KDE Connect vs DeskState
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
KDE Connect
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.
- Shared clipboard
- File and URL sharing
- Virtual touchpad and keyboard
- Remote presentation control
- Remote command execution
- End-to-end encryption
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KDE Connect provides a set of features to integrate your workflow across devices: - Shared clipboard: copy and paste between your devices. - Share files and URLs to your computer from any app. - Virtual touchpad and keyboard: Use your phone screen as your computer's touchpad or keyboard - Remote presentation remote: control a laser pointer on the screen of your computer by moving your phone around. - Remote commands: run commands on your computer from your phone. - End-to-end TLS encryption: your information is safe. Please note you will need to install KDE Connect on your other computers/phones/tablets and keep the version up-to-date for the latest features to work. This app is part of an open source project and it exists thanks to all the people who contributed to it. Please visit the KDE Connect website to grab the source code.
DeskState
Transform your iPhone into a focused external workspace. This app creates a windowed environment on a monitor with floating panels, keyboard/mouse support, and customizable layouts. Pin favorite web panels to maintain a consistent and efficient setup.
- External display workspace
- Floating windows
- Keyboard and mouse support
- Pin favorite web panels
- Customizable backgrounds
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Turn your iPhone into a clean, focused workspace on an external display. When connected to a monitor or TV, the app creates a windowed environment with floating panels, quick switching, and full keyboard/mouse support — all within a single application. Pin your favourite web panels, organise your layout, and keep your workspace consistent across sessions. Key features: • External display workspace (phone + monitor) • Floating windows with resize and focus controls • Full keyboard and trackpad/mouse support • Pin favourite web panels for quick launch • Minimalist design with customisable backgrounds Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Note: The workspace lives inside the app and does not replace iOS.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: DeskState at 5.0 against KDE Connect's 4.2. DeskState also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months). KDE Connect's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (271 vs 1). On price 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
Both are free to download. DeskState sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. KDE Connect asks for nothing beyond the download.
DeskState holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KDE Connect has 271 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
KDE Connect ships an update every 3 months, DeskState every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 11, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KDE Connect | DeskState |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (271 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 60.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 271 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | KDE e.V. | Abraham Rubio |
Customer experience
KDE Connect
DeskState
Bugs and requests
KDE Connect
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
DeskState
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
KDE Connect
No in-app purchases
DeskState
- Monthly subscription$2.991 Month
- Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
- Lifetime subscription$29.99
Questions
Is KDE Connect free?
Is DeskState free?
Which has better reviews, KDE Connect or DeskState?
Do KDE Connect or DeskState have ads?
Which is updated more often, KDE Connect or DeskState?
Other comparisons
