Screens 5 Reviews

I really wanted to try this out to connect to a Raspberry Pi. I’m happy with really short time window for evaluation, and initially pleased that it seemed to offer ability to test it. However, it’s an illusion, as you cannot test it for free without paying for first year subscription for it. Presumably you can cancel within 14 days. I have no reason to believe that Edovia is not totally ethical and great business, but too many times in the past I’ve found it is real hassle to get auto billings stopped under such circumstances. Screens might be a great product, but at $80/year it would have to be a stunningly good program for what it does. Unfortunately, the developer won’t let you discern that for free.

It’s really unfortunate to pay a decent amount for an application (Screens 4) just to have it lose support because they figured they can make more money by creating a whole new app (Screens 5) with a subscription and wildly expensive lifetime in-app purchase when it could have simply been an update to Screens 4…or at least allowed users who previously purchased to get a better deal than a discounted subscription…like a discount on the lifetime plan and some level of assurance that when Screens 6 comes out Screens 5 won’t be left behind like Screens 4. I’ll be looking for alternatives if Screens 4 stops getting updates (especially security updates).

I own Screens for multiple platforms and this move just makes me unhappy…and it appears that other’s feel the same way given some of the reviews.

I downloaded Screens and it's Connect app, including subscribing for a whole year. Turns out that with the routers that I use I couldn't get UPnP manual configuration to work. So, I couldn't add my computers to control them remotely. I wanted this to work so I could work remotely and login via VNC, while also having the opportunity to remotely access my parents' computer. It just didn't work and following the instructions from the support pages, I couldn't get it to work no matter what I tried. I feel bad for giving such a low rating, but I can do all of what Screens5 allowed me to do for free with Apple's built in VNC Screen Share feature.

Ok, my previous review of Screens5 was less than stellar, I hadn’t taken the time to properly educate myself about its inner workings, and had made assumptions, based on former experience with different apps. I had failed to appreciate unique features of Screens like Secure SSH based remote control. It is also the only app that feels native to the Apple ecosystem - beautiful and modern interface, high quality rendering of your remote desktops, and very convenient shortcuts strategically placed on their carrousel. I have grown to love Screens5 , after struggling initially with the remote access configuration. It seems like using Tailscale is almost an inevitability, which, while less than ideal certainly makes sense. ScreensConnect will not work if you have a Double NAT scenario, which is becoming more and more common with the rise of wireless home internet use. The one feature that Screens5 is missing that I would really love is the ability to block remote input, while still leaving the remote desktop visible to the person being assisted. With the rumoured forecoming file transfer from MacOS to iOS, I think this would become the only premium choice for Apple aficionados. Recommended.

Initially, I had some reservations about this application due to its lack of sound from the host computer, prompting me to deduct a star. However, upon reaching out, I received a prompt response directing me to the fine print on the product page where this limitation was disclosed. It's worth noting that this information wasn't readily apparent in the support pages or easily discoverable through the search function.

Putting the sound issue aside, Screens5 excels in its primary function of connecting to another computer. Among the limited options available for native VisionOS apps, this one stands out as the most reliable in my experience. Although the initial setup posed some challenges, particularly in configuring my router to facilitate the connection, taking the time to carefully follow the instructions resolved any issues.

Since then, I've found great utility in using Screens5 to connect to multiple computers seamlessly. Despite the initial hurdles, the smooth operation and versatility of this application have made it a valuable addition to my toolkit.

I’m a 30 year software dev/startup founder, and I’ve been experimenting quite a bit with using an old MacBook Pro (Retina) running Ubuntu as my “remote” desktop while using Vision Pro. I have a 16” MacBook Pro with M1 that I use most of the time with Mac Virtual Display but don’t want to have to take it with me to the coffee shop (its particular network configuration doesn’t allow port forwarding easily - two routers). Enter Screens! I have port forwarding enabled on my Spectrum router for SSH, and use that to connect to VNC locally. The computer also serves as my Homebridge server, print server, and 3D printer server (Klipper). The team at Endovia was super responsive and fixed my only issue with the setup (the arrow keys doing the wrong thing). Super happy with my lifetime purchase of this software. Highly recommend.

I purchased the Lifetime Plan when Edovia made their iPad version of Screens 5 available for Apple Vision Pro in anticipation of the promised visionOS native version. I just upgraded to the native visionOS version and it was well worth the wait! All of my settings were preserved from the iPad version. The native visionOS experience is wonderful. The window aspect ration maps perfectly to the screen size of the remote computer you are controlling. And opening up dual displays is sweet. It creates a huge double wide window in your environment which makes it super easy to work with multiple remote display without needing to scroll.

I’ve been using Screens on the iPhone since its first version and it has always served me well. I’m so happy to have this essential tool native on Apple Vision Pro!

I’ve used Screens for many years and it is greet software. I don’t support subscriptions but I will pay a one-time price for software I need and that is of high quality. I must, however, question the ethics of not being able to test a new version without, upon first launch, committing to either a subscription or a one-time payment. Sure you get a “free trial” with the subscription but then the user is responsible for canceling. This is unethical and I don’t think Apple should allow developers to do this. Subscriptions are easily and frequently abused.

Updated review: I contacted customer support and they responded within a few minutes! They got me running very quickly and it all works as expected. Great to see some top-notch developers here!

Original 3 star review:
Very glad to see Screens5. It looks great. However, I spent two hours and never got it to work on my system. Perhaps a future update will make it easier to install, but my free trial will be over by then so I doubt if I will ever end up using it. I’m not going to pay for it unless I know it will work with my system.

Edovia has made a truly amazing remote connection app with Screens. I’ve been using it for years, and Screens 5 is no exception. I’ve tried a myriad of different remote connection services over the years, and I’m so happy I gave this one a shot. It quickly replaced all my other ones. Performance is great, security is solid, connection speed is awesome. And any time I’ve needed help with something, their support team has responded almost immediately to solve my problem. If you’re on the fence at all, please give them a shot!

I've used all the VNC software on macOS/iOS and Linux. Screens is the one to use on Mac, Remmina on Linux. Both are simple and perform very well. And if you're the self-proclaimed hacker type, it Screens plays nice with whatever wild setup you have invented in your homelab. :)

As with any software, bugs and edge cases are inevitable. I found one and the Edovia team was very responsive. We did all sorts of low level testing. Within a few hours, we found a resolution. I like knowing that if I have a problem, it won't go ignored.

I disvovered Screens with version 4 and the lasted version remains my go to for headless/remote machines from my Mac. It saves the inevitable headache when cli does not quite cut it.

I have used Teamviewer on windows and mac, and Connectwise on windows, but this product follows the old "it just works" mantra. I recently hit an unexpected blank screen the support team quickly provided answers and followed up to allievate my concern about the workaround.

Buy the lifetime license and support ad-free software development!

I was using another VNC client on all home computers, Mac, Windows, and Linux, but recently needed to switch, due to new subscription plans, and the free plan lossing support for many of the features I used on the daily.

I knew this day was coming for about 6 Months, but didnt take heed untill the day came. Scrambling to find a new solution, I found Screens 5 via X. I saw it had a Vision Pro app, and started checking it out. Did a few test runs, then bought the lifetime subscription.

Great Apple ecosystem first app!

I've been a user of Screens for years. When BackToMyPC went from buy once to a subscription I looked for an alternative and Screens was the best available. This is the second new version since then and it is a tremendous upgrade. It lets me access my Mac when I am away from home and I love it. (And having to buy an upgrade again after 5 years? That's how apps like this stay in business!)