# Halo OS vs Desktop Mode OS

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Halo OS at none against Desktop Mode OS's 2. Halo OS also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (83% vs 71%). Desktop Mode OS's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 26 months) and rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Desktop Mode OS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Halo OS asks for nothing beyond the download.

Desktop Mode OS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 24 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of Halo OS's written reviews are positive against 71% of Desktop Mode OS's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Halo OS ships an update every 26 months, Desktop Mode OS every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Halo OS | Desktop Mode OS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halo-os/id1578192575/reviews) | **[4.6 (24 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-mode-os-prodocktive/id6762341245/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **24** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 71.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 26 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.2** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Tiago Mendes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1235886918) | [Gautam Sukhramani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1893868918) |

## What reviewers say

### Halo OS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/halo-os/id1578192575)

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a functional desktop computer. Connect external displays, keyboards, and mice to navigate a web browser and file explorer with ease.

**Highlights:** External monitor support, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse compatibility, Web browser, File explorer, TXT file reader, Window management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Desktop Mode OS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/desktop-mode-os-prodocktive/id6762341245)

Transform your iPhone into a powerful desktop workstation, extending its capabilities to external displays like AR glasses, monitors, or TVs. Experience a high-performance desktop environment using your phone's native silicon, with innovative input modes for seamless interaction.

**Highlights:** Turn iPhone into a desktop workstation, Extend to AR glasses, monitors, TVs, Spatial productivity with AR glasses, Multiple input modes: Air Mouse, Hand Tracking, Liquid Trackpad, Connect to any display (USB-C, HDMI, AirPlay), Sync Assistant for webview issues, Pin frequently used sessions to dock

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Lifetime subscription | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Halo OS free?

Halo OS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Desktop Mode OS free?

Desktop Mode OS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Halo OS or Desktop Mode OS?

Desktop Mode OS is rated higher. Halo OS averages 4.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Desktop Mode OS averages 4.6 from 24 ratings.

### Do Halo OS or Desktop Mode OS have ads?

Desktop Mode OS shows ads; Halo OS does not.

### Which is updated more often, Halo OS or Desktop Mode OS?

Halo OS ships an update every 26 months, and Desktop Mode OS every 6 days. Most recently, Halo OS was updated on November 3, 2026 and Desktop Mode OS on October 31, 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.*