Beam vs PCTransfer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Beam
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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.
PCTransfer
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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 ā or upload files to it. WHAT YOU CAN DO ⢠Transfer photos, videos, documents and more. ⢠Download files from your iPhone to your PC ā 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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
| Parameter | Beam | PCTransfer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days ā better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No ā better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.5 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | KEVIN ERIK IIN | Jorge Sanchez Reyes |
In-app purchases
Beam
- Beam Unlimited$4.79
- Beam Unlimited$7.99
PCTransfer
- PCTransfer Pro$1.99









