# HFX vs Patient Controller RC

The clearest difference is rating: HFX at 3.5 against Patient Controller RC's 3.1. Patient Controller RC's advantage is review sentiment (22% vs 12%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HFX holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 71 and 112 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 12% of HFX's written reviews are positive against 22% of Patient Controller RC's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HFX ships an update every 3 months, Patient Controller RC every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HFX | Patient Controller RC |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (71 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hfx/id6443477068/reviews)** | [3.1 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-controller-rc-us/id6444318464/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 71 | **112** |
| Positive reviews | 12.1% of reviews | **21.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 59 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Nevro Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1613247836) | [Abbott](https://appshunter.io/developer/402314324) |

## What reviewers say

### HFX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hfx/id6443477068)

Manage chronic pain with personalized relief. This app pairs with a spinal cord stimulator to learn your pain patterns and deliver tailored therapy. It offers features like progress tracking, favorite program saving, and proactive patient support.

**Highlights:** Personalized pain relief recommendations, Proactive patient support, Save favorite therapy programs, Track pain relief progress, Earn achievement badges, Check device battery level, Enable MRI Mode

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Provides real relief
- 👍 Improves quality of life
- 👍 Device is terrific
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Love the app and team

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy with connection issues
- 🐛 Stopped connecting entirely
- 🐛 App is a piece of trash
- 🐛 White screen issue
- 🐛 Repetitive app issues

**Reported bugs**

- Connection issues
- Stopped connecting
- Bluetooth connection problems
- White screen
- App not loading

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Add an option to write notes
- Improve battery percentage display
- Improve pain rating system
- Add percentage to battery meter


### Patient Controller RC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patient-controller-rc-us/id6444318464)

Manage your Abbott neuromodulation device programs from your smartphone. Control stimulation settings, monitor your device, and connect with your clinician remotely for adjustments and telehealth sessions.

**Highlights:** Turn stimulation ON/OFF, Select stimulation programs, Adjust stimulation amplitude, Check device battery, Monitor charging, Remote clinician connection, Secure in-app video chat

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Effective pain relief and device functionality
- 👍 User-friendly interface and easy control
- 🔧 Works well on supported iPhone models
- 💪 Reliable implant performance for chronic pain management
- 🤝 Good customer support in some regions

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ Severely outdated iPhone compatibility (lags 2-3+ years behind current models)
- 📱 Forces users to carry multiple phones simultaneously
- 🐢 Extremely slow update cycle for new device support
- 🔌 Provided iPhone SE controller has poor battery life
- 🔗 Frequent app disconnections requiring restarts

**Reported bugs**

- App incompatible with iPhone 15, 16, 17 series
- Frequent disconnections from device requiring app restart
- App crashes and won't open
- Password update rejection
- Incompatibility with iOS 18.3.2 and newer

**Requested features**

- Support for iPhone 15, 16, 17 and newer models
- Android app version
- Apple Watch app integration
- Sleep timer functionality
- User-adjustable intermittent pulse programs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HFX free?

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

### Is Patient Controller RC free?

Patient Controller RC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HFX or Patient Controller RC?

HFX is rated higher. HFX averages 3.5 out of 5 from 71 ratings, while Patient Controller RC averages 3.1 from 112 ratings.

### Do HFX or Patient Controller RC have ads?

Neither HFX nor Patient Controller RC shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HFX or Patient Controller RC?

HFX ships an update every 3 months, and Patient Controller RC every 4 months. Most recently, HFX was updated on October 14, 2026 and Patient Controller RC on October 17, 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.*