LANChat Pro vs Cove
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
LANChat Pro
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LANChat Pro gives nearby iPhone and Mac devices a direct shared space for messages and files on the same reachable local network. FIND DEVICES AROUND YOU LANChat Pro discovers compatible devices with Bonjour. Choose a nearby Mac, scan its QR code with the camera, or select a QR image from Photos, then accept the secure connection request. CHAT AND SHARE Use one conversation for text, images, animated stickers, replies, and files. Save useful images to Photos, keep important people in Contacts, and add private remarks that stay on your device. BUILT FOR YOUR LOCAL NETWORK β’ Start with a device name instead of an account β’ Protect peer conversations with encryption in transit β’ Keep chat history and received files on the iPhone β’ Discover and connect only across a reachable local network β’ Personalize your device name, avatar, appearance, and themes LANChat Pro is useful at home, in studios, classrooms, labs, small teams, and temporary spaces. It does not relay conversations through a hosted chat service. Devices must share a reachable local network; guest Wi-Fi, client isolation, or firewall rules can prevent discovery and connection.
Cove
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Cove is a private, local-first home for the documents that matter β passports, ID cards, driver's licenses, bank cards and statements. WHAT'S NEW IN 1.1 Recognition rebuilt for busy cards: card numbers and expiry read reliably, unsure fields are flagged "Verify" and fixes "Repaired". Every record now carries an expiry field β set or clear it in one tap. Tags, people, folders and reminders are one tap away, and permanent deletes ask for confirmation first. SNAP AND DONE Photograph both sides. On-device recognition fills in the number, dates and names β and every field stays editable. Recognition is only a suggestion; you always have the final word. BUILT FOR PRIVACY Everything stays on your device. Recognition runs on-device with Apple's Vision framework. No servers, no analytics, no ads, no tracking β we couldn't read your records even if we wanted to. NEVER MISS A RENEWAL Expiry tracking with optional reminders, grouped by urgency: expired, urgent, and upcoming β right on your home screen. ORGANIZED LIKE A VAULT Physical folders for Identity and Banking, every document shown as it was captured. Tap any image to view it full screen; swipe through all sides. YOUR DATA, YOUR RULES Edit any label or value. Add, copy, or delete any field. Deleted records are recoverable for 30 days, then permanently removed. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy are available in the app (Settings β About).
Screenshots
Verdict
LANChat Pro and Cove are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters β price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them β neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
LANChat Pro ships an update fortnightly, Cove every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LANChat Pro | Cove |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 11 days β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, Mac β better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 17.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ιͺ εΌ | εΎ·ζ ζ |
In-app purchases
LANChat Pro
No in-app purchases
Cove
No in-app purchases









