Comparison

Shellbee vs NetAlertX Companion

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

Head to head
About

Shellbee

Features
Read full description

Shellbee is a native iPhone companion for Zigbee2MQTT. It connects directly to your bridge over WebSocket and gives you an Apple-native interface for monitoring, controlling, and configuring your Zigbee network. REQUIRES A ZIGBEE2MQTT SERVER Shellbee is a client app. You need a running Zigbee2MQTT instance and an access token. Local and remote deployments are both supported. FEATURES - Real-time connection to your bridge over ws:// or wss:// - Bonjour discovery for local .local hosts - Live device state for lights, switches, covers, fans, locks, climate devices, and sensors - Native controls generated from Zigbee2MQTT exposes - Group and scene management - Permit join, pairing flow, and device onboarding - Bridge settings for MQTT, serial, network, OTA, logging, availability, Home Assistant, and more - Secure token storage in Keychain BUILT FOR iOS Shellbee is SwiftUI from top to bottom, using the latest Observation APIs and ActivityKit. It's designed to feel fast and native, not like a wrapped web view. OPEN SOURCE Shellbee is licensed under AGPL v3. Source available on GitHub.

About

NetAlertX Companion

Features
Read full description

Your NetAlertX Mobile Companion Take control of your home network security. NetAlertX Companion is a fast, minimal, and native client designed specifically for your self-hosted NetAlertX instance. See exactly which devices are connected to your WiFi, monitor their offline/online status, and quickly spot unknown intruders right from your phone. IMPORTANT PREREQUISITE This is a client application. It requires a running, self-hosted NetAlertX instance on your home network (e.g., hosted via Docker, Raspberry Pi, or a custom homelab server) to function. It will not scan your network standalone without a server connection. Core Features: Live Device Overview: Get a real-time list of all online and offline devices, including their IP and MAC addresses. Intruder Detection: Quickly identify unknown or newly connected devices on your network. Secure API Connection: Connects directly and securely to your local server using your NetAlertX API token. Modern Native Design: Built entirely with Jetpack Compose for a lightning-fast, smooth, and beautiful Material Design experience. Privacy First: All data stays between your phone and your local server. No third-party tracking, no cloud accounts required. Quick & Easy Setup: Enter your NetAlertX server IP or URL. Paste your secure API token (found in your NetAlertX Web UI settings). Connect and instantly view your network status! Perfect for homelab enthusiasts, network administrators, and anyone running self-hosted tools like Pi-hole, Home Assistant, or NetAlertX who wants a dedicated mobile dashboard.

Screenshots

Shellbee3 screens
NetAlertX Companion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Shellbee at 17.5 against NetAlertX Companion's 26.5. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

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

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Shellbee versus NetAlertX Companion: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShellbeeNetAlertX Companion
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS17.5 โ€” better26.5
Further details โ€” not scored
Size61 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKenneth BergAli Kabiri

In-app purchases

None

Shellbee

No in-app purchases

None

NetAlertX Companion

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Shellbee free?
Shellbee is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NetAlertX Companion free?
NetAlertX Companion is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Shellbee or NetAlertX Companion have ads?
Neither Shellbee nor NetAlertX Companion shows ads.

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