Comparison

Menu Box vs Deck Buddy

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

Head to head
About

Menu Box

Create visually appealing menus for your device's shortcuts. Customize menu items with emojis, app icons, or custom images to build personalized automations. Dynamically generate menus on the fly for advanced shortcut customization.

Highlights
  • Create beautiful menus for Shortcuts
  • Customize with emojis, SF Symbols, or custom images
  • Attach custom data to menu items
  • Fully controllable via Shortcuts
  • Dynamically create menus on the fly
  • Enhance Action Button functionality
Features
Read full description

Menu Box allows you to create beautiful menus in Shortcuts, further customising your advanced Automations. Menus can be created using emojis, SF Symbols App Icons or your own custom images to create truly individual menus with near limitless options. Custom data attached to each menu items allows you to create even more advanced Shortcuts. Menu Box is fully controllable via Shortcuts, including creating Menus dynamically on the fly. Menu Box is perfect for creating advanced Shortcuts to allow you to further customise how your menus look, and becomes especially useful when combined with the Action Button. --- Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Deck Buddy

Features
Read full description

Deck Buddy turns your iPhone or iPad into an intelligent control deck for your Mac.
It’s more than a “shortcut remote” - it’s a full system for fast, context-aware control that adapts to whatever you’re doing. ≋≋ Always the right buttons ≋≋ DeckBuddy can switch layouts automatically based on the app currently active on your Mac. Use one deck for Xcode, another for Safari, another for your creative tools - and let DeckBuddy keep up as you switch. ≋≋ Two ways to work ≋≋ • Auto Mode: DeckBuddy follows the active Mac app and loads the matching deck. • Manual Mode: lock a specific deck whenever you want consistent controls. ≋≋ Built for real workflows ≋≋ • Trigger keyboard shortcuts remotely from your iPhone • Run advanced actions with AppleScript on macOS • Pair fast with a 6-digit code and remember trusted devices • Discover your Mac automatically via Bonjour (no IP typing) • Capture a shortcut from your Mac keyboard and assign it to a button • Create decks with multiple pages, custom rows/columns, and iPad layouts • Personalise button styles: colours, borders, system icons, and your own SVG/PNG • Start quickly with ready-made presets for popular use cases • Import/export backups of your profiles and actions ≋≋ Mac setup that’s actually clear ≋≋ Deck Buddy includes a guided macOS onboarding screen with setup steps, Accessibility permissions, and an option to launch at login. If you love speed, shortcuts, streaming, or creative work - DeckBuddy is a great one to try ≋≋ Version 1.0 ≋≋ • First release of DeckBuddy • Auto/Manual profiles, shortcut buttons, AppleScript actions • Presets, custom layouts, and backup import/export ≋≋ SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ≋≋ • Enjoy your first 2 weeks free with an annual subscription • Enjoy your first 3 days free with a monthly subscription • Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase • Your subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period • You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your Account Settings • Pricing may vary by country or region and will be shown before purchase https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Menu Box4 screens
Deck Buddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

Menu Box and Deck Buddy are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Menu Box sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and Deck Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Menu Box versus Deck Buddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMenu BoxDeck Buddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings14 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.517.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSnailed It Development LtdDaniel Miara

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Menu Box

Subscriptions1
  • Premium$4.991 Year
One-time3
  • Tip Jar - Small$0.99
  • Tip Jar - Medium$2.99
  • Tip Jar - Large$4.99
2 purchases

Deck Buddy

Subscriptions2
  • DeckBuddy Premium3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • DeckBuddy Premium14 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Menu Box free?
Menu Box is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Deck Buddy free?
Deck Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Menu Box or Deck Buddy have ads?
Neither Menu Box nor Deck Buddy shows ads.

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