Comparison

Argly Remote Desktop vs Astropad Workbench

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

Head to head
About

Argly Remote Desktop

Control your Mac from your iPhone with real-time screen mirroring and precise input. Unlock your Mac remotely, use a smart keyboard with custom shortcuts, and save frequently used commands for quick access. Ideal for working away from your desk or presenting.

Highlights
  • Real-time Mac screen mirroring
  • Precise mouse and trackpad control
  • Full keyboard input with special keys
  • Remote Mac unlock
  • Customizable smart keyboard overlay
  • Favorite shortcuts panel
Features
Read full description

Control Your Mac from Your iPhone - Fast, Private, Local Argly transforms your iPhone into a powerful remote control for your Mac. Full Desktop Control Real-time screen mirroring with adaptive quality Precise mouse and trackpad control Full keyboard input with special keys (Return, Tab, Esc, Delete) Quick shortcuts for Cmd+C, Cmd+V, and more Pinch-to-zoom and pan gestures Lock Screen Unlock Unlock your Mac directly from your iPhone Secure password entry Works even when your Mac is locked Smart Keyboard Custom keyboard overlay optimized for remote control Color-coded special keys for quick access Haptic feedback for all actions Quick shortcuts for common commands Favorite Shortcuts Save your most-used keyboard shortcuts Floating shortcuts panel for quick access Easy add/remove with intuitive edit mode Perfect For: Working from your couch or bed Accessing your Mac when away from your desk Presenting from your iPhone EULA: This app is governed by Apple’s Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Astropad Workbench

Access and control your Mac remotely from your iPhone or iPad. Manage your machine, run desktop applications, and monitor tasks from anywhere with a high-performance, secure connection.

Highlights
  • Real-time Mac control
  • Voice dictation to Mac
  • Unified multi-display workspace
  • Apple Pencil cursor control
  • Hassle-free network connections
  • End-to-end encrypted sessions
Features
Read full description

Access and control your Mac from anywhere, with full remote desktop and built-in terminal. Workbench connects you to your Mac from your iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. Check in on AI agents and long-running jobs, run desktop apps, or drop into the command line without being tethered to your desk. ——— KEY FEATURES Desktop and terminal: Switch between your Mac's full desktop and a terminal right from the toolbar. Terminal sessions keep running after you disconnect, so you can pick up where you left off on another device. Unified display: Combine your Mac's displays into one screen that matches your device's resolution. Headless Mac support: Run a Mac mini with no monitor attached. Workbench gives it a virtual display and manages sleep settings so it's always reachable. Voice input: Dictate prompts and commands from your iPhone or iPad, on the desktop or in the terminal. Apple Pencil and keyboard support: Use your Apple Pencil for precise cursor control in Mac apps, and your keyboard to type and trigger shortcuts. No-hassle connections: Connect instantly without port forwarding, VPNs, or router configuration. Fast, high-fidelity streaming: Interact with your Mac in real time with responsive controls and sharp visuals. Secure by design: Sessions are protected with end-to-end AES-256 encryption, and Astropad can't see your screen or activity. Built for Apple devices: Workbench uses fully native apps built specifically for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. ——— DESIGNED FOR AI AGENT WORKFLOWS Your agents don't stop when you leave your desk. Workbench lets you monitor progress, fix issues, and restart jobs from wherever you are. It's just as useful for checking on tools and software that don't have a mobile app. ——— BUILT BY EX-APPLE ENGINEERS From the team behind Astropad Studio and Luna Display, Workbench delivers fast, responsive control with crisp visuals and reliable performance on any network. ——— PRICING Workbench includes a Free plan with 20 minutes of access per day. Upgrade to Unlimited for uninterrupted access (subscription required). ——— SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Mac: macOS 15 or later iPhone: iOS 26 or later iPad: iPadOS 26 or later

Screenshots

Argly Remote Desktop3 screens
Astropad Workbench4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Astropad Workbench at 4.8 against Argly Remote Desktop's 4.0. Astropad Workbench also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (210 vs 2). Argly Remote Desktop's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (18.2 vs 26.0). On price, ads, monetization model 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. Argly Remote Desktop sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Astropad Workbench asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Astropad Workbench holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astropad Workbench has 210 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Argly Remote Desktop ships an update every 3 days, Astropad Workbench every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Argly Remote Desktop versus Astropad Workbench: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArgly Remote DesktopAstropad Workbench
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (2 ratings)4.8 (210 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2210 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.2 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB48 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTimmy NguyenAstro HQ

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Argly Remote Desktop

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$0.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime License$9.99
None

Astropad Workbench

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Argly Remote Desktop free?
Argly Remote Desktop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Astropad Workbench free?
Astropad Workbench is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Argly Remote Desktop or Astropad Workbench?
Astropad Workbench is rated higher. Argly Remote Desktop averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Astropad Workbench averages 4.8 from 210 ratings.
Do Argly Remote Desktop or Astropad Workbench have ads?
Neither Argly Remote Desktop nor Astropad Workbench shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Argly Remote Desktop or Astropad Workbench?
Argly Remote Desktop ships an update every 3 days, and Astropad Workbench every 3 weeks. Most recently, Argly Remote Desktop was updated on October 30, 2026 and Astropad Workbench on October 31, 2026.

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