# HINT Control vs Orb.net

The clearest difference is rating: Orb.net at 4.6 against HINT Control's 4.2. HINT Control's advantage is ratings volume (111 vs 35). On price, review sentiment, 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.

Orb.net holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 111 and 35 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of HINT Control's written reviews are positive against 62% of Orb.net's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and August 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HINT Control | Orb.net |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hint-control/id6449951339/reviews) | **[4.6 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbnet/id6477840170/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **111** | 35 |
| Positive reviews | **65.1% of reviews** | 61.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 99 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zachary Wander](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691198174) | [Orb Forge Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1730784564) |

## What reviewers say

### HINT Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hint-control/id6449951339)

Manage your T-Mobile Home Internet gateway with advanced features. Control WiFi settings, view statistics, and more. This app is not affiliated with T-Mobile.

**Highlights:** Advanced statistics, WiFi radio control, SSID management, Band steering, Gateway access

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great alternative to T-Mobile app
- 🚀 Useful for T-Mobile gateway management
- 💡 Allows disabling WiFi radios
- 👍 Provides useful network data
- 🚀 "Reboot" shortcut is great

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 UI bug hides settings
- 🐛 Cannot disable 5ghz wifi
- 🐛 Breaks gateway functionality when disabling 5ghz
- 🐛 Latest update crashes repeatedly
- 🐛 Not compatible with G5AR gateway

**Reported bugs**

- UI bug hides settings on SSID management page
- Cannot disable 5ghz wifi after warning
- Disabling 5ghz radio breaks gateway functionality
- Latest update crashes repeatedly
- Not compatible with newly released G5AR T-Mobile gateway

**Requested features**

- Add automatic reboot schedule (daily, weekly, monthly)
- Trigger reboot on connection loss
- Add Beacon Interval control
- Add more Transmit Power control (e.g., 8mW on 5GHz, 21mW on 2.4GHz)
- Advanced control with number input for transmit power


### Orb.net

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbnet/id6477840170)

This free platform continuously measures your internet connection's responsiveness, reliability, and speed. It provides easy-to-understand scores and detailed technical information for users who want to understand their true internet experience.

**Highlights:** Measures internet responsiveness, Measures internet reliability, Measures internet speed, Continuous lightweight tests, Easy-to-understand scores, Technical details for advanced users

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good network insights
- 💡 Helpful for working from home

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't run in the background
- 🐛 Inaccurate speed test results
- 🐛 High system overhead

**Reported bugs**

- Console opens on desktop every time
- Slow performance

**Requested features**

- Apple TV app
- PlayStation app
- Background mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HINT Control free?

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

### Is Orb.net free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HINT Control or Orb.net?

Orb.net is rated higher. HINT Control averages 4.2 out of 5 from 111 ratings, while Orb.net averages 4.6 from 35 ratings.

### Do HINT Control or Orb.net have ads?

Neither HINT Control nor Orb.net shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HINT Control or Orb.net?

HINT Control ships an update every 2 weeks, and Orb.net every 2 weeks. Most recently, HINT Control was updated on September 13, 2026 and Orb.net on August 31, 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.*