Comparison

Abode vs Screens 5

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

Head to head
About

Abode

Control your home security system remotely. Arm and disarm your system, view live and recorded video, and receive instant alerts. Automate your home with custom actions and notifications, all from your mobile device.

Highlights
  • Arm & disarm system
  • View live & recorded video
  • Receive security alerts
  • Home automation
  • Customizable notifications
  • System setup & expansion
  • Timeline event filtering
Features
Read full description

The Abode App gives you complete peace of mind when it comes to your security by allowing you to arm & disarm, view live and recorded video, get a timeline history of your system, and receive immediate security alerts all right from your iPhone or iPad. It’s your security at your fingertips. EASY SETUP abode’s starter kits are incredibly easy to set up using our app. Simply open your kit and app and follow the guided instructions to be up & running in under 30 minutes. DASHBOARD Your system at a glance. The dashboard allows you to arm & disarm, pull up live video, view your most recent timeline events, and run quick actions all without leaving this screen. CUE HOME AUTOMATION Create powerful automations with your connected devices. From turning on lights and raising thermostats for your morning routine to arming your system and locking your doors for bedtime, you can do it all right from the app. EXPAND YOUR SYSTEM Much like the setup process, adding new devices to your system couldn’t be easier via the app. Just follow the guided instructions and build out the system of your dreams in minutes. CUSTOMIZABLE NOTIFICATIONS Determine what you’d like to receive notifications for. From doors opening & closing to water leaks detected, how much (or little) you are alerted to is totally up to you. SET UP CUSTOM WIDGETS & SHORTCUTS Add system arming & disarming, quick actions, and camera images to your homescreen or control center so you can quickly take care of your most important actions without ever having to open the abode app. FILTER YOUR TIMELINE EVENTS View only the events you want with the ability to filter by device type, device grouping, and date. Want to see only what happened at your front door? How about last weekend? With these filters, you can. PUT YOUR SYSTEM ON AUTOPILOT Use your phone’s location to automatically arm and disarm your system as you come and go. Set up the locations important to you and let abode do the rest. IN-APP PANIC ALARMS Manually trigger your alarm audibly or silently to immediately alert our professional monitoring center and other users on your system in emergencies.

About

Screens 5

Access and control your Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi computers remotely from any device. Enjoy fast, secure connections with features like privacy masking, multi-display support, and file transfer.

Highlights
  • Remote computer access
  • Secure connections
  • Multi-display support
  • Clipboard sharing
  • File transfer
  • Privacy masking (Curtain Mode)
Features
Read full description

Access your computers from anywhere. Screens lets you remotely access your Mac, Windows PC, Linux PC, or Raspberry Pi from your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Vision Pro. Whether you’re connecting to a remote workstation, a headless Mac mini, or helping friends and family, Screens delivers fast, secure, and reliable remote desktop access wherever you are. REMOTE ACCESS FROM ANYWHERE Remote access is built right into Screens on Mac. For older Macs and Windows PCs, install Screens Connect to easily set up remote access over the internet. Need to connect to Linux or Raspberry Pi? Screens also integrates with Tailscale for secure, hassle-free connections. FAST, SECURE REMOTE DESKTOP ACCESS Screens is optimized for responsive remote control with support for: • Curtain Mode for private remote sessions on Mac • SSH connections and SSH keys • Secure password storage and quick logins • Observe or control remote computers • Adaptive and Full display quality BUILT FOR MODERN REMOTE WORKFLOWS Use Screens to: • Access remote Macs, PCs, Linux systems, and Raspberry Pi devices • Connect to headless Mac mini setups and remote workstations • Monitor long-running tasks from anywhere • Help friends, family, or coworkers remotely • Access your computers while traveling or away from home DO MORE WITH SCREENS Take advantage of powerful system features across iPhone and iPad: • Connect using Siri, Shortcuts, and Spotlight • Quickly connect to saved computers from widgets • Use external keyboards, mice, and trackpads • Use Apple Pencil on iPad • Display your remote computer on an external display with AirPlay POWERFUL FEATURES • Multi-display support • Clipboard sharing • File transfer between iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro and Mac • Customizable connection settings for individual computers • Dictation support for remote text input • Session selection on Mac • iCloud synchronization • Full URL Schemes support • Touch ID, Face ID, Apple Watch, and password protection COMPATIBILITY • Connect from iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro • Connect to Mac, Windows PC, Linux PC, and Raspberry Pi • Screens Connect is built into Screens for Mac on macOS 14.6 or later • Standalone Screens Connect is available for Macs running macOS 10.13 or later and PCs running Windows 10 or later • Clipboard sharing on Windows and Linux supports text only • Sound transmission is not supported due to VNC protocol limitations • Screens does not support connections to iPhone, iPad, or Vision Pro devices Screens gives you secure, reliable access to your computers anytime, anywhere. Privacy Policy: https://screens.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://screens.app/terms

