Comparison

AFK Remote vs Cmux Remote

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

Head to head
About

AFK Remote

Features
Read full description

AFK is a remote desktop app that connects your iPhone to your Mac — built specifically for AI-assisted development. Modern coding is about directing AI agents, reviewing their output, and verifying results. AFK lets you do this from anywhere: your couch, your bed, or your favorite coffee shop. HOW IT WORKS 1. Install the free macOS companion app (AFK Host) 2. Pair your iPhone once 3. Connect anytime over WiFi or cellular 4. Voice-command your AI tools and watch the magic happen VOICE-FIRST DESIGN Typing prompts on a phone keyboard is painful. AFK uses push-to-talk voice input optimized for natural language instructions. Just hold, speak your command, and release. Your words go straight to Claude Code, Cursor, or any AI tool you're using. INSTANT WINDOW SWITCHING Vibe coding means jumping between apps — terminal, browser, simulator, diff viewer. AFK gives you quick-switch buttons to instantly focus the window you need. No squinting at a shrunken desktop or hunting for tiny window edges. LOW LATENCY STREAMING WebRTC peer-to-peer connection means everything feels immediate. Scrolling, tapping, voice — no lag, no stutter. Works great on WiFi and surprisingly well on cellular. YOUR REAL ENVIRONMENT This isn't a sandboxed cloud IDE. It's your actual Mac — your configs, your tools, your local databases, your running services. Everything you've set up, accessible from your pocket. WORKS WITH ANY AI TOOL • Claude Code • Cursor • GitHub Copilot • Windsurf • Aider • VS Code • Xcode • Terminal • Any app on your Mac FEATURES • Push-to-talk voice transcription • Touch-optimized virtual keyboard • Sticky modifier keys (Cmd, Option, Control) • Customizable shortcut grid • Smart window management • Paste from iOS clipboard • Gesture support • Secure device pairing • No account required REQUIREMENTS • macOS companion app (AFK Host) - free download from afk.dev • Works over any network after pairing PRIVACY AFK remote access directly and encrypted to your Mac with no servers in between. Device credentials are stored securely. Perfect for developers who want to stay productive without being chained to their desk. Code review from the couch. Run tests from the kitchen. Ship features from anywhere.

About

Cmux Remote

Control your cmux terminal sessions remotely from your mobile device. Interact with running processes, manage workspaces, and send commands securely over your private network. Ideal for developers who need to monitor or control their development machines while away from their desk.

Highlights
  • Live cmux surface mirroring
  • Keyboard accessory controls
  • Mouse passthrough support
  • Local notifications
  • Workspace and surface switching
  • Pinch-to-zoom font sizing
Features
Read full description

Cmux Remote is a private remote-control client for the cmux terminal multiplexer running on your own computer. Connect over your Tailscale network — your traffic never touches a third-party relay. WHAT IT IS Cmux (https://cmux.com) is a modern terminal multiplexer with native splits, workspaces, and rich integrations for AI agents like Claude Code, Codex, omx, and Cursor. Cmux Remote mirrors the cmux surface you choose, lets you type into it, send keys, manage workspaces, upload photos and documents, preview images, and receive notifications — all from this mobile app. WHO IT IS FOR - Developers who run long-lived agents such as Claude Code, Codex, and omx and want to check or control them away from their desk - People who access their own development machine remotely and want a focused terminal experience - Anyone already using Tailscale and looking for a private way to reach their terminal HOW IT WORKS 1. Install the open-source cmux-relay binary on the computer that runs cmux. 2. Make sure that computer is connected to Tailscale. 3. Open this app, enter the computer’s Tailscale hostname, and tap Connect. 4. Your cmux workspaces appear. Select a surface and start working. The relay communicates directly with cmux through its local Unix socket. This app communicates with the relay over a WireGuard-encrypted Tailscale tunnel. Nothing leaves your private network. FEATURES - Performance-tuned live mirroring of cmux terminal surfaces with Korean/CJK width support, an opaque-black viewport, and ANSI truecolor - Long-press drag selection with adjustable handles and one-tap copy - Keyboard accessory controls for Esc, Enter, Tab, arrows, Ctrl-C, other Ctrl combinations, /new, and Space - Keyboard-safe command layout with automatic dismissal after sending and an inline scroll-to-bottom control - Paste text and securely upload photos or documents to Downloads/cmux-remote - Browse recent uploads and terminal-visible files with image thumbnails and a full-screen zoom viewer - Local notifications and a native Inbox for cmux events and AI-agent needs-input prompts - Create, rename, and close workspaces and switch between multiple surfaces - Connected computer battery status when provided by the relay - Pinch-to-zoom terminal font sizing - Demo Mode with populated sample data so you can try the app before setting up a relay PRIVACY No analytics. No advertising. No third-party tracking SDKs. The bearer token issued by your relay is stored only in secure credential storage on your device. Source code and privacy details: https://github.com/NewTurn2017/cmux-remote REQUIREMENTS - A personal computer running cmux 0.64 or later and cmux-relay - Both devices signed in to the same Tailscale tailnet - iOS 17 or later Cmux Remote is open source under the MIT license. Issues and pull requests are welcome.

Screenshots

AFK Remote4 screens
Cmux Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: AFK Remote at 15.0 against Cmux Remote's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AFK Remote ships an update every 2 weeks, Cmux Remote every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
AFK Remote versus Cmux Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAFK RemoteCmux Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBookhead LTDjaehyun jang

In-app purchases

None

AFK Remote

No in-app purchases

None

Cmux Remote

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AFK Remote free?
AFK Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cmux Remote free?
Cmux Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do AFK Remote or Cmux Remote have ads?
Neither AFK Remote nor Cmux Remote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AFK Remote or Cmux Remote?
AFK Remote ships an update every 2 weeks, and Cmux Remote every 11 days. Most recently, AFK Remote was updated on October 28, 2026 and Cmux Remote on October 31, 2026.

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