Comparison

AFK vs Forge Remote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AFK

Features
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Move your AI coding sessions from desktop to phone without SSH, VPNs, or exposing your computer to the internet. AFK streams your live terminal session to your iPhone over outbound WebSockets, so it works in most restricted networks where inbound SSH or remote desktop setups are blocked. Use Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, or any terminal command on your computer. When you step away, AFK keeps the same session in your pocket so you can monitor progress, approve prompts, type replies, and steer the work from anywhere. Try AFK instantly with the free live demo, or connect your own machine in minutes. WHY DEVELOPERS USE AFK AI coding agents can work for hours, but they still need you for tool approvals, error decisions, direction changes, and quick replies. AFK keeps your agent moving without keeping you at your desk. - Start work on desktop and continue from iPhone - Watch terminal sessions live with GPU-accelerated rendering - Approve prompts and tool calls remotely - Type commands or use precision voice input - Get mobile alerts when your agent needs attention - Works without SSH, VPNs, port forwarding, or remote desktop HOW IT WORKS 1. Install the AFK CLI on your machine 2. Run your agent or terminal command with AFK 3. Open the iPhone app 4. Monitor, approve, and respond from anywhere AFK uses outbound WebSocket streaming, so your computer does not need to accept inbound connections. No router changes. No public ports. No messy network setup. BUILT FOR AI CODING WORKFLOWS AFK works with any terminal command, and is designed for modern AI-assisted development: - Claude Code - OpenAI Codex - Gemini CLI - OpenCode - Custom scripts and long-running CLI tools REAL-TIME TERMINAL STREAMING - Low-latency WebSocket streaming - GPU-accelerated terminal rendering with Metal - Full bidirectional I/O - Automatic terminal resize - Push notifications for agent activity - Smooth terminal experience on mobile SECURE BY DESIGN Your terminal data is end-to-end encrypted. The backend acts as a relay and cannot read your session contents. - End-to-end encrypted terminal streams - X25519 key exchange - AES-256-GCM encryption - TLS 1.3 for transport security FREE TO START Free: - 2 concurrent sessions - End-to-end encryption - 20 voice commands per month Pro: - Unlimited sessions - Unlimited precision voice input - Push notifications when your AI agent needs input - Priority support Start with a 7-day free Pro trial. Refer 3 friends to earn a free month of Pro. AFK is built by Thaker Innovations. Website: https://getafk.dev Support: https://getafk.dev/support Privacy Policy: https://getafk.dev/legal/privacy Terms of Service: https://getafk.dev/legal/terms

About

Forge Remote

Features
Read full description

Forge Remote is the mobile command center for AI coding agents. Connect to Claude Code, Aider, or Codex CLI sessions running on your desktop and take full control from your phone. Monitor Sessions in Real Time Watch your AI agent work โ€” every message, tool call, and file change streams to your phone instantly. See exactly what Claude is reading, writing, and executing. Approve Permissions Instantly Get a push notification the moment your agent needs permission. See the risk level (Low/Medium/High/Critical), review the command, and approve or deny with one tap โ€” from anywhere. Send Prompts & Follow-ups Send new prompts or follow-up instructions while your agent is working. No need to be at your desk. Build & Deploy From Your Phone Build iOS, Android, and web apps with one tap. Deploy to Firebase Hosting for instant web previews or distribute test builds to your team via Firebase App Distribution. Git Integration View branch status, changed files, and unified diffs. Create commits and pull requests directly from your phone. MCP Marketplace Browse and install MCP tools for Claude Code with one tap. Manage your configuration from mobile. RPG Character System Choose from 6 character classes โ€” Forge Knight, Architect, Shadow Script, Artificer, Elementalist, or Chronomancer. Earn XP every time your agent completes a task. Level up, evolve at level 25, and switch classes while keeping your progress. Your Data, Your Firebase Forge Remote runs on your own Firebase project (BYOF). Your code, prompts, and session data never touch our servers. You own everything. Free Features: 1 paired desktop Real-time session monitoring Permission approvals with risk scoring Send prompts and follow-ups Git status and diffs Build and deploy MCP marketplace Pro Features ($9.99/mo or $99.99/yr): Unlimited paired desktops Character progression and class switching Session history and search Scheduled sessions Webhook integrations Custom notification rules Priority support

Screenshots

AFK4 screens
Forge Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AFK at none against Forge Remote's 2. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Forge Remote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. AFK asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
AFK versus Forge Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAFKForge Remote
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.016.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size36 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTapan ThakerDaniel Wendel

In-app purchases

None

AFK

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Forge Remote

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$99.991 Year

Questions

Is AFK free?
AFK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Forge Remote free?
Forge Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AFK or Forge Remote have ads?
Neither AFK nor Forge Remote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AFK or Forge Remote?
AFK ships an update fortnightly, and Forge Remote fortnightly. Most recently, AFK was updated on October 8, 2026 and Forge Remote on October 9, 2026.

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