# Elgato Stream Deck Mobile vs KDE Connect

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: KDE Connect at none against Elgato Stream Deck Mobile's 5. KDE Connect also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 42%) and device support (4 vs 2). Elgato Stream Deck Mobile's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (5.9K vs 279). On price, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Elgato Stream Deck Mobile sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. KDE Connect asks for nothing beyond the download.

Elgato Stream Deck Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Elgato Stream Deck Mobile has 5.9K ratings behind it against 279, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 42% of Elgato Stream Deck Mobile's written reviews are positive against 61% of KDE Connect's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Elgato Stream Deck Mobile ships an update every 2 months, KDE Connect every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elgato Stream Deck Mobile | KDE Connect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elgato-stream-deck-mobile/id1440014184/reviews)** | [4.2 (279 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kde-connect/id1580245991/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 279 |
| Positive reviews | 42.3% of reviews | **60.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 182 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Corsair Memory, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/650718405) | [KDE e.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580245993) |

## What reviewers say

### Elgato Stream Deck Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elgato-stream-deck-mobile/id1440014184)

Control your desktop applications and tools with customizable virtual keys on your mobile device. Streamline content creation, productivity, and more with powerful features and extensive plugin support.

**Highlights:** Virtual key press control, Customizable profiles and layouts, Extensive plugin support, Multi-action key triggers, Voice command integration, Personalized icons and animations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| 12 Months | $24.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Workflow is smooth
- 👍 Good for creators
- 👍 Useful tool
- 👍 Works great on iPad
- 👍 Lifetime purchase available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Constantly disconnects/loses connection
- 🐛 Unreliable, buggy performance
- 💰 Subscription model, not one-time purchase
- 🔒 Requires paid subscription to unlock full functionality
- 🔒 Limits features for non-subscribers

**Reported bugs**

- Fails to detect/connect to computer
- Profiles don't switch properly
- Shortcuts don't work
- Crashes OBS
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- More buttons/customization options
- Native iPad app support
- Wired connection option
- Siri Shortcuts integration
- Volume control for external devices


### KDE Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kde-connect/id1580245991)

Seamlessly integrate your devices with features like a shared clipboard, file sharing, and remote control. Use your phone as a virtual touchpad or keyboard, and even control presentations remotely. All communication is secured with end-to-end encryption.

**Highlights:** Shared clipboard, File and URL sharing, Virtual touchpad and keyboard, Remote presentation control, Remote command execution, End-to-end encryption

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Works seamlessly across devices
- 👍 Easy to set up and use
- 🔒 Secure file transfer
- 💡 Innovative remote control features
- 🤖 Great for Linux/KDE integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and connectivity issues
- 🔋 Drains battery when running in the background
- 🤖 Limited functionality on iOS compared to Android
- 🤔 Pairing can be unreliable at times

**Reported bugs**

- Clipboard push feature not working
- App crashes on launch for some users
- Incompatibility with certain device/OS combinations
- Inability to discover/connect to devices in some cases

**Requested features**

- Add support for background operation
- Improve multi-file transfer capabilities
- Integrate with system share sheet
- Implement two-finger scrolling and other gestures
- Add SMS/notification sync features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elgato Stream Deck Mobile free?

Elgato Stream Deck Mobile is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is KDE Connect free?

KDE Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Elgato Stream Deck Mobile or KDE Connect?

Elgato Stream Deck Mobile is rated higher. Elgato Stream Deck Mobile averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while KDE Connect averages 4.2 from 279 ratings.

### Do Elgato Stream Deck Mobile or KDE Connect have ads?

Neither Elgato Stream Deck Mobile nor KDE Connect shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elgato Stream Deck Mobile or KDE Connect?

Elgato Stream Deck Mobile ships an update every 2 months, and KDE Connect every 3 months. Most recently, Elgato Stream Deck Mobile was updated on October 29, 2026 and KDE Connect on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*