Comparison

Dataplicity vs piDisplay

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

Head to head
About

Dataplicity

Access your Raspberry Pi shell remotely from any network without complex configurations like dynamic DNS or port forwarding. This secure solution uses a client-initiated connection, eliminating the need for SSH or open ports on your device.

Highlights
  • Remote shell access
  • No dynamic DNS needed
  • No port forwarding required
  • Works behind NAT/firewalls
  • Secure websockets connection
  • No SSH required
  • Agent runs without root
Features
Read full description

Dataplicity helps teams support connected Linux devices after they ship, wherever the work happens. Use the Dataplicity iOS app to find the right device, check live status, and take the next support action without going back to a laptop. With Dataplicity you can: - Search enrolled devices by name or ID - See current device status at a glance - Review service endpoint, heartbeat, user impact, and device monitor signals - Acknowledge or escalate open incidents - Confirm fixes when work is complete - Open terminal access for a selected device when shell access is the fastest path - Reach docs, help, and account settings from the app Dataplicity is built for real support work: customer sites, production floors, field visits, and incident response. Start with the easy checks, understand what is happening, and keep the work moving from your iPhone or iPad. Dataplicity access requires an active Dataplicity account and enrolled devices.

About

piDisplay

Features
Read full description

Control your official Raspberry Pi Foundation 7" touchscreen display backlight and brightness from any iOS device. Toggle power and activity LEDs if you want. Shell command utility to run commands on your pi from iOS. Optional SwiftServer (Swift on Linux) for blazing fast response - you can still use SSH if you want though. The server-side software (on the raspberry pi) has only been tested on Raspbian Stretch and pi 3B+ The installer for the pi server software will install Swift on your pi then build and install the server for you but you can modify and/or run it manually. The Apple Watch app will still work when the iPhone app is not in the foreground but only ssh communication works in background mode.

Screenshots

Dataplicity4 screens
piDisplay2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: piDisplay at 12.1 against Dataplicity's 15.1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Dataplicity versus piDisplay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDataplicitypiDisplay
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (163 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews78.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings163 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.112.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMachineForest LtdIan Jones

Bugs and requests

Dataplicity

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • App crashes before any action can be taken
  • App crashes when trying to add a system/device
  • In-call status bar pushes terminal down, hiding part of the special function keyboard
  • Third-party keyboards of different heights block the bottom half of the special function keyboard
  • App does not auto-scroll or allow manual scrolling on screen
Show 3 more
  • Cannot connect to Pi from auto-connect or command line
  • Custom actions are not always working
  • Unreachable devices remain unreachable, no way to delete them

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add a widget for one-click access to custom actions
  • Add proper keyboard support with control, tab, escape keys
  • Allow font size adjustment
  • Improve terminal colors
  • Allow landscape mode for the terminal
Show 2 more
  • Add a dark mode option
  • Improve bandwidth offerings on paid subscriptions

piDisplay

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Dataplicity

No in-app purchases

None

piDisplay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Dataplicity free?
Dataplicity is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is piDisplay free?
piDisplay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Dataplicity or piDisplay have ads?
Neither Dataplicity nor piDisplay shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dataplicity or piDisplay?
Dataplicity ships an update every 3 months, and piDisplay every 3 months. Most recently, Dataplicity was updated on October 3, 2026 and piDisplay on September 28, 2026.

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