DeskState vs Desktop Mode OS
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/
Desktop Mode OS
Transform your iPhone into a powerful desktop workstation, extending its capabilities to external displays like AR glasses, monitors, or TVs. Experience a high-performance desktop environment using your phone's native silicon, with innovative input modes for seamless interaction.
- Turn iPhone into a desktop workstation
- Extend to AR glasses, monitors, TVs
- Spatial productivity with AR glasses
- Multiple input modes: Air Mouse, Hand Tracking, Liquid Trackpad
- Connect to any display (USB-C, HDMI, AirPlay)
- Sync Assistant for webview issues
- Pin frequently used sessions to dock
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Turn your iPhone into a pro-grade desktop workstation! ProDocktive extends your iPhone to any external display — AR Glasses, Monitors, or TVs — creating a high-performance, multi-window desktop environment powered entirely by your phone. Your iPhone becomes the engine, trackpad, air mouse, and spatial hand tracker. No Mac or PC required! THE ULTIMATE AR & XR COMPANION Unlock spatial productivity with XREAL, VITURE, Rokid, and RayNeo glasses. • Infinite Real Estate: Say goodbye to simple screen mirroring. Experience a massive virtual desktop for immersive multitasking. • Privacy by Design: Work on sensitive projects in public spaces with total confidence. • Spatial Interaction: Control your desktop with futuristic Hand Tracking or Air Mouse navigation. CONNECT TO ANY DISPLAY • AR Glasses: Instant, private cinema-sized workstation. • USB-C / HDMI: Wired, zero-latency output to any monitor or TV. • AirPlay: Wireless freedom for zero-friction browsing and casting. REVOLUTIONARY INPUT MODES • Air Mouse: Point your iPhone like a laser to move the cursor with physical precision. • Hand Tracker (BETA): Use your iPhone's camera for hands-free spatial gestures. • Liquid Trackpad: Transform your screen into a premium multi-touch trackpad (scroll, swipe, pinch-to-zoom). • Bluetooth Support: Pair your favorite keyboard and mouse for a true PC feel. PRO-GRADE FEATURES & PRIVACY • Native Desktop UI: Optimized for large-scale displays and precision input. • Pin to Dock: Save frequently used web apps for lightning-fast access. • 100% On-Device: No cloud lag, no video compression. Pixel-perfect rendering using your iPhone's GPU. Requirements: iOS 18+ and compatible USB-C/HDMI adapters or AirPlay displays. Privacy Policy: https://prodocktive.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Desktop Mode OS at 71% against DeskState's 0%. Desktop Mode OS also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (24 vs 2). DeskState's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Desktop Mode OS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Desktop Mode OS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desktop Mode OS has 24 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of DeskState's written reviews are positive against 71% of Desktop Mode OS's.
DeskState ships an update every 4 days, Desktop Mode OS every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DeskState | Desktop Mode OS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 4.6 (24 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 71.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 24 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Every 6 days |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 18.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Abraham Rubio | Gautam Sukhramani |
Customer experience
DeskState
Desktop Mode OS
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
Desktop Mode OS
- Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
- Lifetime subscription$19.99
Questions
Is DeskState free?
Is Desktop Mode OS free?
Which has better reviews, DeskState or Desktop Mode OS?
Do DeskState or Desktop Mode OS have ads?
Which is updated more often, DeskState or Desktop Mode OS?
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