Comparison

StarDesk vs Tomaco

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

Head to head
About

StarDesk

Control your PC remotely from any device with ultra-low latency and secure connections. Stream games in 4K, transfer files quickly, and access your work applications seamlessly. Ideal for both gamers and professionals needing constant PC access.

Highlights
  • Ultra-low latency remote desktop
  • Secure remote access
  • 4K streaming
  • Fast file transfer
  • Remote PC gaming
  • Remote work and productivity
  • Remote wake
Read full description

StarDesk – Powerful Multi-Platform Remote Desktop Control your PC or Mac remotely from iOS, Mac, Android, or Windows devices. Perfect for remote work, gaming, and technical support. Enjoy ultra-low latency with high-speed direct connections for a smooth, local-like experience. Stream up to 4K at 144 FPS, with full support for mouse & keyboard, game controllers, and multi-touch gestures—ideal for gaming and productivity. Key Features - Remote Gaming: Play PC games on your mobile device in stunning 4K 144 FPS with minimal lag. Hundreds of customizable keyboard mappings and plug-and-play gamepad support. - Remote Work: Wake your PC remotely, control multiple screens, transfer files without limits (any size or format), and work in true-color HDR/4:4:4 mode—perfect for design, CAD, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, WPS, and more. - PC & Mac Host Support: Use your PC or Mac as a host machine—access and control your computer remotely from any device, anytime, anywhere. - Seamless cross-platform access anytime, anywhere. Why StarDesk Stands Out - Millisecond-level responsiveness for fluid control - Multi-screen management with quick switching - Unlimited high-speed file transfers - HDR and true-color support for precise visuals - Full PC and Mac host support for remote access About Accessibility Service Usage To ensure smooth external keyboard operation (e.g., Bluetooth keyboards), this app uses Android's AccessibilityService API. It captures input events to prevent system interference and accurately transmit keystrokes to your remote PC. We only collect temporary input data during active remote sessions—no storage or sharing of personal information. You can disable this feature anytime in system settings. For details, see our Privacy Policy. We Value Your Privacy All data transmission is encrypted end-to-end. Learn more at www.stardesk.net/license/privacy-policy.

About

Tomaco

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a high-performance remote control for your Mac. Experience a responsive, high-quality connection with features like local pointer rendering, instant audio streaming, and robust privacy controls. Access your Mac from anywhere with optional secure remote pairing.

Highlights
  • High-resolution 5K/120Hz display
  • Local pointer rendering for instant response
  • Zero-setup system audio streaming
  • Peer-to-peer local network privacy
  • Secure remote access with Tailscale
  • Two-way clipboard sync and file transfer
  • Adaptive smart shortcut bar
Features
Read full description

Tomaco does one thing: turn your iPhone or iPad into the best remote control for your Mac. Built exclusively for the Apple ecosystem — and because of that focus, every millisecond of latency and every frame of quality gets the attention it deserves. WHY TOMACO ■ Best-in-class picture A straight HEVC hardware encode/decode pipeline with up to 5K resolution and 120Hz ProMotion. Code and documents stay razor sharp. When the screen goes still, Tomaco automatically refines the frame to full clarity. ■ It feels right The pointer is rendered locally — it follows your finger instantly, fully decoupled from network latency. Two-finger scrolling has real inertia and rubber-banding. The cursor changes shape with content (I-beam over text, hand over links), just like a real trackpad. ■ Sound, zero setup Your Mac's system audio plays right on your iPhone/iPad. No virtual audio driver, no kernel extension, no reboot — connect and it just works. ■ Private by design Peer-to-peer on your local network: your screen and input never touch a third-party server. Secure Enclave hardware device keys, manual approval on first pairing, end-to-end encryption. ■ Remote made simple Away from home? Pair Tomaco with the free Tailscale app to reach your Mac securely from anywhere — a full guide is built in. Wake-on-LAN wakes a sleeping Mac remotely. FEATURES • Virtual Display: use a headless Mac with a dedicated 5K/120Hz screen (Pro) • Two-way clipboard sync and multi-file transfer • Smart shortcut bar that adapts to the frontmost Mac app (Pro) • Modifier keys bar: ⌘⌥⌃⇧ combos, Esc/Tab/arrows • Multi-display switching, auto-reconnect, adaptive quality on weak networks • Siri & Shortcuts: "Connect my Mac" • Trackpad mode (relative) and Touch mode (tap where you look) FREE & ONE-TIME PURCHASE The free tier is fully usable: no time limits, no ads. Tomaco Pro is a one-time purchase that unlocks 5K, 120Hz, the smart shortcut bar, Virtual Display and multiple Macs. No subscription. Ever. WHAT YOU NEED • A Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel, macOS 14+) running the free, notarized Tomaco Helper (download from our site) • iPhone/iPad on the same Wi-Fi, or a Tailscale connection for remote access

Screenshots

StarDesk4 screens
Tomaco4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StarDesk at none against Tomaco's 1. StarDesk also leads on ratings volume (200 vs 4). Tomaco's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 86%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Tomaco sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. StarDesk asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for StarDesk against 5.0 for Tomaco. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StarDesk has 200 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of StarDesk's written reviews are positive against 100% of Tomaco's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StarDesk ships an update every 2 weeks, Tomaco weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
StarDesk versus Tomaco: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarDeskTomaco
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (200 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings200 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB3 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperGearUP Portal PTE. LTD.磊 崔

Customer experience

StarDesk

All ratings175 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral1.1%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive86.4%
Neutral3.4%
Negative10.2%

Tomaco

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

StarDesk

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Tomaco

One-time1
  • Tomaco Pro$19.99

Questions

Is StarDesk free?
StarDesk is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tomaco free?
Tomaco is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StarDesk or Tomaco?
Tomaco is rated higher. StarDesk averages 4.9 out of 5 from 200 ratings, while Tomaco averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do StarDesk or Tomaco have ads?
Neither StarDesk nor Tomaco shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StarDesk or Tomaco?
StarDesk ships an update every 2 weeks, and Tomaco weekly. Most recently, StarDesk was updated on November 8, 2026 and Tomaco on October 31, 2026.

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