DeskState vs TerraNotes
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DeskState
Transform your iPhone into a focused external workspace. This app creates a windowed environment on a monitor with floating panels, keyboard/mouse support, and customizable layouts. Pin favorite web panels to maintain a consistent and efficient setup.
- External display workspace
- Floating windows
- Keyboard and mouse support
- Pin favorite web panels
- Customizable backgrounds
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iOS mirrors your iPhone with black bars. DeskState gives you a desktop instead: plug into a monitor, TV or projector and get windows, a Dock, Launchpad, Spotlight and Mission Control at the display's full resolution. Your iPhone becomes the trackpad and keyboard. A REAL DESKTOP • Windows you move, resize and snap to halves or quarters of the screen • A Dock you arrange yourself, Launchpad, Spotlight with quick sums, and Mission Control • A web browser with tabs, bookmarks, history and downloads, and any site as an app in your Dock • Notes, documents, console, calculator, focus timer and more • Your desktop remembers: windows come back where you left them YOUR IPHONE IS THE TRACKPAD • Swipe, tap, two-finger scroll, double-tap and hold to drag, three fingers for all your windows • Type with the iPhone keyboard and see what you type; arrow keys, Tab and Esc above it • Works with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse too CONNECT • iPhone 15 and later: any USB-C to HDMI cable • Earlier iPhones: Lightning Digital AV Adapter • Apple TV and AirPlay displays PLANS Your first five desktop sessions are Pro, free. After that the free plan gives you 20 minutes of desktop a day. DeskState Pro removes the limit and adds quarter snapping, a desktop for each display, themes and wallpapers, Pro tools and iCloud sync, monthly, yearly or once. Streaming services with copy protection show video only over a cable, not over AirPlay. DeskState is a desktop inside the app: it runs its own apps and websites, not other iOS apps. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
TerraNotes
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TerraNotes lets you create notes directly on maps — pin locations, draw lines and shapes, and organize everything into folders you can share with others. Whether you're planning a trip, documenting field work, tracking properties, or simply saving places that matter, TerraNotes gives you a visual, map-based way to capture spatial information. FEATURES - Drop markers, draw polylines, or outline areas with polygons on the map - Add descriptions, colors, photos, and file attachments to each note - Organize notes into color-coded folders with tags for filtering - Share folders with role-based permissions: owner, editor, or viewer - Custom styling with colors, stroke widths, and fill options - Real-time sync across all your devices - 11 languages supported - Light and dark themes GREAT FOR - Travel planning and shared itineraries - Field work and site documentation - Real estate research - Hiking, camping, and outdoor adventures - Team coordination on location-based projects Sign in with email, Google, or Apple and start mapping your world. Terms of Use: [https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: DeskState at every 4 days against TerraNotes's every 2 months. TerraNotes's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.6). On price, 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
Both are free to download. DeskState sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and TerraNotes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
DeskState ships an update every 4 days, TerraNotes every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DeskState | TerraNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 77 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Abraham Rubio | Maximilian Nocker |
In-app purchases
DeskState
- Monthly subscription$2.991 Month
- Monthly subscription$4.991 Month
- Yearly subscription7 Days trial$14.991 Year
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- Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
- Yearly subscription$24.991 Year
- Lifetime subscription$29.99
- Lifetime$59.99
TerraNotes
- TerraNotes Monthly$3.991 Month
- TerraNotes Premium Yearly$17.991 Year
Questions
Is DeskState free?
Is TerraNotes free?
Do DeskState or TerraNotes have ads?
Which is updated more often, DeskState or TerraNotes?
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