Comparison

iKontroller vs TouchNow Remote

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

Head to head
About

iKontroller

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a versatile Mac controller. Utilize a high-precision touchpad, customizable buttons, and joystick/gyrostick mapping for seamless remote operation. Connect via Wi-Fi, cellular, or USB.

Highlights
  • High-precision touchpad
  • Customizable buttons and joystick
  • Gyrostick control
  • Multiple connection options (Wi-Fi, USB)
  • Companion desktop app required
Features
Read full description

iKontroller transforms your iPhone and iPad into the perfect controller for your Mac. How does iKontroller achieve this? • Touchpad High-precision touchpad with relative and absolute modes. Relative mode is used in games to move the camera around. Absolute mode is used to move your cursor around. • Left region & Right region / Combined Left & Right region Left region allows you to perform the left single click, double/triple click and long press. Right region allows you to perform the right single click, double/triple click and long press. • Scroll region It allows you to scroll vertically or horizontally. • Button You can map a button to a specific key on your keyboard. Once mapped, pressing that button will trigger the corresponding key on your Mac. • Joystick You can map a joystick to 4 specific keys on your keyboard. Once mapped, moving the joystick in any direction will trigger the corresponding key(s) on your Mac. • Gyrostick You can map a gyrostick to 4 specific keys on your keyboard. Once mapped, tilting and rotating your device in any direction will trigger the corresponding key(s) on your Mac. How does iKontroller connect to my Mac? • Wi-Fi network, Cellular network, USB-C cable or Lightning cable What does iKontroller require? • Local network permission • The companion app named „iKontroller Desktop“ on your Mac. App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/app/ikontroller-desktop/id6755576478?mt=12 For more info; visit iKontroller support: https://biskuitmarie.github.io/ikontroller-support/

About

TouchNow Remote

Features
Read full description

Stream your Mac to your iPhone or iPad and control it with touch — play Mac games, work remotely, or fix a family member's computer. A FULL MACBOOK KEYBOARD Esc, F1–F12, arrow keys, ⌘⌥⌃⇧ combinations and caps lock. The iOS keyboard can't send a single one of these, and they're exactly what you need when driving a Mac. Modifiers are sticky, so combos work one-handed. THREE CONTROL MODES • Game mode: fully customizable virtual gamepad + physical controller support • Trackpad mode: the whole screen becomes a precise trackpad, with a cursor loupe • Direct touch: tap exactly where you want, zero learning curve BUILT FOR PLAY • Peer-to-peer direct connection; median network round-trip time (RTT) about 8 ms on 5 GHz Wi-Fi • 1080p 60fps streaming, HEVC encoding, adaptive jitter buffer • Auto-reconnect, keys never get stuck, controllers switch in automatically MORE • An illustrated guide on first launch, reopenable any time from Settings • Single-app window streaming: put just one Mac window on your phone while the Mac screen carries on • Use your iPhone or iPad as a second display for your Mac — and touch it • Picture in Picture + Live Activity on the Lock Screen • Clipboard sync, audio streaming, Wake-on-LAN, multi-display switching PRIVATE BY DESIGN • End-to-end encrypted: peer-to-peer when possible, relayed only when a direct connection is impossible — and the relay cannot see your screen • QR / PIN encrypted pairing, end-to-end encryption, allowlist-only connections • While being controlled, the Mac shows a persistent red banner and keeps a full connection history • No account, no tracking, no cloud recording PRICING Everything is free forever on your local network (same Wi-Fi). The only paid item is the Remote Access subscription (monthly or yearly), needed only when you're away and want to reach your Mac. Features that are free today will never move behind the paywall. GETTING STARTED The Mac you want to control needs the free TouchNow Host (macOS 13 or later), from touchmac.app — it is not on the Mac App Store. Install it, scan the QR code once, and you're paired. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

iKontroller4 screens
TouchNow Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: TouchNow Remote at every 2 days against iKontroller's every 2 weeks. TouchNow Remote also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. iKontroller sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and TouchNow Remote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iKontroller ships an update every 2 weeks, TouchNow Remote every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
iKontroller versus TouchNow Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriKontrollerTouchNow Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRichlen MurdenPo hin Ma

In-app purchases

2 purchases

iKontroller

Subscriptions1
  • iKontroller Gold Monthly$0.991 Month
One-time1
  • iKontroller Gold$14.99
2 purchases

TouchNow Remote

Subscriptions2
  • 遠端連線$2.991 Month
  • 遠端連線$19.991 Year

Questions

Is iKontroller free?
iKontroller is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TouchNow Remote free?
TouchNow Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do iKontroller or TouchNow Remote have ads?
Neither iKontroller nor TouchNow Remote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iKontroller or TouchNow Remote?
iKontroller ships an update every 2 weeks, and TouchNow Remote every 2 days. Most recently, iKontroller was updated on October 8, 2026 and TouchNow Remote on October 10, 2026.

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