Comparison

PXS External Screen Desktop vs External Display Desktop

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

Head to head
About

PXS External Screen Desktop

Transform your phone into a full desktop experience, accessible on AR glasses, monitors, TVs, or web browsers. Control your phone as a trackpad and keyboard, or pair external devices for a complete laptop feel.

Highlights
  • Desktop environment on external screens
  • Phone as trackpad and keyboard
  • Tabbed desktop-class browser
  • Window management
  • Spotlight-style launcher with voice input
  • Offline voice dictation
Features
Read full description

Leave the laptop at home — your phone IS the computer. PXS Desktop turns your phone into a real desktop: windows, a dock, a launcher, a desktop-class browser — on AR glasses, a monitor, a TV, or even a web browser. Your phone becomes the trackpad and keyboard. Pair a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard for the full laptop feel. FOUR WAYS TO GET A SCREEN • Cable — AR display glasses (Viture, XREAL, RayNeo, Rokid, Lenovo Legion Glasses), any USB-C monitor or portable display, HDMI via adapter • Screen Mirroring — Apple TV, a Mac, or any AirPlay 2 TV • AnyScreen — any modern browser becomes your display: a laptop, a smart TV, even the browser in your parked car • Open on this screen — the desktop right on an iPad or iPhone Duo WIRED? CHECK YOUR CABLE Charging cables carry power only — including the white one in your iPhone box. A wired screen needs a USB-C cable that supports video (DisplayPort Alt Mode): the cable that came with your glasses or monitor, a Thunderbolt cable, or Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter for HDMI. UNFOLD IT On iPhone Duo the desktop fills the big inner screen. Half folded, it stands like a laptop: the desktop on top, a touchpad or a game controller below. A fold or a turn keeps your windows and pages as they are. A REAL DESKTOP • Windows you can move, resize, snap, minimize and fullscreen • A desktop-class tabbed browser — Gmail, Google Docs, Office, video calls with camera and mic (Teams, Meet), file downloads • Install any website as an app with its own icon • Your phone's own apps in the dock and launcher, opening on the phone • Screen Sharing: your Mac in a window, with sound via the free PXS Helper • Play cloud games with a controller, or with your phone as one • Spotlight-style launcher with voice input and natural-language commands • Files, Photos, Notes, Preview (PDF markup), Camera and scanner, Clock with alarms, Calculator, video, text editor, terminal, games • Daily Overview: calendar, tasks and weather • A spoken greeting when you connect, in a natural voice that runs offline • Themes and chrome styles, movable widgets, on-screen keyboard TALK INSTEAD OF TYPING Press Dictate under the trackpad, or the microphone in the menu bar, and speak into any field — a web form, an email, a search box. It all happens on your iPhone, so nothing is sent anywhere and it works with no signal. Requires iOS 26. MADE FOR AR GLASSES PXS was built for the pocket-computer dream: glasses on your face, phone in your hand, a huge desktop nobody else can see. If your glasses act as a USB-C display, they work. Switch them to 3D and the desktop gets depth, and 3D films and photos show in 3D. TRY IT FREE FIRST Your free trial starts when you first connect a screen — not when you install — so no trial time is wasted waiting for your glasses to arrive. After that, one purchase makes it yours forever: $39.99 at the launch price, down from $49.99 (or $24.99/year, cancel anytime). Your setup, your signed-in apps and your files always remain yours. THE HONEST LIST We're a small shop and we'd rather tell you up front: Apple TV+ won't play in the browser (a service choice, not an iOS limit — Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Prime Video, Apple Music and Plex all play fine); copy/paste works best with a Bluetooth keyboard (⌘C/⌘V); other apps' iOS notifications can't appear on the desktop; a Bluetooth mouse needs a one-time AssistiveTouch setup, and typing in Mouse Mode wants a Bluetooth keyboard (iOS hides the touch keyboard while a mouse is connected). The spoken greeting is English only. And in a car, AnyScreen is for passengers and parked use only — never while driving. Feature requests are voted on publicly at bytenine.com — the board genuinely drives the roadmap. No ads. No tracking. No account required. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

External Display Desktop

Browse the web, watch videos, and work on an external display using your iPhone. Enjoy full-resolution browsing, file management, and even video calls with camera and microphone support. It offers a desktop-like experience with mouse and keyboard compatibility, and a privacy-focused design with an integrated ad-blocker.

