Comparison

BulkHead vs A1 Drive

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

Head to head
About

BulkHead

Access and manage files on remote servers directly from your device. This app supports SFTP, SMB, WebDAV, and S3 protocols, allowing you to browse, edit, and transfer files with built-in syntax highlighting and live Markdown previews. It prioritizes user privacy with zero telemetry.

Highlights
  • SFTP, SMB, WebDAV, S3 support
  • Remote code editing with syntax highlighting
  • Markdown editor with live preview
  • File browsing and previewing
  • SSH key management
  • Batch file operations
Features
Read full description

Your iPhone connects to everything — except your servers. BulkHead fixes that, and now it puts them right inside the Files app. One app for SFTP, SMB, WebDAV, and S3. Browse, edit, and transfer files across every protocol you actually use — from BulkHead or from anywhere in iOS. Zero telemetry. Free with up to 3 connections. — NOW IN THE FILES APP — Every connection shows up as a Location in the Files app. Open, save, download, upload, rename, move, and delete your remote files from any app that uses Files. SFTP, SMB, WebDAV, and S3 — all in one place. — A FINDER-QUALITY FILE MANAGER — On iPad and Mac, BulkHead feels like Finder: a source-list sidebar, column view with horizontal drill-down, a live preview pane, Quick Look, inline rename, full keyboard navigation, and spring-loaded folders. On iPhone, it's fast and one-handed. — CONNECT TO ANYTHING — SFTP, SMB, WebDAV, and S3-compatible services (Amazon S3, MinIO, Cloudflare R2, Backblaze B2). One-tap presets for Tailscale, R2, B2, MinIO, and Hetzner. Auto-discover servers on your local network with Bonjour. Credentials stored in the iOS Keychain with Face ID / Touch ID lock. — TRUST, VERIFIED — SSH host-key verification (TOFU) warns you if a server's key ever changes. Self-signed and internal-CA TLS certificates are supported with user-approved pinning. Your connection is yours. — EDIT CODE ON YOUR SERVER — Syntax highlighting for 50+ languages with 30 color themes. Auto-save as you type. Open, edit, and save files directly on remote servers. — MARKDOWN WITH LIVE PREVIEW — Split-pane editor with a formatting toolbar. Headers, bold, italic, lists, code blocks, links. Export to PDF or HTML. — BROWSE & PREVIEW — Breadcrumb navigation, list or grid view, sort by name, date, size, or type. Preview images (pinch-to-zoom), PDFs, video, audio, and text — all without downloading. — TRANSFER & BACK UP — Stream large files with real progress and reliable background transfers. Send files from any app with the Share extension. Batch move, copy, delete, and download with folder structure preserved (Pro). Automatically back up your camera roll to your own server (Pro). — SSH KEY MANAGEMENT — Generate Ed25519 keys, import existing keys, manage passphrases. Passwordless authentication. — PRICING — Free: Up to 3 connections with full features Pro: $6.99/year (1-week free trial) or $14.99 one-time lifetime purchase Pro unlocks: Unlimited connections, transfer queue, automatic photo backup, AES-256-GCM cache encryption, external display — PRIVACY — No analytics. No tracking. No data collection. Your device connects directly to your servers. Nothing passes through our infrastructure. Runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac (Apple Silicon), and Apple Vision Pro. Terms of Use (EULA) - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

A1 Drive

Securely store photos, videos, and files with lightning-fast cloud storage. Offers instant storage expansion, one-tap photo backup, and 4K video support. Features zero-knowledge encryption and biometric lock for enhanced privacy.

Highlights
  • Instant storage expansion
  • One-tap photo backup
  • 4K video support
  • Zero-knowledge encryption
  • Biometric lock
  • Pro-Link secure sharing
  • Universal file viewing
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

Is your iPhone storage full? Stop deleting your precious memories. Meet A1 Drive, the most secure, lightning-fast cloud storage solution designed for the modern user. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or a parent capturing every moment, A1 Drive gives you the space you need to breathe. Start today with 1GB of Premium Cloud Storage. In a world of expensive subscriptions and data breaches, A1 Drive stands apart. We combine Special-Grade Encryption with a minimalist interface that anyone can use. No more complex menus just your files, exactly where you need them. 1. Instant Storage Expansion 1GB Free Forever: Get started with no credit card required. Perfect for your most essential documents and "must-have" photos. One-Tap Photo Backup: Automatically sync your camera roll to the cloud. Delete photos from your device to free up GBs of local space while keeping them safe in A1 Drive. 4K Video Support: Upload and stream high-resolution videos directly from the app without lag. 2. Privacy You Can Trust Zero-Knowledge Encryption: We believe your data is your business. Our end-to-end encryption ensures that only YOU have the keys to your files. Biometric Lock: Add an extra layer of security with FaceID or TouchID to keep your "A1 Vault" private. Secure Data Centers: Your files are distributed across multiple Tier-1 data centers to ensure 99.9% uptime and zero data loss. 3. Seamless Productivity & Sharing Pro-Link Sharing: Need to send a large file? Generate a secure link with optional password protection and expiration dates. Perfect for replacing WeTransfer. Universal File Support: View PDFs, Word Docs, Excel Sheets, Keynote presentations, and RAW images directly inside the app. Offline Access: Mark any file as "Offline" to access it on a plane, a train, or anywhere without an internet connection. 4. Smart Organization AI-Powered Search: Find that one document in seconds. Our smart search indexes your file names for instant retrieval. Folder Hierarchy: Create a digital filing system that works for you. Organize by project, date, or family member. Recent Activity: Quickly jump back into the files you were just working on with our "Recents" tab. 5. Other use cases For Students: Keep all your lecture notes, PDFs, and assignments in one place. Access them on your iPhone during class or your iPad while studying. For Travelers: Store digital copies of your passport, tickets, and travel insurance. Access them offline in foreign countries. For Creators: Offload raw footage and high-res photos to the cloud to keep your phone ready for the next shot. Ready to go big? A1 Drive Pro offers flexible subscription tiers (Monthly/Yearly) that provide: Massive storage upgrades. Priority upload speeds. Advanced link customization. 24/7 Premium Support. Join thousands of users who trust A1 Drive to protect their digital legacy. Simple. Secure. Superior. Download A1 Drive today and claim your free 1GB!

Screenshots

BulkHead4 screens
A1 Drive4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: A1 Drive at none against BulkHead's 4. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. BulkHead sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. A1 Drive asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
BulkHead versus A1 Drive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBulkHeadA1 Drive
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperODDINKS LLCRhophi Analytics LLP

Customer experience

BulkHead

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

A1 Drive

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

BulkHead

Subscriptions1
  • BulkHead Pro Annual7 Days trial$6.991 Year
One-time3
  • Small Tip$2.99
  • Generous Tip$9.99
  • BulkHead Pro Lifetime$14.99
None

A1 Drive

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BulkHead free?
BulkHead is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is A1 Drive free?
A1 Drive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do BulkHead or A1 Drive have ads?
Neither BulkHead nor A1 Drive shows ads.

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