Comparison

Beam vs PCTransfer

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

Head to head
About

Beam

Features
Read full description

Beam brings your Mac screen to your iPhone when you step away. Watch on your Mac, open Beam on iPhone, and keep going instantly over local Wi-Fi. After first-time pairing, reconnect is automatic. • Streams your Mac display with system audio • Picture in Picture support on iPhone • Play/Pause, Next, and Previous media controls • Local network only (no cloud account required) • Encrypted pairing between your devices • Built for low-latency continuity Free tier: • 3-day free trial with no limits • Then up to 30 minutes/day with a 24-hour reset Beam Unlimited: • One-time non-consumable in-app purchase • Removes session limits and cooldowns Important: • Requires the Beacon companion app on your Mac • Mac and iPhone must be on the same local network • Beam is not a remote desktop or internet streaming app.

About

PCTransfer

Features
Read full description

Transferring files between your iPhone and PC has never been this simple. Just turn on PCTransfer, type the address shown on your iPhone into any browser on your PC, and you're ready to go. No cables. No software to install on your PC. No complicated setup. HOW IT WORKS 1. Open PCTransfer and tap START SERVER. 2. Make sure your iPhone and PC are on the same Wi-Fi network. 3. Type the address shown into your PC's browser. 4. Download files from your iPhone — or upload files to it. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Transfer photos, videos, documents and more. • Download files from your iPhone to your PC — free and unlimited. • Import photos and files from your iPhone directly into the app. • Preview files before transferring using the built-in viewer. • Manage your files: view, delete, and organize with ease. FREE vs PRO The free version allows you to download files to your PC without limits and upload files up to 5MB each. PCTransfer Pro (one-time purchase) unlocks: • Unlimited file size uploads from your PC to your iPhone. • No ads. No subscriptions. Pay once, use forever.

Screenshots

Beam4 screens
PCTransfer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Beam at none against PCTransfer's shown. Beam also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Beam sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and PCTransfer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Beam ships an update every 6 days, PCTransfer every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
Beam versus PCTransfer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBeamPCTransfer
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKEVIN ERIK IINJorge Sanchez Reyes

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Beam

One-time2
  • Beam Unlimited$4.79
  • Beam Unlimited$7.99
1 purchases

PCTransfer

One-time1
  • PCTransfer Pro$1.99

Questions

Is Beam free?
Beam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PCTransfer free?
PCTransfer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Beam or PCTransfer have ads?
PCTransfer shows ads; Beam does not.
Which is updated more often, Beam or PCTransfer?
Beam ships an update every 6 days, and PCTransfer every 5 weeks. Most recently, Beam was updated on October 10, 2026 and PCTransfer on September 30, 2026.

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