# Emulstick vs PhonePad

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Emulstick at none against PhonePad's 2. PhonePad's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (50% vs 25%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PhonePad sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Emulstick asks for nothing beyond the download.

Emulstick ships an update every 3 months, PhonePad every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emulstick | PhonePad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonepad-computer-remote/id6503354790/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shanghai Xuanhua Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1475484669) | [Ibrahim Chiha](https://appshunter.io/developer/923700875) |

## What reviewers say

### Emulstick

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emulstick/id1599023041)

This application simulates keyboard, mouse, and gamepad input for use with a specific dongle. It offers wireless, serverless, and network-free operation for a plug-and-play experience.

**Highlights:** Keyboard emulation, Mouse emulation, Gamepad simulation, Wireless operation, Serverless connectivity, No network required

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PhonePad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonepad-computer-remote/id6503354790)

Turn your iPhone into a responsive trackpad and keyboard for your Mac. Control your computer remotely with familiar gestures and easy text input. Requires a companion app on your Mac and a network connection.

**Highlights:** iPhone as Mac trackpad, Remote keyboard input, Familiar gestures and controls, Seamless integration with Mac, Intuitive user experience

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emulstick free?

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

### Is PhonePad free?

PhonePad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Emulstick or PhonePad have ads?

Neither Emulstick nor PhonePad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Emulstick or PhonePad?

Emulstick ships an update every 3 months, and PhonePad every 2 days. Most recently, Emulstick was updated on October 18, 2026 and PhonePad on October 5, 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.*