Astropad Workbench vs Remio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Astropad Workbench
Access and control your Mac remotely from your iPhone or iPad. Manage your machine, run desktop applications, and monitor tasks from anywhere with a high-performance, secure connection.
- Real-time Mac control
- Voice dictation to Mac
- Unified multi-display workspace
- Apple Pencil cursor control
- Hassle-free network connections
- End-to-end encrypted sessions
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Access and control your Mac from anywhere, with full remote desktop and built-in terminal. Workbench connects you to your Mac from your iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. Check in on AI agents and long-running jobs, run desktop apps, or drop into the command line without being tethered to your desk. ——— KEY FEATURES Desktop and terminal: Switch between your Mac's full desktop and a terminal right from the toolbar. Terminal sessions keep running after you disconnect, so you can pick up where you left off on another device. Unified display: Combine your Mac's displays into one screen that matches your device's resolution. Headless Mac support: Run a Mac mini with no monitor attached. Workbench gives it a virtual display and manages sleep settings so it's always reachable. Voice input: Dictate prompts and commands from your iPhone or iPad, on the desktop or in the terminal. Apple Pencil and keyboard support: Use your Apple Pencil for precise cursor control in Mac apps, and your keyboard to type and trigger shortcuts. No-hassle connections: Connect instantly without port forwarding, VPNs, or router configuration. Fast, high-fidelity streaming: Interact with your Mac in real time with responsive controls and sharp visuals. Secure by design: Sessions are protected with end-to-end AES-256 encryption, and Astropad can't see your screen or activity. Built for Apple devices: Workbench uses fully native apps built specifically for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. ——— DESIGNED FOR AI AGENT WORKFLOWS Your agents don't stop when you leave your desk. Workbench lets you monitor progress, fix issues, and restart jobs from wherever you are. It's just as useful for checking on tools and software that don't have a mobile app. ——— BUILT BY EX-APPLE ENGINEERS From the team behind Astropad Studio and Luna Display, Workbench delivers fast, responsive control with crisp visuals and reliable performance on any network. ——— PRICING Workbench includes a Free plan with 20 minutes of access per day. Upgrade to Unlimited for uninterrupted access (subscription required). ——— SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Mac: macOS 15 or later iPhone: iOS 26 or later iPad: iPadOS 26 or later
Remio
Control your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer from your iPhone or iPad with a high-performance remote desktop experience. Enjoy seamless connectivity, intuitive touch controls, and the ability to use your device as a second screen for your computer. It offers secure, end-to-end encrypted connections for remote access and support.
- Remote PC, Mac, and Linux control
- High-performance streaming (6K, 120 FPS)
- Intuitive touch and trackpad modes
- Use device as a second screen
- Secure end-to-end encryption
- Remote support capabilities
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Remio is a free remote desktop app for iPhone and iPad: control your Mac, Windows PC or Linux computer from your phone or tablet, at home or over the internet, up to 6K at 120 FPS. Every touch lands right away and text stays crisp — it feels like you're sitting at your computer. Free at home or at work: no time limit, no ads, no card to enter. ▸ CONNECT IN SECONDS Install the free Remio Host on your computer, then scan its QR code or type its Device ID and PIN. No account, no router setup — on the same Wi‑Fi or from anywhere. ▸ REMOTE SUPPORT WITH AN INVITATION Help a friend or family member with their computer, or get help on yours. Invite someone to a computer on your account for 1, 8 or 24 hours, choose what they can do — control, clipboard, files, sound — and revoke it any time. Nobody gets in until you say yes on the computer. Got a code? Join with it from Pair. ▸ FEELS LIKE YOUR MACHINE • The remote desktop reshapes itself to your screen, pixel-perfect, and follows when you rotate • A dedicated virtual display sized exactly to your device, not a squeezed copy of the host's monitor • Up to 6K at 120 FPS with hardware H.265, and about 8 ms of processing latency on your local network • HDR from a Mac with Apple silicon or a Windows PC, on an iPhone or iPad with an HDR screen • Close the MacBook lid and keep working — no dummy HDMI dongle ▸ TOUCH THAT MAKES SENSE • Trackpad mode turns your screen into a precision trackpad — a remote mouse and keyboard for your computer. Direct Touch lets you tap exactly where you see it. • Tap to click, two-finger tap to right-click, scroll, pinch to zoom, press and hold to drag, three-finger swipes between desktops and into Mission Control • The on-screen keyboard never covers what you type, and shortcuts carry through — with a real Windows key • Apple Pencil, a keyboard and trackpad on iPad, or your controller to play PC games ▸ A SECOND SCREEN FOR YOUR COMPUTER Make your iPhone or iPad an extra display for your Mac, Windows PC or Linux computer and move windows over to it. It extends your desktop instead of copying it, straight between your devices — never through a relay or Remio's servers. On Linux it needs GNOME or X11; away from your own network, the latest Remio Host. ▸ BUILT FOR IPHONE DUO Fold it halfway and it's a mini laptop — your computer on top, the keyboard below the hinge. ▸ EVERYTHING WITHIN REACH One board holds the keyboard, zoom, volume, files, apps, displays and settings, arranged your way. Hear your computer's sound, copy on one device and paste on the other, send files to your computer, type your clipboard into sign-in screens that block paste, pick which screen to view, and blank or lock the computer's screen. Picture in Picture keeps your computer in view, and your session stays on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. ▸ PRIVATE BY DESIGN Video, audio, input, clipboard and files are encrypted end to end. A direct peer-to-peer connection by default; an encrypted relay only when your network needs it. No ads, no data brokers, nothing on your screen is logged. ▸ QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK Can I control my Mac from my iPhone? Yes — or a Windows 11 or 10 PC (Home included) or a Linux computer, from any iPhone or iPad. Does it work on a different network? Yes — at home, at work or on cellular, without opening ports on your router. Is Remio really free? Yes — free to use, with no time limit and no ads. Do I need an account? No — pair with a QR code, or the Device ID and PIN. Can I use my iPad as a second monitor for Windows? Yes — for a Windows PC, a Mac or a Linux computer. Is it safe? Yes — everything is encrypted end to end, and only devices you've paired, or a guest you let in, can connect. ▸ WORKS WITH YOUR COMPUTERS Remio Host — free at remio.net — runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. Remio also runs on Mac, Windows PCs, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro. Terms of Use: https://remio.net/terms Privacy Policy: https://remio.net/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
Astropad Workbench and Remio both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Remio's written reviews are positive against 60% of Astropad Workbench's. Remio also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks) and device support (4 vs 2). Astropad Workbench's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (217 vs 27). On price, rating, ads 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. Remio sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Astropad Workbench asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Astropad Workbench against 4.8 for Remio. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astropad Workbench has 217 ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Astropad Workbench's written reviews are positive against 100% of Remio's.
Astropad Workbench ships an update every 3 weeks, Remio every 3 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Astropad Workbench | Remio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (217 ratings) — better | 4.8 (27 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 217 — better | 27 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 18.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 82 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Astro HQ | Long Ngo Huynh |
Customer experience
Astropad Workbench
Remio
In-app purchases
Astropad Workbench
No in-app purchases
Remio
- Remio Pro7 Days trial$1.991 Month








