# Control for GitLab vs S3 Client

The clearest difference is review sentiment: S3 Client at 79% against Control for GitLab's 30%. S3 Client also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.9) and ads (none vs shown). Control for GitLab's advantage is ratings volume (256 vs 54) and iOS requirement (16.7.11 vs 18.2). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Control for GitLab sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and S3 Client sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

S3 Client holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 256 and 54 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Control for GitLab's written reviews are positive against 79% of S3 Client's.

Control for GitLab ships an update every 6 weeks, S3 Client every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 6, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Control for GitLab | S3 Client |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (256 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-for-gitlab/id654747119/reviews) | **[4.8 (54 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/s3-client-files-location/id6447647340/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **256** | 54 |
| Positive reviews | 29.5% of reviews | **79.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.7.11** | 18.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Valerio Mazzeo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620011571) | [Anders Borum ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629010537) |

## What reviewers say

### Control for GitLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/control-for-gitlab/id654747119)

Manage your GitLab projects on your iPhone or iPad from anywhere. Track projects, issues, merge requests, and code, all from your mobile device. Stay connected to your team and code even when you're on the go.

**Highlights:** Manage Projects, Issues, and Merge Requests, Browse Source Code and Commits, Full Team Management, View and Edit Branches and Tags, Markdown and Emoji Support, Secure with Passcode

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GitLab Control Pro | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to access from mobile
- 👍 Nice and easy to use
- 👍 Great UI
- 👍 Helpful tool for quick code check

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Doesn't connect to server
- 🐛 Missing critical features
- 🔍 Lacks functionality compared to website
- 💸 Paywalled features
- 🔍 Poor performance on large codebases

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues with two-factor authentication
- Inconsistent project and issue listing
- Crashes and connection errors
- Incorrect charging and purchase issues

**Requested features**

- Support for multiple GitLab instances
- Ability to approve merge requests
- Dark mode option
- Better code viewing and editing capabilities
- Support for GitLab CI/CD features


### S3 Client

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/s3-client-files-location/id6447647340)

Access and manage your S3-compatible cloud storage directly from your device's file system. Files are downloaded on demand and synchronized automatically, with support for various S3 services and encryption methods.

**Highlights:** Direct S3 storage access, On-demand file downloading, Automatic synchronization, Support for multiple S3 services, System share sheet uploads, Pre-signed sharing link generation, Shortcuts automation support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| S3 Files Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Lifetime S3 Pro | $14.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime S3 Pro | $17.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive UI/UX
- 🔄 Universal setup across devices
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 💡 Excellent integration with Files app
- 🛠️ Handles edge cases and retries well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Not intuitive for some
- 💰 Limited free features
- 🐛 Clunky to use
- 🐛 App constantly pauses
- 🐛 No obvious way to unpause

**Reported bugs**

- Files renamed randomly
- High CPU usage
- Stopped working in iOS 26
- Can't set permissions
- Fails to load S3 buckets properly

**Requested features**

- Support for WebDAV servers
- Support for Google OAuth for GCS
- Synchronous feature to backup photos automatically
- Configurable AWS endpoint for non-.com endpoints
- Allow import/export of configuration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Control for GitLab free?

Control for GitLab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is S3 Client free?

S3 Client is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Control for GitLab or S3 Client?

S3 Client is rated higher. Control for GitLab averages 3.9 out of 5 from 256 ratings, while S3 Client averages 4.8 from 54 ratings.

### Do Control for GitLab or S3 Client have ads?

Control for GitLab shows ads; S3 Client does not.

### Which is updated more often, Control for GitLab or S3 Client?

Control for GitLab ships an update every 6 weeks, and S3 Client every 9 days. Most recently, Control for GitLab was updated on September 6, 2026 and S3 Client on September 22, 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.*