Comparison

Yam Display Free vs spacedesk

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

Head to head
About

Yam Display Free

Transform your iPad or iPhone into a secondary display for your Mac using a USB connection. Enjoy lag-free browsing and video playback, utilize touch gestures like pinch-to-zoom, and enhance multitasking with Split View. This free version offers a 7-minute session limit.

Highlights
  • iPad/iPhone as second Mac display
  • USB wired connection
  • Minimal lag for video and browsing
  • Touch screen and pinch-to-zoom
  • iOS Split View support
  • Retina display option
  • Touch Bar simulation
Features
Read full description

# iPad/iPhone as a dual monitor for Mac via USB! # # Free version of Yam Display (7 minutes/session limit) # Yam Display turns your iPad/iPhone into a second display for your Mac. Wired by USB, browse documents or watch videos without delay. Touch your Mac and pinch to zoom with beautiful retina display. For multitasking enabled devices, you can utilize every single pixel of your screen in Split View. Yam Display is fast, secure, simple and will help you improve your productivity. Key Features: - Minimal lag for browsing or video playback - Energy efficient for static screens - Retina display (optional) - iOS9 Split View - 60 Frames per second - Touch screen / Pinch to zoom / Scroll / Drag - Touch Bar simulation (for any Mac with macOS Sierra 10.12.2 or later) - Secure connection via USB System Requirements: - iOS devices with iOS 7.1 or later - Macs with OS X 10.9 or later (with USB port) Download app for Mac from: yamdisplay.com (free) For any questions or suggestions: help@yamdisplay.com

About

spacedesk

Extend your Windows PC's desktop to another device wirelessly or via USB. Use your tablet or phone as a drawing tablet or a portable second monitor for travel and productivity.

Highlights
  • Windows desktop extension
  • Screen mirroring
  • Remote desktop viewer
  • Drawing tablet functionality
  • Wireless display monitor
  • USB display monitor
  • Remote control
Features
Read full description

Windows computer desktop extension, mirroring and remoting tool for WiFi, USB or LAN. Supports applications like: - Screen Cast (to television, tablet or smart phone) - Desktop Remoting Viewer (over USB and Local Area Network) - Drawing Tablet (drawing and painting with digitizer pen) - Wireless Display Monitor (similar to Miracast, RDP, AirPlay and Sidecar) - USB Display Monitor (similar to DisplayLink) - Remote Access (over USB link, WiFi and LAN) - Remote Control (wireless and wired) - Screen Streaming (including audio) - Screen Mirroring (over the air and via cable) - Screen Cloning - Extension Screen - Windows Desktop Workspace Extension - Windows Desktop Duplication (clone) - Windows Desktop Streaming - Personal Computer Desktop Presenter - Virtual Monitor for Desktop PC - Second Display On The Go - TV, mobile or tablet screen as Side by Side Display - Alternative to Miracast, AirPlay and Sidecar - Portable Multimonitor Screen for Travel - Access main computer from mobile device - Software KVM-Switch (Keyboard Video Mouse) - Software Display Hub - Software Display Switch - Projector Screen Viewer - Input Console - Input Terminal - Tablet Input Device - Windows Graphics Tablet App - Windows Tablet as sketchbook for drawing artwork - Creative Video Wall App - Video Wall w. Any Angle Rotation Instruction manual, documentation and detailed setup: https://manual.spacedesk.net Quick Guide: 1. Install spacedesk DRIVER software for Windows Primary PC. Download from: https://www.spacedesk.net 2. Install this spacedesk Viewer app for iOS. 3. Open this spacedesk Viewer app and connect to Windows Primary PC. Connection: USB or LAN (Local Area Network). LAN: Driver and Viewer must be on the same network - via Mobile Hotspot Note: Does NOT need internet connection! The Windows Primary Machine running spacedesk Driver... ...supports Windows 11, Windows 10 or Windows 8.1. Apple Macs are not supported. Dual monitor and multi monitor configurations are supported. Needs spacedesk drivers installed. Download: https://www.spacedesk.net The Secondary Machine or Device (iOS network display client)... ...is an iPad, iPhone or device running the spacedesk iOS app. The wireless and wired cable connection... ...connects Windows Primary Machine to Secondary Machine or Device over USB, LAN (Local Area Network e.g. Ethernet) and/or WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network). Local Area Network connection can be wired or over WiFi. TCP/IP network protocol is required. More information on: https://www.spacedesk.net Instruction Manual: https://manual.spacedesk.net/ Support Forum: https://forum.spacedesk.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/spacedesk/330909083726073 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkWZSwBD-XY — LIGHTNING FAST — To achieve unparalleled performance and display quality with zero lag, use cable connection over USB or Local Area Network. Try to circumvent WiFi and network routers. E.g. configure Windows PC or iOS device as WiFi Access Point (Hotspot) and connect directly before connecting spacedesk. Please check chapter "Performance Tuning" in the instruction manual: https://manual.spacedesk.net — REMOTE CONTROL INPUT AND OUTPUT PERIPHERAL ACCESSORIES — - Touchscreen (multitouch and single touch - Touchpad - Mouse Pointer Control - Keyboard - Pressure Sensitive Stylus Pen - Audio Speaker — SETTINGS AND OPTIONS — - Landscape View - Portrait View — SYSTEM SUPPORT — Supported are iOS versions 11.x+ (including MacOS on Apple Silicon Chips) and PCs with Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows 8.1. Apple Macs are not supported.

