AFK vs Octopus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
AFK
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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
Octopus
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Octopus brings Codex to iPhone and iPad. Connect to your Mac, development server, or remote workspace and keep real coding threads moving from anywhere. It is not another closed cloud IDE. Octopus is a mobile control surface for the environment you already use: connect through Codex app-server or SSH, browse workspaces, projects, and recent sessions, return to active threads, and follow Thinking, Waiting, and Ready states in real time. When an agent needs a decision, resolve approvals with Allow, Allow for Session, or Deny. Use text, voice, images, and files to add context without returning to your desk. Review automation runs, start a task again, inspect history, and jump back from notifications or Live Activities when work changes state. Built for developers who want to: ⢠Monitor AI coding agents from iPhone ⢠Resume Codex threads away from the desk ⢠Approve commands, permissions, and structured questions remotely ⢠Keep Mac, server, workspace, and thread context organized ⢠Dictate quick prompts, bug notes, and test results by voice Key features: ⢠Codex app-server and SSH connections ⢠Server, project, thread, and recent session management ⢠Runtime status, notifications, and Live Activity deep links ⢠Approval cards for command and permission decisions ⢠Markdown messages, tool results, image input, and file context ⢠Automation list, run-now actions, and run history ⢠SSH host fingerprint confirmation and credentials stored in device Keychain ⢠Octopus turns your phone into a second development screen, so you can stay close to the code even when you step away from the keyboard. Subscription Legal Links: ⢠Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ⢠Privacy Policy: https://velocai.net/octopus/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Octopus at every 5 days against AFK's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
AFK ships an update fortnightly, Octopus every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AFK | Octopus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 5 days ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad ā better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 ā better | 17.6 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 36 MB | 67 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tapan Thaker | VelocAI LTD |
In-app purchases
AFK
No in-app purchases
Octopus
No in-app purchases