Highlights
  • Full-resolution browsing on external displays
  • Full-screen video playback
  • PDF and file opening in tabs
  • Camera and microphone support for calls
  • Mouse and keyboard support
  • Floating, resizable tabs
  • Integrated ad-blocker
Features
Read full description

XeOS is the leading and most acclaimed desktop mode experience for iPhone, iPad, and the new iPhone Duo. Browse the web on a second screen, watch videos full-screen, work or study on your external monitor, TV, or projector powered only by your iPhone/iPad. Browse at full resolution, remove black bars, open PDFs and files in tabs, join calls with camera and microphone support, and enjoy a better iPhone/iPad extended display experience. • Full-resolution browsing on your external display from iPhone/iPad • Remove black bars for a cleaner full-screen view • Open PDFs and files in browser tabs • Download files directly from the browser • Watch YouTube and online video in full screen • Camera and microphone support for calls and meetings • Mouse and keyboard support for a desktop-like setup • Multitask with floating tabs - resize and reposition them anywhere on the screen • Use the on-screen trackpad when you don't have a mouse with you • Use the on-screen keyboard when you don't have a keyboard with you • More flexible iPhone/iPad external monitor to use anywhere • Enjoy a better iPhone/iPad to external monitor experience • Use iPhone/iPad extend display for work, travel, and entertainment • Privacy-focused by design, with no server account or remote processing; your browsing session, files, and activity stay on your device • Integrated ad-blocker disables many known intrusive trackers and ads • Built on Safari and iOS security standards, with proper system permissions IMPORTANT: This app works only with iPhone/iPads supporting video output when connecting via cable or adapter! Most iPhone/iPads support it, except the Air and E models, but check your iPhone/iPad's compatibility! The app works with some iPads but we advise you to use the free trial to test it with your model first! If wired connection doesn't work for your model try the wireless mode via AirPlay. The app's onboarding guides your through connecting all peripherals and your external monitor. If you encounter any issues or need help please contact support in the app. IMPORTANT: Note that the app has a few minor limitations. Due to browser engine security restrictions, users may be unable to interact with remote iframes in certain situations. When this happens, the app provides a button to temporarily switch to the phone layout, allowing you to complete the required action. Afterward, you can return to the fullscreen, black-bar-free experience. By using this app, you agree to Apple's Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

PXS External Screen Desktop4 screens
External Display Desktop4 screens

Verdict

The call

PXS External Screen Desktop and External Display Desktop both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of PXS External Screen Desktop's written reviews are positive against 61% of External Display Desktop's. External Display Desktop's advantage is ratings volume (19 vs 5). 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. PXS External Screen Desktop sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and External Display Desktop sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for PXS External Screen Desktop against 4.2 for External Display Desktop. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5 and 19 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of PXS External Screen Desktop's written reviews are positive against 61% of External Display Desktop's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PXS External Screen Desktop ships an update every 3 days, External Display Desktop every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PXS External Screen Desktop versus External Display Desktop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPXS External Screen DesktopExternal Display Desktop
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (5 ratings)4.2 (19 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better60.7% of reviews
Number of ratings519 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size207 MB82 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperbyteNine ASMarian-Daniel Filipovici

Customer experience

PXS External Screen Desktop

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

External Display Desktop

All ratings19 ratings
Positive84.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.8%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive60.7%
Neutral7.1%
Negative32.1%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

PXS External Screen Desktop

Subscriptions2
  • PXS Pro — Monthly$6.991 Month
  • PXS Pro — Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • PXS Pro — Lifetime$39.99
3 purchases

External Display Desktop

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Yearly$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$34.99

Questions

Is PXS External Screen Desktop free?
PXS External Screen Desktop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is External Display Desktop free?
External Display Desktop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PXS External Screen Desktop or External Display Desktop?
PXS External Screen Desktop and External Display Desktop are both rated 4.2 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 19 ratings respectively.
Do PXS External Screen Desktop or External Display Desktop have ads?
Neither PXS External Screen Desktop nor External Display Desktop shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PXS External Screen Desktop or External Display Desktop?
PXS External Screen Desktop ships an update every 3 days, and External Display Desktop every 2 days. Most recently, PXS External Screen Desktop was updated on October 30, 2026 and External Display Desktop on October 31, 2026.

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