id599496594/reviews)** | [1.6 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfboard-central/id1478418148/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **158K** | 1.5K |
| Positive reviews | **95.4% of reviews** | 10.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#36** | — |
| Size | 363 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TP-Link Systems Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1713842892) | [ARRIS Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/571770115) |

## What reviewers say

### TP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tp-link-tether/id599496594)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Easily manage your TP-Link routers, DSL modems, and range extenders from your mobile device. Set up your network, control access, and monitor connected clients with an intuitive interface. Features include parental controls, LED management, and device blocking.

**Highlights:** Network setup (SSID, password, internet settings), Block unauthorized users, Manage client device permissions, Parental control with scheduling and URL filtering, Range extender placement guidance, LED control, Simultaneous device management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adv Parental Controls Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Security+ Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Adv Parental Controls Yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| Security+ | $35.99 | per year |
| Security+ | $35.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $54.99 | per year |
| TP-Link On-the-Go Antivirus | $109.99 | per year |
| Total Security Package | $129.99 | per year |
| Total Security | $159.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy setup
- 👍 User friendly
- 👍 Simple and easy
- 👍 Awesome tech
- 👍 Top wifi

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Set up not clear
- 🐛 Fairly straight forward
- 🐛 Workroom
- 🐛 Dark Mode
- 🐛 Unable to login

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Can't set date and time
- Client icons don't save when changed
- Parental controls not working

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Manual configuration
- More advanced configuration options
- IFTTT functionality


### 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 TP free?

TP 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, TP or SURFboard Central?

TP is rated higher. TP averages 4.8 out of 5 from 158K ratings, while SURFboard Central averages 1.6 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do TP or SURFboard Central have ads?

Neither TP nor SURFboard Central shows ads.

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

TP ships an update fortnightly, and SURFboard Central every 2 months. Most recently, TP was updated on September 25, 2026 and SURFboard Central on September 23, 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.*