Astropad Workbench vs Deflector ◇
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's desktop and terminal remotely from your iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. Monitor AI agents, run applications, and use voice input or Apple Pencil for precise control. Connect instantly without complex network configurations.
- Remote desktop and terminal access
- Unified display across devices
- Headless Mac support
- Voice input for commands
- Apple Pencil and keyboard support
- No-hassle, secure connections
- Fast, high-fidelity streaming
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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
Deflector ◇
Create custom buttons for your iPhone's Dynamic Island, Lock Screen, and Apple Watch to trigger any shortcut. On specific Japanese iPhones, utilize the Side Button for voice assistant shortcuts. Requires initial setup within the Shortcuts app.
- Dynamic Island shortcut buttons
- Lock Screen shortcut buttons
- Apple Watch shortcut buttons
- Voice assistant shortcuts (Japan)
- Shortcuts app integration
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With Deflector, you can add buttons to the Dynamic Island, Lock Screen and Apple Watch to run any shortcut. On supported iPhones in Japan, you can use your preferred voice assistant using shortcuts with the Side Button. To use Deflector, you need to set up an automation in the Shortcuts app. The automation is available within the app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Astropad Workbench at 4.8 against Deflector ◇'s 4.0. Astropad Workbench also leads on ratings volume (225 vs 2). Deflector ◇'s advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 59%) and monetization model (free vs freemium). On price, update cadence, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Astropad Workbench holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Astropad Workbench has 225 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Astropad Workbench's written reviews are positive against 100% of Deflector ◇'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Astropad Workbench ships an update every 3 weeks, Deflector ◇ every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 13, 2026.
| Parameter | Astropad Workbench | Deflector ◇ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (225 ratings) — better | 4.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 59.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 225 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 — better | 27.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 49 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Astro HQ | Cizzuk Shihu |
Customer experience
Astropad Workbench
Deflector ◇
In-app purchases
Astropad Workbench
No in-app purchases
Deflector ◇
No in-app purchases