Screenshots

Yam Display Free4 screens
spacedesk4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Yam Display Free at none against spacedesk's 10. Yam Display Free also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 71%) and iOS requirement (7.1 vs 15.0). spacedesk's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. spacedesk sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Yam Display Free asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

spacedesk holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 904 and 2.3K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of Yam Display Free's written reviews are positive against 71% of spacedesk's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Yam Display Free versus spacedesk: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterYam Display Freespacedesk
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (904 ratings)4.7 (2.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.3% of reviews — better71.2% of reviews
Number of ratings9042.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS7.1 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYamstu Inc.datronicsoft Technology GmbH

Customer experience

Yam Display Free

All ratings898 ratings
Positive86.1%
Neutral4.7%
Negative9.2%
Written reviews974 reviews
Positive90.3%
Neutral4.1%
Negative5.5%

spacedesk

All ratings2,307 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral1.1%
Negative3.8%
Written reviews900 reviews
Positive71.2%
Neutral7.2%
Negative21.6%

Bugs and requests

Yam Display Free

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Compatibility issues with macOS Mojave
  • Blurry menu bar on extended display

Requested features

4 requests
  • Longer free trial period
  • Support for Apple Pencil pressure sensitivity
  • Horizontal screen orientation option
  • Wireless connectivity

spacedesk

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Yam Display Free

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

spacedesk

One-time10
  • Business License: 46-50 Conn.$9.00
  • Business License: 41-45 Conn.$18.00
  • Business License: 1 connection$19.00
Show 7 more
  • Business License: 36-40 Conn.$25.00
  • Business License: 31-35 Conn.$35.00
  • Business License: 26-30 Conn.$45.00
  • Business License: 21-25 Conn.$50.00
  • Business License: 16-20 Conn.$59.00
  • Business License: 11-15 Conn.$60.00
  • Business License: 2-5 Conn.$79.00

Questions

Is Yam Display Free free?
Yam Display Free is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is spacedesk free?
spacedesk is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Yam Display Free or spacedesk?
spacedesk is rated higher. Yam Display Free averages 4.4 out of 5 from 904 ratings, while spacedesk averages 4.7 from 2.3K ratings.
Do Yam Display Free or spacedesk have ads?
Neither Yam Display Free nor spacedesk shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Yam Display Free or spacedesk?
Yam Display Free ships an update every 3 weeks, and spacedesk every 3 weeks. Most recently, Yam Display Free was updated on November 6, 2026 and spacedesk on November 6, 2026.

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