Comparison

Blip vs Couchside

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Blip

Easily share files of any size directly from your device without cloud storage. Enjoy private, end-to-end encrypted transfers to any device, anywhere. Transfers auto-resume and received files are saved to your device's Photos and Files apps.

Highlights
  • One-click sharing via share sheet
  • Direct file transfer, no cloud
  • End-to-end encrypted
  • Send to any device
  • Works locally and over internet
  • Auto-resume transfers
  • Save directly to Photos/Files
Features
Read full description

ONE-CLICK Send quickly using the share sheet without switching apps DIRECT TRANSFER It’s just one step—no separate uploading and downloading PRIVATE & SECURE Files are end-to-end encrypted—nothing is stored in the cloud SEND TO ANY DEVICE From your iPhone or iPad to any other device you own SEND NEAR & FAR Blip works in the same room and over the internet ACCEPT FROM YOUR HOME SCREEN Files are pushed straight to your devices NEVER LOSE PROGRESS Blip auto-resumes your transfers in case of interruptions USE FILES IMMEDIATELY Received items are saved to Photos and Files apps on your device

About

Couchside

Transform your iPhone into a remote console, game launcher, and controller for your Linux gaming PC. Monitor system health, fix issues without a keyboard, and launch games directly from your couch.

Highlights
  • Live system monitoring dashboard
  • One-tap runbook actions for troubleshooting
  • Browse system logs remotely
  • Launch Steam games and custom applications
  • Virtual Xbox 360 game controller
  • Trackpad and swipe control modes
  • Easy QR code pairing
Features
Read full description

Couchside turns your iPhone into a dashboard, remote, game launcher and controller for your living-room Linux gaming PC: SteamOS, Bazzite, a docked Steam Deck, or another supported systemd Linux box. WHAT TO PLAY NEXT Find your next game with suggestions from your box’s game history. See what is running, choose another suggestion, and launch after confirming. The Play tab keeps recent content ready as you move between tabs. Optional demo mode lets you explore sample games away from your box. YOUR STEAM COMPANION Connect Steam on your box for profile and library stats, playtime trends, achievement progress, wishlist discounts and price-drop alerts. Add an optional IsThereAnyDeal integration for historical-low price comparisons. These opt-in features contact Steam and IsThereAnyDeal. Background wishlist notifications are best-effort and need your phone to reach the box. LIVE CONSOLE Check CPU temperature, load, memory, storage, uptime and service health. Supported handhelds also show battery and power information. See what is playing and manage multiple boxes from unified cards with live vitals and connection controls. When the TV is black, inspect the box from your phone. FIX IT FROM THE COUCH Read recent service logs, restart the display session, switch between Desktop and Game Mode, or reboot and shut down with confirmation. Available actions depend on your box’s capabilities and permissions. GAMES, STREAMING AND CONTROLS Browse installed games with cover art, search and filters. Launch a game on the TV or start Steam Remote Play from another PC. Use a virtual gamepad, swipe navigation, trackpad with two-finger gestures, or keyboard input. Landscape controls give you more room when you need it. TV AND LIGHTING Control power, volume and input on supported TVs, including compatible LG and Google TV models. Compatible HDMI-CEC hardware lets the box control the TV. On supported lighting hardware, adjust strip effects, reactive meters and artwork-inspired Game Aura presets. Create custom sequences with frame-by-frame timing and true on/off strobe effects. EASY PAIRING A welcome guide introduces Couchside and optional integrations. Install the free Couchside service on your box, then scan its QR code or enter its pairing PIN. Refined animations can be turned off in Preferences and respect Reduce Motion. Your phone and box must be on the same local network. WAKE FROM THE COUCH Wake supported Ethernet-connected boxes with progress and reconnection confirmation. On iPhone, waking may require another awake Couchside box on the same network to relay the request. Hardware, firmware and network settings must support Wake-on-LAN. PRIVATE LOCAL CONTROL Remote-control traffic stays on your local network, with no cloud relay or Couchside account. Pairing supports an encrypted, pinned connection. Optional online features, store purchases and update checks contact their respective services. No analytics. The Linux service is open source and the app is source-available. TRY FREE FOR 7 DAYS, PAY ONCE Download free and try the full app for 7 days. A one-time purchase unlocks continued use; there is no subscription. Existing unlocks carry forward. REQUIREMENTS • A supported Linux gaming box on your home network • The free Couchside service installed on that box • Your iPhone and box on the same LAN • Optional integrations and hardware for Steam account features, TV control and lighting

Screenshots

Blip4 screens
Couchside4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Blip at none against Couchside's 1. Blip also leads on ratings volume (3.6K vs 9). Couchside's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 86%). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Couchside sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Blip asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Couchside holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blip has 3.6K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Blip's written reviews are positive against 100% of Couchside's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Blip ships an update every 6 weeks, Couchside every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Blip versus Couchside: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlipCouchside
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.6K ratings)5.0 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.6K — better9
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB60 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlip Studio Inc.Taylor Emery

Customer experience

Blip

All ratings3,382 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral1.6%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews255 reviews
Positive86.3%
Neutral2.7%
Negative11.0%

Couchside

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Blip

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Tapping on files sometimes doesn't open them
  • Auto-accept option not working as expected
  • Continuous 'no network' errors

Requested features

2 requests
  • Support for Brazilian Portuguese language
  • Option to restrict file sharing to contacts only

Couchside

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Blip

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Couchside

One-time1
  • Couchside Forever Unlock$7.99

Questions

Is Blip free?
Blip is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Couchside free?
Couchside is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Blip or Couchside?
Couchside is rated higher. Blip averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.6K ratings, while Couchside averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.
Do Blip or Couchside have ads?
Neither Blip nor Couchside shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Blip or Couchside?
Blip ships an update every 6 weeks, and Couchside every 2 days. Most recently, Blip was updated on October 25, 2026 and Couchside on October 24, 2026.

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