HearNear vs HelloNav
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HearNear
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HearNear is an AI-assisted application specially designed for visually impaired friends, acting as a thoughtful companion that transforms the surrounding environment into voice descriptions anytime, anywhere. Through simple photo captures, videos, voice or text inputs, visually impaired individuals can easily navigate various scenarios in daily life. At home, HearNear helps you locate everyday items, assists with kitchen operations, and even provides outfit suggestions. Reading books, newspapers, and product instructions becomes simple and convenient. When going out, HearNear helps you navigate paths, avoid obstacles, find shops, and identify bus stops. While shopping, it can recognize products, check price tags, and read product descriptions - these are all ways HearNear can provide assistance. HearNear is simple to operate, using voice-guided interfaces and prompts that are easy to learn. More importantly, it is available 24/7, ready to describe your surroundings anytime, anywhere. HearNear, exploring a wider world with you! ※ Friendly Reminder ※ HearNear App's assistance functions are based on AI information recognition and processing technology. Environmental interpretation results may contain errors, so it's recommended to use them in conjunction with actual situations. In scenarios involving personal safety, we suggest using the app with family members or friends present to ensure safety.
HelloNav
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HaloNav turns your iPhone into an intelligent companion—combining LiDAR obstacle detection, AI scene understanding, and personalized outdoor navigation. Three systems. One seamless journey. How HaloNav Guides You Halo Shield | Obstacle Detection Real-time scanning up to 5 meters. Detects obstacles, overhangs, and drop-offs with instant voice, spatial audio, or haptic alerts. Runs entirely on-device. Works offline. Halo Guide | Outdoor Navigation Built for streets and open spaces. Save custom points of interest, record persistent obstacles for automatic warnings, revisit saved routes, and turn with precise angle guidance. Requires internet. Halo Vision | AI Scene Understanding Reads traffic lights, crosswalks, signs, and menus. Find specific objects on command—keys, seats, doors. Some features require internet. Better Together: How HaloNav Couples HaloNav's three systems hand off seamlessly as you move. Halo Guide plots your route. Halo Shield watches your step. At intersections, Halo Vision reads the scene. Near your destination, GPS fades—Halo Vision reads storefront text to pinpoint your exact arrival. Never a gap, never a guess. Your Way. Your Feedback. Choose voice prompts, spatial audio, haptic patterns, or layer them all. Fully compatible with VoiceOver. Built for accessibility from the ground up. Privacy First Core safety features run offline. Cloud features only connect when needed. You control everything. Compatible Devices Requires iPhone with LiDAR Scanner: iPhone 12 Pro / Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro / Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max, iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max, iPhone 16 Pro / Pro Max. Join the Community TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@halonavglobal Youtube: https://youtube.com/@halonav?si=b9upEA4qqO2BGgmF
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: HelloNav at none against HearNear's shown. HearNear's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
HearNear ships an update every 6 days, HelloNav every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | HearNear | HelloNav |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Every 8 days |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 232 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yangguang Ma | 国斌 马 |
In-app purchases
HearNear
No in-app purchases
HelloNav
No in-app purchases









