Comparison

deBeam vs HomeNetIP

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

Head to head
About

deBeam

Features
Read full description

deBeam transfers files directly between devices over local Wi-Fi at full network speed. --- HOW IT WORKS --- Pairing takes just 3 seconds. The receiver taps "Receive" to show a QR code. The sender scans it and taps "Send". Done. No usernames, no pairing codes, no waiting for cloud servers. --- WIRELESS TRANSPORT MODE --- Wi-Fi LAN (Same Network / Hotspot) Already on the same router or connected via a Mobile Hotspot? deBeam uses your existing local network path. Every device keeps its own IP, eliminating IP collisions. Fully cross-platform: transfer between iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and other mobile or desktop platforms with no setup required. Real-world speed: 50-100 MB/s. A 1 GB video transfers in under 20 seconds. High-performance local streaming without routing bottlenecks or cloud dependency. --- PROTOCOL-LEVEL END-TO-END ENCRYPTION --- Security in deBeam is the protocol itself, implemented at the lowest native layer. Key Exchange - X25519 ECDH Every session generates a new keypair from scratch using random bytes from the OS secure random number generator. The receiver's public key is embedded in the QR code. Scanning performs an X25519 Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman exchange, producing a shared secret that exists only on those two devices for that one session. The attacker space is 2^255 - computationally impossible to brute force. Key Derivation - BLAKE2b The shared secret is processed through BLAKE2b with the context string "deBeam-v3-session". This binds the derived key strictly to this protocol version, preventing key reuse or replay attacks. Encryption - ChaCha20-Poly1305 (AEAD) Every byte of your files is encrypted with ChaCha20-Poly1305. Files stream in 1 MB chunks, each with a unique nonce derived from its file index and chunk position. No nonce reuse: No two chunks ever share a nonce - cryptographic reuse attacks are impossible. Integrity: Each chunk carries a 16-byte Poly1305 authentication tag. Any tampered or replayed chunk is instantly detected and the connection terminates. Memory Security - crypto_wipe() After the key exchange, ephemeral private keys and session keys are immediately wiped from memory using crypto_wipe(). Past sessions cannot be recovered even if the device is compromised later. Threat Coverage Eavesdropping: Blocked by ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption. Man-in-the-middle: Blocked by X25519 (cannot forge secret without private keys). Rogue device: Impossible without the QR-embedded public key. Brute force: 2^255 key space - mathematically infeasible. An 8-byte visual key fingerprint ("A1B2-C3D4...") on the receiver's screen allows quick visual verification before files move. --- NATIVE PERFORMANCE --- The encryption and streaming engine is written via native integration using Monocypher 4.0.2 - a compact, audited crypto library. ChaCha20-Poly1305 runs at ~500 MB/s on ARMv8. Encryption overhead is zero compared to Wi-Fi throughput - no speed penalty for maximum security. --- NO SERVER. NO CLOUD. NO ACCOUNT. --- deBeam has no backend infrastructure. No signup, no login, no tracking, no telemetry. QR pairing is computed entirely on-device and works 100% offline. Files travel directly from sender to receiver. --- CORE FEATURES --- Send multiple files in a single session All file types: videos, photos, docs, archives, RAW files, and custom formats Persistent local storage - chosen destination saved securely via Security-scoped Bookmarks No file size limit QR code pairing - no manual IP entry, no accounts Visual key fingerprint for authenticity verification Files saved securely to system Downloads or custom user-defined directory Real-time transfer progress per file Full cross-platform support across mobile and desktop devices deBeam. Beam it. Privacy Policy: https://devitan-docs.gitbook.io/devitans-apps/x.-privacy-policy-for-devitans-apps Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

HomeNetIP

Features
Read full description

Who's on your Wi-Fi right now? Which IP addresses are taken, which are free, and what is that one device you don't recognize? HomeNetIP turns your router's cryptic list of numbers into a clear, living picture of your home network โ€” in seconds. Tap once and watch your network come to life. HomeNetIP scans your Wi-Fi and fills in every device live, in real time, showing each one's name, IP address and vendor. No more guessing whether that unknown gadget is your new smart bulb or someone you'd rather not have on your network. SEE EVERYTHING INSTANTLY Bonjour, mDNS, SSDP and active ping discovery work together to find phones, laptops, TVs, consoles, printers, smart-home gear โ€” and the things you forgot you owned โ€” all appearing live as the scan runs. SMART INSIGHTS THAT ACT HomeNetIP studies your network and tells you exactly what to do next โ€” then walks you through it on a dedicated, guided screen: โ€ข New or unknown device on your Wi-Fi? Get alerted so you can spot a guest or an intruder. โ€ข IP conflicts caught before they knock something offline. โ€ข Devices that still need a name, a room or a category โ€” fixed in a tap. โ€ข Reserve a static IP, with a step-by-step router recipe and one-tap copy of the address. โ€ข Identify an unknown manufacturer โ€” auto-suggested from the device's MAC. โ€ข Warranty ending soon, duplicate entries, empty rooms, randomized (private) MACs, and more. CHECK YOUR ROUTER Run a live ping diagnostic on your gateway and open its admin page in a single tap. ORGANIZE YOUR HOME Group devices into rooms and categories that match real life โ€” the kids' room, the office, the living room. Read your IP map at a glance. Wake a sleeping computer with Wake-on-LAN before you walk into the room. EXPORT ANYTHING Save your full device list as CSV, Excel, Word or PDF to share, archive or document your setup. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your network data lives on your device and syncs only through your own private iCloud. There's no account to create, no server of ours to trust, and nothing about your home is ever sent to us โ€” no ads, no analytics, ever. Lock the app behind Face ID for an extra layer of privacy. FREE & PREMIUM HomeNetIP is free to download and use for up to 2 rooms and 20 devices. Unlock unlimited rooms and devices with a single one-time Premium purchase โ€” a one-time unlock, not a subscription, and never will be. Designed for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Stop guessing what's on your Wi-Fi. Download HomeNetIP and finally see your home network clearly.

Screenshots

deBeam4 screens
HomeNetIP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: deBeam at daily against HomeNetIP's fortnightly. 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. deBeam sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and HomeNetIP sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

deBeam ships an update daily, HomeNetIP fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
deBeam versus HomeNetIP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterdeBeamHomeNetIP
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyDaily โ€” betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac โ€” betteriPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.1 โ€” better16.4
Further details โ€” not scored
Size40 MB61 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperTan Vi MinhErez Cohen

In-app purchases

3 purchases

deBeam

One-time3
  • Support deBeam - Tier 1$0.99
  • Support deBeam - Tier 2$1.99
  • Support deBeam - Tier 3$4.99
1 purchases

HomeNetIP

One-time1
  • Premium - Unlimited Forever$4.99

Questions

Is deBeam free?
deBeam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HomeNetIP free?
HomeNetIP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do deBeam or HomeNetIP have ads?
Neither deBeam nor HomeNetIP shows ads.
Which is updated more often, deBeam or HomeNetIP?
deBeam ships an update daily, and HomeNetIP fortnightly. Most recently, deBeam was updated on October 25, 2026 and HomeNetIP on October 28, 2026.

Other comparisons