Pushbullet vs Join | What to Choose?.
You sit at your computer and put your Android phone somewhere on the bed! Suddenly a notification appears and you want to check it out. But didn’t you think it would be easier if you could open this notification on your computer screen? Well, if yes, then it makes sense to use a notification mirroring service.
Pushbullet and Join are two popular apps that display Android notifications on the computer screen. In fact, you can even use them to control your Android device using a web browser. But choosing between them is rather difficult.
So here we have a detailed comparison of Pushbullet and Join. We’ll cover various aspects such as pricing, usability, additional features, etc. In the end, you will find out which is better for you – Pushbullet or Join. So let’s get started.
about Pushbullet and Join
Pushbullet is a multi-platform service that connects all your devices. The main function of Pushbullet is to push and send things. Almost everything, from simple links to complete files, can be sent to your devices and vice versa.
Download Pushbullet from here
Join, on the other hand, is marketed as a Pushbullet alternative. Like Pushbullet, you need to have Join apps on your devices and the corresponding extensions on your browser. But unlike Pushbullet, with attachment you get other features, such as asking for screenshots, locating the device, or turning it on at full volume.
Download Join from here
Pushbullet vs Join –
first pricing structure
Pushbullet has a freemium model. In the free version, you get basic features like sending links and mirroring notifications. But if you want features like universal copy and paste, support for mirroring actions with notification, more storage space, etc.; then you will need to pay $ 4.99 per month (or $ 3.33 if billed annually). It’s worth noting, however, that all of these professional features were available for free before they introduced the new pricing model.
On the other hand, Join doesn’t have a free version. You can try the app for 30 days (ad-supported) and then make a one-time payment of $ 4.99. No monthly subscription.
So, in terms of price, joining is the best option. After paying $ 4.99, you won’t have any restrictions or monthly fees. While Pushbullet has a free version, it’s also pretty limited.
# 2 UI
Pushbullet has retained an intuitive design in case of extensions and a unified web interface. It’s also easy to set up a Pushbullet account across all devices with a Google account.
However, Join’s user interface looks disgusting. It doesn’t have a full-fledged graphical user interface – it’s just a few buttons in order. So, if you are a beginner, it might take you a while to get your head around the Join UI, but for an experienced user, the interface works like a charm.
# 3 Copy notifications and SMS access
Mirroring notifications right into Pushbullet. Once you’ve shared Android notifications, all notifications will appear on your other devices as well. Let it be phone calls, WhatsApp messages or SMS notifications; each bit will appear on other screens. However, one of the limitations of Pushbullet is that iPhone notifications can only be displayed on Mac devices.
SMS access is also good in Pushbullet. You get a complete list of SMS messages to all connected devices, and you can also send messages. Although in the free version, you can only send 100 messages per month. This is a serious limit because Pushbullet also counts WhatsApp and Kik messages. So, if you are someone who spends more time on WhatsApp or Kik, Pushbullet Free is not enough for you.
Join also mirror all notifications to your other devices. It’s the same with WhatsApp messages, Facebook messages, or your reminder. On connected devices, everything will be displayed as it happens. The best part about Join is that you can respond to notifications. It is also available in a free trial.
Join also pulls out a complete list of your SMS messages. From any device, you can send a message and it will be sent through your Android phone. Moreover, the number of messages sent is not limited.
In general, if you send more than 100 messages per month, select Join as it is cheaper.
# 4 Hardware Support
When you have many devices, compatibility is a factor of choice. Pushbullet offers official and unofficial support for various platforms, including–
- Official Android, iOS and Microsoft Windows apps
- Browser Extensions for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox … , and Opera
- And a single web interface
- In addition, Pushbullet also supports several community-built applications. Here you will find applications for BlackBerry, Mac, Ubuntu and Windows Phone.
When we consider joining, it is available for a limited platform that includes –
- official Android and Windows 10 apps
- browser extension for Google Chrome and FireFox ( not fully supported)
- Web Interface
However, it’s worth noting that the Join web interface is really useful. You can login from any device and control any device. Surprisingly, you can even control the device you’re signed in from. For example, I tried to call my phone from him – and it worked.
In short, if you have multiple non-Android devices like an iPhone or Windows phone, then Pushbullet makes more sense.
# 5 What can you send?
Using Pushbullet, you can push different content to your devices, for example –
- the data you saved to the clipboard
- Links to the browser
- Files (maximum file size 25 MB for the free version or 1 GB for the Pro plan)
When it comes to sending messages, Join has taken a little step forward. You can send –
- clipboard data
- browser links
- files (although to send files from your Android device use own sharing option, no direct in-app option)
- Tasker Commands
# 6 other features
As we said, Pushbullet and Join offer some additional functionality besides notification mirroring. While this is not important to everyone, it may matter to some.
Pushbullet
Chat with Friends – If your friends are using Pushbullet, you can chat with them from any device. Messages sync across all devices including web browsers, PCs, etc. Plus, on Windows PCs, we have some cool chat heads.
Remote access to files. To use this feature, you need to grant certain permissions on your device. Once enabled, you can access your files remotely. For example, you can download a file from your desktop or vice versa.
Follow channels and read content – Pushbullet offers a variety of channels that might interest you. These channels are regularly updated to bring you the latest news from the Internet. You can read the content of these feeds with one click.
Join
Find your phone: With one click, you can make your phone ring at full volume.
Send Tasker commands: If you’ve installed Tasker on your Android device, Join allows you to manage Tasker actions. You can send Tasker commands to perform specific tasks.
Location: You can find out the exact location of your phone.
Request a screenshot / screen recording of your device. It will be downloaded, downloaded and opened on another device.
| Pushbullet | Join | |
| Availability | Android, iOS, Windows, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Web | Android, Windows 10, Chrome & Web |
| Price | Fremium
comparison table( $ 4.99 / month) |
$ 4.99 one time (with 30-day free trial) |
| Maximum file size to send | 25 MB free; 1 GB Pro | Unlimited |
| Notifications Supported | All notifications | All notifications |
| Actions with notifications | Pro version only | Yes |
| Storage | 2 GB free; 100 GB Pro | Google Drive Storage |
final verdict
While Pushbullet and Join do the same, there is still a big difference between them.
If you want a simple notification mirroring service, Pushbullet is the way to go. It has dedicated apps for multiple platforms and is great for the average user. But they don’t offer all-round control over your device. Likewise, the Pushbullet plan isn’t as impressive as you have to pay $ 4.99 per month.
Join the same, on the other hand, for power users. The user interface can be daunting, but it offers a number of advanced features such as device location and screen capture. You can get all these parameters from its web interface. So, if joining works for you, it makes sense to pay $ 4.99 one time and use join forever.