iRdesktop vs Remote File Explorer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
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.
- 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
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# 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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | iRdesktop | Remote File Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (45 ratings) — better | 2.1 (40 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews — better | 11.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 45 — better | 40 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 161 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 3.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thinstuff s.r.o. | Do Anh |
Customer experience
iRdesktop
Remote File Explorer
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
iRdesktop
No in-app purchases
Remote File Explorer
- Remote File Explorer Pro Monthly$7.991 Month
- Remote File Explorer Premium Yearly$34.991 Year
- Remote File Premium Lifetime$49.99






