LilDisplay vs External Display Desktop
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LilDisplay
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LilDisplay — Turn your iPhone or iPad into a touchscreen Mac display Give your Mac a second screen you can actually touch — and control. No extra hardware, no subscriptions. Just your device, a free Mac app, and you're set. Blazing-fast — USB for 5–10ms latency, or Wi-Fi for wireless freedom. Touch your Mac — Tap, scroll, and drag right on screen. Take full control — Use your iPhone or iPad as a keyboard and mouse for your Mac. Even run it lid-closed, with your device as the only controller. A true external display — Extend your desktop and run fullscreen apps. Works everywhere — iPhone and iPad, back to iOS 15. Download the free Mac app at lildisplay.app Requires iOS/iPadOS 15+ and macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: External Display Desktop at every 2 days against LilDisplay's every 2 months. LilDisplay's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). 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
Both are free to download. LilDisplay sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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.
LilDisplay ships an update every 2 months, External Display Desktop every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LilDisplay | External Display Desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.3 (16 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 60.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 16 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 79 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Saeed Garmeh | Marian-Daniel Filipovici |
In-app purchases
LilDisplay
- Full Version$0.99
External Display Desktop
- Weekly7 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Yearly$14.991 Year
- Lifetime$29.99
Questions
Is LilDisplay free?
Is External Display Desktop free?
Do LilDisplay or External Display Desktop have ads?
Which is updated more often, LilDisplay or External Display Desktop?
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