# HomeBridger vs Tether

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tether at 100% against HomeBridger's 33%. Tether also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2). HomeBridger's advantage is ratings volume (9 vs 3) and iOS requirement (18.6 vs 26.1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Tether holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of HomeBridger's written reviews are positive against 100% of Tether's.

HomeBridger ships an update every 4 days, Tether weekly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | HomeBridger | Tether |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebridger/id6757407817/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tether-linux-companion/id6762097135/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 14 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.6** | 26.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LVL35 LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1818124171) | [Zack Bartel](https://appshunter.io/developer/1069647834) |

## What reviewers say

### HomeBridger

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/homebridger/id6757407817)

Manage your Homebridge server remotely with ease. Monitor server status, control plugins and bridges, and access real-time logs. Features automatic backups and home screen widgets for quick access.

**Highlights:** Remote Homebridge server management, Real-time server status monitoring, Plugin management and updates, Child bridge control, Home screen widgets, Automatic backups and configuration history, Live log streaming

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Tether

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tether-linux-companion/id6762097135)

Seamlessly integrate your mobile device with your Linux desktop. Share clipboards, transfer files, and discover your desktop locally over Wi-Fi. All communication is secured with end-to-end encryption, with no cloud servers or accounts needed.

**Highlights:** Shared Clipboard Sync, Bi-directional File Transfers, Local Network Discovery, End-to-End Encryption, No Cloud Services Required

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HomeBridger free?

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

### Is Tether free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HomeBridger or Tether?

Tether is rated higher. HomeBridger averages 4.2 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Tether averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do HomeBridger or Tether have ads?

Neither HomeBridger nor Tether shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HomeBridger or Tether?

HomeBridger ships an update every 4 days, and Tether weekly. Most recently, HomeBridger was updated on October 24, 2026 and Tether on October 24, 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.*