Comparison

CloudTether vs AlphaFTP

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

Head to head
About

CloudTether

Transform your mobile device into a professional camera tethering solution. Wirelessly or via USB, it captures and instantly transfers full-resolution photos to cloud services or your phone, eliminating the need for laptops or card readers.

Highlights
  • Direct photo transfer to cloud services
  • Wireless and USB tethering
  • Full-resolution RAW + JPEG support
  • Selective photo sending via star ratings
  • Multi-camera support
  • FTP/SFTP server integration
  • Geotagging for photos
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a tether for your camera. CloudTether connects over a USB cable or Wi-Fi, catches every shot the moment you take it, and sends the full-resolution file where it needs to go in seconds — your cloud services, or just this phone. No laptop, no card reader, no desktop tethering software. CHOOSE WHERE SHOTS GO When a camera connects, choose where its shots go: to your services (Dropbox, Drive, ShootProof and more) or to this phone only. Each camera remembers its destinations, so next time it's one tap. Shoot first, decide later: anything taken before you choose waits in Not sent yet, ready to send anytime. SEND ONLY YOUR PICKS Rate shots on the camera and only the ones with enough stars are sent: choose 1 to 5 stars for each shoot. Unrated shots stay on the card. Available for Canon and Nikon cameras. EVERY SHOOT, ACCOUNTED FOR • History lists each shoot as a receipt: when, how many photos, where they went, and thumbnails you can tap for a sharp, zoomable preview. • Not sent yet shows exactly which shots have no copy outside the app. • Shoots sync to every device and the web dashboard. • CloudTether relays each shot to your services; it isn't long-term storage. Originals are kept for 14 days after delivery, and History keeps previews. DELIVER ANYWHERE Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Photos, OneDrive, Box, ShootProof, SmugMug, Photohawk, Flickr, Adobe Lightroom, Frame.io, Slack, Amazon S3, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP and more. Never locked to a proprietary cloud. YOUR OWN SERVER Send shots straight to your FTP or SFTP server, into a new subfolder for each shoot or the exact folder you choose. Once a shot reaches CloudTether, our servers send it on, so your phone doesn't have to stay online for that. MULTIPLE CAMERAS AT ONCE Tether several cameras over USB, Wi-Fi or a mix — each sending to its own destinations. Home shows a live shoot panel, and every camera gets its own Live Activity on the Lock Screen showing where its shots are going and how many are captured, sending and delivered. CONNECT ALMOST ANY CAMERA Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, GoPro and many more, over USB or Wi-Fi. Pick your brand, choose your model, and follow the guided setup. BUILT FOR REAL SHOOTS • Full-resolution RAW + JPEG, exactly as the camera recorded them. • Works over Wi-Fi or mobile data; missed uploads catch up automatically when you're back online. • Keep copies of on-phone shots in your Photos library or a folder (including a USB drive or SD reader) as they arrive. • Geotag each photo with your phone's location, matched to the moment you pressed the shutter. KNOW WHERE EVERY PHOTO IS Every shot shows whether it's sending or delivered, and to which service. Anything that needs attention is grouped with a one-tap fix. Open the delivered folder in Dropbox, Drive, OneDrive or Box, or browse your FTP/SFTP folder in the app. ONE SIMPLE PLAN CloudTether is a single subscription — everything included — and starts with a free trial. — CloudTether is an auto-renewing subscription. • Free trial: 7 days, then $7.99/month (prices may vary by region and are shown in the app before you subscribe). • Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. • The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Service: https://cloudtether.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://cloudtether.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

AlphaFTP

This app allows photographers to wirelessly transfer photos directly from compatible Sony Alpha cameras to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. It supports saving images to folders, importing them into the Photos library, and viewing them full-screen with EXIF data as they are received.

Highlights
  • Direct Sony Alpha camera-to-iOS FTP transfers
  • Save photos to a folder
  • Import uploads into Photos library
  • Live connection and upload activity
  • View photos full-screen with EXIF data
  • Built-in Sony camera setup guide
Features
Read full description

AlphaFTP is a simple FTP server for photographers who want Sony Alpha cameras to transfer photos directly to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Start the app, enter the username and password you want your camera to use, choose where uploads should go, and AlphaFTP listens on your local network. The app shows the Ethernet and Wi-Fi addresses your camera can connect to, along with the FTP port. AlphaFTP can save received photos to a folder, import them into your Photos library, and display photos full-screen as you take them! AlphaFTP is ideal for: - Casual shooters who want to quickly transfer photos to their iOS, iPadOS, or MacOS device wirelessly - Event photographers who want their photos backed up - as they take them - Portrait photographers who want clients to be able to review the photos as they are taken without being tethered to a cable. Features: - Direct Sony Alpha camera-to-iOS FTP transfers - Works with the device locked showing Live Activities with incoming photos - Save photos to a folder - Import uploads into the iOS Photos library - Recent photo thumbnails on the main screen - Live connection and upload activity - View photos full-screen with EXIF data as they are received - RAW, JPEG, and HEIF session counts - Built-in Sony camera setup guide - Optional sounds for camera connection and photo receipt - Start the FTP server via Shortcuts - No accounts, analytics, tracking, or external servers AlphaFTP uses standard FTP and is intended for trusted local networks. Camera transfers happen directly between your camera and your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Supported cameras: - Sony α1 II (ILCE-1M2) - Sony α1 (ILCE-1) - Sony α9 III (ILCE-9M3) - Sony α9 II (ILCE-9M2) - Sony α9 (ILCE-9) - Requires camera firmware version 5.00 or later. - Sony α7R VI (ILCE-7RM6) - Sony α7R V (ILCE-7RM5) - Sony α7R IV A (ILCE-7RM4A) - Sony α7R IV (ILCE-7RM4) - Sony α7R III A (ILCE-7RM3A) - Sony α7R III (ILCE-7RM3) - Sony α7S III (ILCE-7SM3) - Sony α7 V (ILCE-7M5) - Sony α7 IV (ILCE-7M4) - Sony α7 III (ILCE-7M3) - Sony α7CR (ILCE-7CR) - Sony α7C II (ILCE-7CM2) - Sony α7C (ILCE-7C)

Screenshots

CloudTether4 screens
AlphaFTP4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: CloudTether at Free against AlphaFTP's $9.99. CloudTether also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). AlphaFTP's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On review sentiment, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

CloudTether is free to download; AlphaFTP costs $9.99 up front. CloudTether sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. AlphaFTP asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AlphaFTP holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 0% and 0% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CloudTether ships an update every 4 days, AlphaFTP every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
CloudTether versus AlphaFTP: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCloudTetherAlphaFTP
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionPaid — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB8 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperCLOUDCONCUR LTDKristopher Linquist

Customer experience

CloudTether

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

AlphaFTP

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CloudTether

Subscriptions1
  • CloudTether7 Days trial$7.991 Month
None

AlphaFTP

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CloudTether free?
CloudTether is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AlphaFTP free?
AlphaFTP costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CloudTether or AlphaFTP?
AlphaFTP is rated higher. CloudTether averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while AlphaFTP averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do CloudTether or AlphaFTP have ads?
Neither CloudTether nor AlphaFTP shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CloudTether or AlphaFTP?
CloudTether ships an update every 4 days, and AlphaFTP every 3 days. Most recently, CloudTether was updated on October 31, 2026 and AlphaFTP on October 31, 2026.

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