Comparison

LinkPad vs VBCC

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

Head to head
About

LinkPad

Features
Read full description

先安裝 Mac 接收端,再用 iPhone 控制 Mac。 Mac 接收端下載與圖解教學:https://tool.davidhuanglab.com/LinkPad/ 只安裝 iPhone App 無法連線;舊版 Mac 接收端也無法與 LinkPad 3 配對。 開始使用: 1. 在 Mac 開啟下載頁,下載 ZIP,解壓縮後將 LinkPad.app 拖進「應用程式」並開啟。 2. 允許 Mac 的輔助使用與本機網路權限;iPhone 也允許本機網路,兩邊開啟 Wi-Fi 和藍牙。 3. 在 iPhone 選擇 Mac,於 Mac 允許連線,再把 Mac 顯示的六位配對碼輸入 iPhone。 4. 配對成功後,即可用 iPhone 移動游標、捲動、控制媒體和簡報。首次配對可選擇持續信任,之後再次連線不必每次輸入配對碼;Mac 可隨時撤銷信任。 主要功能: • 觸控板、左右鍵點擊與雙指捲動。 • 播放、暫停、音量與靜音控制。 • 簡報上一頁、下一頁、切換桌面與 Mission Control。快捷鍵效果依 Mac 前景 App 而異。 • Apple Watch 經配對的 iPhone 轉送指令。 • 加密附近連線;裝置名稱和連線紀錄保存在本機。 iPhone 需 iOS 18.5 或更新,Mac 需 macOS 15.5 或更新;Apple Watch 需 watchOS 11.5 或更新。iPhone 進入背景或鎖屏後,連線可能中斷,請開啟 App 重新連線。 LinkPad 由黃信惠的瘋狂教室製作。不需帳號,不含廣告或第三方分析 SDK,也不將控制指令傳給開發者伺服器。

About

VBCC

Transform your iPhone into a voice input peripheral and shortcut dashboard for your Mac. Instantly transcribe speech, send custom texts, and execute complex shortcut combinations directly to your Mac's active window.

Highlights
  • Real-time voice transcription to Mac
  • Customizable macro keypad
  • One-tap sending of text snippets
  • Zero-latency local network connection
  • System-native and cloud ASR support
  • iCloud cross-device sync
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into a powerful input controller for your Mac. VBCC brings voice dictation, a remote keyboard, custom shortcuts, and a trackpad together in one app. Whether you're working with AI coding agents, writing documents, or navigating your Mac, VBCC helps you stay in your flow. VOICE INPUT — SPEAK AND SEND Dictate on your iPhone and send recognized text directly to the active input field on your Mac. Use Apple's built-in speech recognition or configure Doubao ASR. Choose your recognition language and audio input device. REMOTE KEYBOARD — CONTROLS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Send navigation and editing keys from your iPhone, including modifier key combinations. With Pro, save frequently used text, prompts, and key combinations as customizable shortcut buttons. Integrate them with Apple Shortcuts and the Action Button on supported iPhones. REMOTE TRACKPAD — PRO Control your Mac's cursor directly from your iPhone: • One-finger cursor movement • Tap to click and double-tap to double-click • Long-press and drag • Two-finger tap for right-click • Two-finger horizontal and vertical scrolling with momentum • Adjustable cursor and scrolling sensitivity THREE HOME LAYOUTS Switch between the Messages layout for dictation and history, the Shortcuts layout for quick actions, and the Trackpad layout for pointer control. Shortcuts and Trackpad layouts require Pro. MESSAGES AND DEVELOPER TOOLS Keep your message history locally, with copy, resend, and Markdown preview support. You can even dictate and save messages while disconnected, then manually resend them when your Mac reconnects. Pro also includes: • Custom speech vocabulary and hotwords • iCloud sync for messages, shortcuts, and settings • Notifications from Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor via Mac Hooks On your Mac, you can optionally configure Ollama or Doubao for text refinement. Model services are configured separately and are not included with VBCC. PRIVATE, SIMPLE, AND DIRECT Connect your iPhone and Mac over a local network or supported P2P/AWDL connection. No VBCC account required. Basic dictation, remote keys, and message history are free. Pro is available as a one-time purchase. REQUIREMENTS • iPhone with iOS 26 or later • VBCC Mac companion app, macOS 13 or later • Local Network permission on iPhone • Accessibility permission on Mac • Trackpad requires Pro and VBCC Mac 2.0 or later Download the Mac app and explore the setup guide: https://imyiangyang.top/app/vbcc/

Screenshots

LinkPad3 screens
VBCC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LinkPad at none against VBCC's 1. LinkPad also leads on iOS requirement (18.5 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. VBCC sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. LinkPad asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LinkPad ships an update every 3 weeks, VBCC monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
LinkPad versus VBCC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLinkPadVBCC
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.5 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHsin Huei Huang洋 刘

In-app purchases

None

LinkPad

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

VBCC

One-time1
  • VBCC Pro$1.99

Questions

Is LinkPad free?
LinkPad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VBCC free?
VBCC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do LinkPad or VBCC have ads?
Neither LinkPad nor VBCC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LinkPad or VBCC?
LinkPad ships an update every 3 weeks, and VBCC monthly. Most recently, LinkPad was updated on November 2, 2026 and VBCC on October 31, 2026.

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