Comparison

AFK vs Anvil

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

Head to head
About

AFK

Features
Read full description

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

Anvil

Features
Read full description

Anvil is a pocket-sized toolbox of 17 everyday developer utilities. Every tool processes its input on your device. No account, no ads, no tracking, and no app backend. FORMAT & DECODE • JSON Formatter — beautify, minify, validate • Base64 — encode / decode text • URL — percent-encode / decode • JWT Decoder — inspect header & payload (local only) GENERATE • UUID — batch v4 identifiers • Hash — MD5 / SHA-1 / SHA-256 / SHA-512 • Random String — passwords & tokens • QR Code — share or save CONVERT • Number Base — bin / oct / dec / hex • Unix Time — epoch ↔ human date • Cron — explain expressions • Unicode — text ↔ \u escapes TEXT • Regex Tester — live matches & groups • Text Diff — compare two snippets • Case Converter — camel / snake / kebab … • Text Analyzer — characters, words, lines • List Comparer — intersection, union & diff SMART PASTE Copy something, open Anvil, and it points you to the right tool with your content already filled in. PRIVACY FIRST Tool inputs are processed on-device and are never uploaded. Anvil has no account, ads, analytics, or app backend. Optional Pro purchase and restore use Apple StoreKit. ANVIL PRO — one-time unlock, no subscription • Share Extension — run tools on text shared from any app • Shortcuts & Siri • Clipboard History • Optional Smart Paste auto-open (off by default) One-time purchase, no subscription.

Screenshots

AFK4 screens
Anvil4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AFK at none against Anvil's 1. Anvil's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Anvil sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AFK asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AFK ships an update fortnightly, Anvil every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
AFK versus Anvil: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAFKAnvil
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTapan Thakerę­¦ę±‰å›žåˆ°ęœŖę„ē§‘ęŠ€ęœ‰é™å…¬åø

In-app purchases

None

AFK

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Anvil

One-time1
  • Anvil Pro$4.99

Questions

Is AFK free?
AFK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Anvil free?
Anvil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AFK or Anvil have ads?
Neither AFK nor Anvil shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AFK or Anvil?
AFK ships an update fortnightly, and Anvil every 6 days. Most recently, AFK was updated on October 8, 2026 and Anvil on September 30, 2026.

Other comparisons