iKontroller vs Phone Controller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- High-precision touchpad
- Customizable buttons and joystick
- Gyrostick control
- Multiple connection options (Wi-Fi, USB)
- Companion desktop app required
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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/
Phone Controller
Transform your iPhone into a wireless gamepad for your Windows PC. Customize button layouts, add motion and touch feedback, and connect multiple devices over your local Wi-Fi network. Requires a companion app and driver installation on your PC.
- Wireless gamepad for Windows PC
- Customizable button layouts
- Motion and touch feedback
- Connect multiple devices
- Local network connection
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Turn your iPhone into a wireless gamepad for a Windows PC on the same Wi-Fi network. Phone Controller requires the Phone Controller Windows companion and the ViGEmBus virtual controller driver on your PC. Install them before playing. This app does not connect directly to a game console and does not include games. CUSTOMIZE YOUR CONTROLS Use a full two-stick controller or left- or right-hand single-stick layouts. Move and resize buttons, with separate saved layouts for portrait, landscape and upright or sideways holding. Use independent touches for sticks and buttons. ADD MOTION AND TOUCH FEEDBACK Enable optional gyroscope and accelerometer controls for compatible PC software through the companion's DSU motion bridge. Adjust sensitivity and calibrate while still. Optional iPhone haptics provide feedback for button presses and stick movement. Motion support depends on the game or emulator and its configuration. CONNECT ON YOUR LOCAL NETWORK Scan the QR code in the Windows companion using the in-app scanner, or paste the pairing URL. Keep the companion open while playing. Up to four phones can connect as independent controllers. One phone supplies one motion source. No app account, ads or analytics. Use a trusted private network: local controller traffic is unencrypted. See the privacy policy for the data sent to your computer. Compatibility: iPhone with iOS 17 or later; Windows PC with the companion and ViGEmBus installed; both devices on the same local network. Games must support compatible controller input. Motion requires a compatible DSU client. Standalone left/right layouts require manual game or emulator bindings. Haptic feedback depends on device hardware. Phone Controller is an independent app and is not affiliated with Nintendo or Microsoft. Joy-Con and Xbox names describe control compatibility. The app does not provide IR, NFC, Nintendo HD rumble or absolute positional tracking.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Phone Controller at 5.0 against iKontroller's 4.2. Phone Controller also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). iKontroller's advantage is ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, 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
Both are free to download. iKontroller sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Phone Controller asks for nothing beyond the download.
Phone Controller holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iKontroller has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
| Parameter | iKontroller | Phone Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (5 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Richlen Murden | Jake Jin |
Customer experience
iKontroller
Phone Controller
In-app purchases
iKontroller
- iKontroller Gold Monthly$0.991 Month
- iKontroller Gold$14.99
Phone Controller
No in-app purchases








