Remote.It vs Sofa
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Remote.It
This app simplifies complex network configurations, enabling secure and instant access to cloud or local computers, virtual machines, and devices. It eliminates the need for port forwarding and offers Zero Trust Network Access for enhanced security. Ideal for remote access and managing diverse network environments without technical expertise.
- Remote access to cloud and local computers
- No port forwarding required
- Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
- Connect to any device on any network
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Real-time network status notifications
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The Remote.It app streamlines complex network configurations, making them accessible and manageable from anywhere. Whether you're connecting to cloud or local computers, virtual machines, Docker environments, or devices on multi-NAT or CGNAT networks like mobile 5G or Starlink, Remote.It provides instant, secure, and code-based networking solutions for seamless connectivity. * Remote Access Anywhere: Access work from home or vice versa, and connect to cloud resources in AWS or other public cloud providers wherever you are. * No Network Headaches: Don't worry about complex network settings. Remote.It automatically manages and reconfigures when devices move locations. * Eliminates the need for port forwarding: Simplify connectivity and make connections that were not possible without public IP addresses and ports. * User-Friendly Interface: Navigate through the app with an intuitive and clean interface, making network management accessible for those without technical expertise. * Real-Time Notifications: Stay informed with instant updates and alerts about your network's status, ensuring you're always in the loop. * Device and Service Agnostic: Connect to any device on any kind of network. Access remote devices with SSH, HTTP, HTTPS, RDP, VNC, and more. * Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Implementing ZTNA, Remote.It ensures secure, least-privileged access based on specific services, enhancing security and minimizing human error in access configurations. Remote.It combines the simplicity for everyday users with the robust features required for advanced and complex scenarios. Requires a free Remote.It account. Commercial usage requires a paid subscription.
Sofa
Control your Mac or Linux computer remotely from your iPhone or iPad. Launch apps, open files, navigate menus, and manage system functions like volume and power. It offers custom controls for popular applications and websites.
- Launch and quit applications
- Open files remotely
- Navigate menus and edit text
- Control system functions (volume, brightness)
- Custom controls for popular apps/websites
- Lock, sleep, restart, and shutdown computer
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Control your Mac from your iPhone or iPad with Sofa's simple and effective user interface. - Launch apps, quit, minimise, go fullscreen - Open files on your Mac or your Linux box with the default or another associated app - Navigate through lists, press buttons and edit text - Access menu commands - Hand-crafted controls for the most popular apps and websites - Adjust volume and display brightness - Lock the screen, put to sleep, restart and shutdown your computer All this while in couch-potato mode or doing a presentation. Sofa supports interaction with the most popular applications and websites: - Apple apps: Music, TV, Books, Photos, Preview, Photo Booth, Finder, ... - Chrome, Safari, Firefox, VLC, MPV, IINA, Skype, ... - YouTube, YouTube Music, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Spotify, SoundCloud, Vimeo and more! In order to connect, you need the free Sofa Server running on your Mac. Get it at http://tordini.org/sofa
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Remote.It at 4.1 against Sofa's 3.5. Remote.It also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (18 vs 2). Sofa's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, ads and device support 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
Both are free to download. Sofa sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Remote.It asks for nothing beyond the download.
Remote.It holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Remote.It has 18 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Remote.It's written reviews are positive against 67% of Sofa's.
Remote.It ships an update every 3 months, Sofa every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Remote.It | Sofa |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (18 ratings) — better | 3.5 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 18 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | remot3.it Inc | Flavio Tordini |
Customer experience
Remote.It
Sofa
In-app purchases
Remote.It
No in-app purchases
Sofa
- 10-day TrialFree
- Sofa Pro$4.99
