Comparison

iRdesktop vs Remote File Explorer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iRdesktop

Access and control your Windows desktop remotely from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. This client uses the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to connect to compatible Windows versions, offering features like mouse emulation and a familiar keyboard.

Highlights
  • Remote desktop control via RDP
  • Mouse emulation (click, drag, drop)
  • Familiar iPhone keyboard support
  • Zoom and pan desktop view
  • Portrait and landscape rotation
  • Multiple connection entries
  • Wi-Fi and cellular data connection
Features
Read full description

iRdesktop is a free Remote Desktop Client for Windows Terminal Services (Remote Desktop Services), capable of natively using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) in order to view and control your Windows Desktop using your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. iRdesktop supports all Windows Versions that have support for Terminal Services respectively Remote Desktop Services out of the box. You must know that Microsoft has removed Terminal Services (Remote Desktop Services) from the Windows Home and Starter editions. In order to access those Windows systems with any RDP client you can install our alternative Terminal Services (Remote Desktop Services) solution called "Thinstuff XP/VS Terminal Server" (http://www.thinstuff.com/products/xpvs-server/). The good news is that iRdesktop users will get a big discount for a single-user XP/VS Terminal Server version which allows you to have 1 Remote Desktop connection in addition to your PC's console session even on Windows Home and Starter editions! To get your discount code just follow the "Discount ..." link on the iRdesktop start screen. SUPPORTED REMOTE SYSTEMS - Windows XP Home (*) - Windows XP Professional - Windows XP Media Center 2005 - Windows Vista Home Basic and Home Premium (*) - Windows Vista Business, Ultimate and Enterprise - Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium (*) - Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, Enterprise - Windows Server 2000 - Windows Small Business Server 2003 - Windows Server 2003 - Windows Server 2008 - Windows Server 2008R2 *) only with Thinstuff XP/VS Terminal Server IRDESKTOP FEATURES - Mouse emulation: left-, right- and double-click, and drag & drop - Supports the standard, familiar iPhone keyboard for text entry - Zoom and pan the remote desktop screen as in the Safari browser - Rotate the device to switch between portrait and landscape views - Create an unlimited number of predefined connection entries - Connect through WIFI or your cellular data network (GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA etc.) - Safari-like page view for switching between multiple concurrent sessions - Compatible with the iPhone's built-in VPN (L2TP, PPTP, IPSec) for secure access to corporate and home networks - Includes a promotion discount code for Thinstuff's XP/VS Terminal Server LIMITATIONS - No support for TS Gateway (a special RDP VPN solution for Windows Server 2008) - No sound and clipboard redirection LANGUAGES: English, French and German

About

Remote File Explorer

Access files on your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer, as well as cloud storage like Dropbox, directly from your iPhone or iPad. Transfer, manage, and view your documents, photos, and videos with built-in readers and players.

Highlights
  • Access remote computers (Mac, Windows, Linux)
  • Connect to Dropbox and cloud storage
  • Transfer files between devices
  • Search files by name
  • Built-in photo viewer
  • Video and music player
  • Document reader for Office and iWork
Features
Read full description

# Remote File Explorer – LAN File Manager Access, organize, and manage files across your local network with **Remote File Explorer**. Connect to Windows PCs, Macs, Linux servers, NAS devices, FTP/SFTP servers, WebDAV storage, and more—all from your iPhone or iPad. Browse remote folders, transfer files at high speed, stream media without downloading, edit documents, and securely manage your network storage with an intuitive interface designed for both everyday users and IT professionals. ## Key Features • Connect to SMB/CIFS, SFTP, FTP, FTPS, WebDAV, NFS, and SSH servers • Automatically discover devices on your local network with Bonjour and network scanning • Browse, copy, move, rename, delete, and organize remote files and folders • Upload and download files with support for background transfers • Resume interrupted transfers and manage multiple transfer queues • Stream videos and music directly from network storage without downloading • Preview photos, PDFs, Office documents, archives, text files, and more • Built-in text editor with syntax highlighting for developers • ZIP, RAR, 7Z, TAR, and GZIP archive support • Advanced search across remote folders and file contents • Synchronize folders between your device and remote servers • Save unlimited server connections with favorites and quick access • Securely store credentials using Face ID, Touch ID, and Keychain • Wake compatible computers remotely with Wake-on-LAN • Built-in SSH terminal for remote administration • Integrates with the Files app for seamless file access • Supports Siri Shortcuts, Home Screen widgets, and Dark Mode ## Built for Performance Remote File Explorer is optimized for fast browsing and efficient transfers, even when working with large folders or high-capacity NAS devices. Intelligent caching, parallel transfers, and background processing keep your workflow smooth and responsive. ## Secure by Design Your connections are protected using modern encryption technologies including SSH and TLS. Login credentials are securely stored in Apple's Keychain, and biometric authentication helps keep your data private. Whether you're managing a home server, accessing office files, maintaining a NAS, or administering remote systems, Remote File Explorer provides a powerful and reliable file management experience for your entire local network. #Remote File Explorer offers auto-renewing subscription options: •$7.99 per month •$34.99 per year • You can subscribe for unlimited access to all features and content offered for purchases within Video Stabilizer • Subscriptions are billed weekly/yearly on the subscription plan • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase • Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Terms of Use: https://tos.asiancomputingapps.com Privacy Policy: https://privacy.asiancomputingapps.com

Screenshots

iRdesktop4 screens
Remote File Explorer3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iRdesktop at 80% against Remote File Explorer's 11%. iRdesktop also leads on rating (3.3 vs 2.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Remote File Explorer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. iRdesktop asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iRdesktop holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 40 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of iRdesktop's written reviews are positive against 11% of Remote File Explorer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iRdesktop ships an update every 2 months, Remote File Explorer every 161 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
iRdesktop versus Remote File Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriRdesktopRemote File Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (45 ratings) — better2.1 (40 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better11.4% of reviews
Number of ratings45 — better40
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 161 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS3.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThinstuff s.r.o.Do Anh

Customer experience

iRdesktop

All ratings45 ratings
Positive44.4%
Neutral20.0%
Negative35.6%
Written reviews255 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral6.7%
Negative13.3%

Remote File Explorer

All ratings40 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral5.0%
Negative70.0%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive11.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative86.4%

Bugs and requests

iRdesktop

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes on startup with iOS 3.1.x
  • Incompatibility with some Windows versions (Home editions)

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to hide top status bar for more screen space
  • Support for international keyboard layouts
  • Scrolling/panning improvements
  • Option to pay for ad-free version

Remote File Explorer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

iRdesktop

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Remote File Explorer

Subscriptions2
  • Remote File Explorer Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Remote File Explorer Premium Yearly$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Remote File Premium Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is iRdesktop free?
iRdesktop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Remote File Explorer free?
Remote File Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, iRdesktop or Remote File Explorer?
iRdesktop is rated higher. iRdesktop averages 3.3 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Remote File Explorer averages 2.1 from 40 ratings.
Do iRdesktop or Remote File Explorer have ads?
Neither iRdesktop nor Remote File Explorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iRdesktop or Remote File Explorer?
iRdesktop ships an update every 2 months, and Remote File Explorer every 161 months. Most recently, iRdesktop was updated on October 23, 2026 and Remote File Explorer on October 20, 2026.

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