Screenshots

Abode4 screens
Screens 54 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Screens 5 at 49% against Abode's 23%. Screens 5 also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.2) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). Abode's advantage is ratings volume (4.8K vs 541). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Abode sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Screens 5 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Screens 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Abode has 4.8K ratings behind it against 541, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of Abode's written reviews are positive against 49% of Screens 5's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Abode ships an update every 6 weeks, Screens 5 fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 27, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Abode versus Screens 5: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAbodeScreens 5
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (4.8K ratings)4.5 (541 ratings) — better
Positive reviews23.4% of reviews49.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4.8K — better541
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro
Requires iOS17.617.6
Further details — not scored
Size258 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAbode Systems, Inc.Edovia Inc.

Customer experience

Abode

All ratings4,811 ratings
Positive78.8%
Neutral4.4%
Negative16.8%
Written reviews290 reviews
Positive23.4%
Neutral11.4%
Negative65.2%

Screens 5

All ratings541 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral1.5%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews300 reviews
Positive49.0%
Neutral8.3%
Negative42.7%

User reviews

Abode

From 4.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent security system
  • 👍 Easy to install and set up
  • 🔒 Reliable monitoring and notifications
  • 💡 Flexible automation and integration options
  • 🚀 Smooth and user-friendly app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable camera connectivity and performance
  • 🔋 Inconsistent geofencing and location services
  • 💸 Paywall for basic features and notifications
  • 🐛 Buggy app with frequent crashes and issues
  • 👎 Poor customer support and responsiveness

Screens 5

From 541 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent remote access
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🔒 Secure SSH-based remote control
  • 👍 Native to Apple ecosystem
  • 🚀 High-quality remote desktop rendering

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unreliable connection and frequent disconnections
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🔒 Requires complex networking setup (port forwarding, Tailscale)
  • 🐛 Issues with full-screen mode and window management
  • 🐛 Telemetry and analytics cannot be disabled

Bugs and requests

Abode

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Inconsistent device connectivity and offline issues
  • Inaccurate sensor and alarm notifications
  • Incompatibility with certain Wi-Fi network configurations

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved HomeKit integration
  • More customization options for sensors and automations
  • Better battery life indicators and management
  • Ability to rename devices within the app

Screens 5

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to delete auto-saved nearby devices
  • Inconsistent behavior when editing device configurations
  • Screens Connect failing to work reliably

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to block remote input while keeping remote desktop visible
  • File transfer between Mac and iOS/iPadOS
  • Upgrade pricing for existing users

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Abode

Subscriptions8
  • Single Camera1 Month trial$3.991 Month
  • Standard Plan1 Month trial$8.491 Month
  • 24/7 Recording14 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Pro Plan1 Month trial$26.991 Month
  • Single Camera1 Month trial$34.991 Year
  • Standard Plan1 Month trial$79.991 Year
  • 24/7 Recording14 Days trial$109.991 Year
  • Pro Plan1 Month trial$249.991 Year
5 purchases

Screens 5

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.491 Year
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime Family UpgradeFree
  • Lifetime2 variants$179.99

Questions

Is Abode free?
Abode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Screens 5 free?
Screens 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Abode or Screens 5?
Screens 5 is rated higher. Abode averages 4.2 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while Screens 5 averages 4.5 from 541 ratings.
Do Abode or Screens 5 have ads?
Neither Abode nor Screens 5 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Abode or Screens 5?
Abode ships an update every 6 weeks, and Screens 5 fortnightly. Most recently, Abode was updated on September 27, 2026 and Screens 5 on September 27, 2026.

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