iRdesktop vs Windows App Mobile
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
Windows App Mobile
Connect securely to Windows PCs, virtual apps, and desktops from your iOS or iPadOS device. Access your work environment remotely with ease, managing connections and resources from a unified client.
- Connect to remote PCs and virtual desktops
- Access managed resources
- Remote Desktop Gateway support
- Connection management and favorites
- Audio and video streaming
- Device redirection (folders, clipboard, microphone, camera)
- External monitor support
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Windows App Mobile for iOS and iPadOS (previously named Remote Desktop Mobile) is your gateway to securely connect to Windows including remote PCs and admin-provided virtual apps and desktops across Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Dev Box and Remote Desktop Services. Embrace the simplicity of a unified client with Windows App Mobile and connect to your Windows in the cloud with ease and security, from the device of your choice. GET STARTED • Learn more about the features of Windows App Mobile at https://aka.ms/WindowsApp. • Configure your PC for remote access using the information at https://aka.ms/rdsetup. KEY FEATURES • Access remote PCs running Windows Professional or Enterprise and Windows Server. • Access managed resources published by your admin. • Connect through a Remote Desktop Gateway. • Simplified management of your connections and credentials from the Connection Center, including a Favorites page to cater to your unique workflow needs. • Audio and video streaming. • Redirect folders, your clipboard, and local devices such as microphones and cameras. • Connect your iPhone or iPad to an external monitor. • Easily switch between Entra accounts. • Dynamically switch between Portrait and Landscape mode. By downloading Windows App Mobile, you agree to the license (see https://aka.ms/WindowsAppLicense) and privacy terms (see https://aka.ms/privacy).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: iRdesktop at 80% against Windows App Mobile's 35%. iRdesktop also leads on iOS requirement (3.0 vs 26.0). Windows App Mobile's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.3) and ratings volume (7.8K vs 45). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Windows App Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Windows App Mobile has 7.8K ratings behind it against 45, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of iRdesktop's written reviews are positive against 35% of Windows App Mobile's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
iRdesktop ships an update every 2 months, Windows App Mobile every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 21, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | iRdesktop | Windows App Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (45 ratings) | 4.2 (7.8K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews — better | 34.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 45 | 7.8K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | #182 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 3.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 199 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thinstuff s.r.o. | Microsoft Corporation |
Customer experience
iRdesktop
Windows App Mobile
User reviews
iRdesktop
From 45 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ⭐ Excellent free RDP client
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Intuitive touch-based controls
- 🔒 Secure remote access
- 💡 Supports multiple simultaneous connections
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing
- 📱 Limited screen real estate for desktop apps
- 🔑 Lack of keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl, Alt, etc.)
- 🔍 Difficulty with small on-screen elements
- 📢 Intrusive ads on setup screens
Windows App Mobile
From 7.8K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Seamless remote desktop experience
- 👍 Smooth mouse and keyboard support
- 🚀 Reliable connections
- 👍 Great integration with Windows
- 🚀 Responsive and fast
Room to improve
- 🐛 Keyboard issues (no virtual keyboard, input problems)
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Resolution and scaling problems
- 🐛 Connectivity issues, especially over mobile data
- 🐛 Buggy after updates
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
Windows App Mobile
Reported bugs
5 issues- Keyboard not working properly
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Connectivity issues, especially over mobile data
- Resolution and scaling problems
- Incompatibility with newer iOS devices
Requested features
5 requests- Full screen support for external monitors
- Ability to save/sync connection profiles
- Support for multiple monitors and remote apps
- Improved keyboard functionality (F-keys, shortcuts)
- Better mouse/trackpad support (right-click, scrolling)
In-app purchases
iRdesktop
No in-app purchases
Windows App Mobile
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is iRdesktop free?
Is Windows App Mobile free?
Which has better reviews, iRdesktop or Windows App Mobile?
Do iRdesktop or Windows App Mobile have ads?
Which is updated more often, iRdesktop or Windows App Mobile?
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