Astropad Workbench vs iTerm2 Buddy

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

iTerm2 Buddy connects your iPhone or iPad to iTerm2, the popular terminal for macOS. Once paired with your Mac, it lets you keep an eye on your terminal and act on it from the couch or on the go. REQUIRES A MAC iTerm2 Buddy is a companion app. It works only after pairing with iTerm2 and the free companion plugin on your Mac. Pairing takes a few seconds: your Mac shows a QR code, you scan it, and confirm a short code on both devices. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Live terminal: watch a session update in real time, exactly as it looks on your Mac, including colors, inline images, and full-screen apps like vim, htop, and less. - Type and control: bring up a keyboard with the terminal keys you need (Esc, Control-C, Tab, arrows, function keys) and send input to a session. A composer lets you write longer commands and send them all at once. - Chat with an AI agent: message an assistant that runs on your Mac and can act on your sessions, open windows, run commands, review changes, and report back. Approve sensitive actions right from your phone. - Notifications: get a push when the agent replies or needs your approval, so you can step away and return when it matters. - Voice input: dictate messages with on-device transcription. Your audio never leaves your phone. PRIVACY AND SECURITY Terminal content shared between your Mac and your phone is end-to-end encrypted with the Noise protocol, so only your own devices can read it. There is no account and no advertising, and the app includes no third-party tracking. FREE iTerm2 and iTerm2 Buddy are free.