Comparison

AFK vs MadoHub

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

MadoHub

Features
Read full description

Your AI team, organized on one canvas. MadoHub is a visual AI workspace for iPhone and iPad. Brainstorm ideas, refine a draft, summarize study material, or discuss code and plans. Give each Agent its own role, instructions and conversation, then connect related tasks on your canvas. TURN IDEAS INTO NEXT STEPS Outline a plan, compare approaches, or ask another Agent to review a reply. Keep each task in its own conversation so you can return to it and build on earlier work. SEE YOUR WORK Pan and zoom the canvas. Use the Agents list to find working or idle tasks and return to their conversations. Read streaming replies with headings, lists, tables and code blocks. CONNECT TASKS Connect Agents so a completed reply can become the next task. Start with Peer Review, Pipeline or Watcher templates, then review the results and follow up where needed. ASK FROM YOUR CANVAS Open the floating MadoHub Agent for ideas and help with your workspace. Hold its button to speak, or open the full conversation to type. Speech is transcribed on your device; the resulting text is sent for AI processing after you accept the data disclosure. KEEP CONVERSATIONS Return to earlier messages and continue a task with follow-up instructions. Closing an Agent stops its work and removes it from the active canvas while preserving its history for restoration. OPTIONAL MAC COMPANION Connect a compatible Mac running MadoHub to view its desktop canvas, follow terminal output and send supported actions. A Mac is not required for the standalone iPhone and iPad workspace. ACCOUNT AND PURCHASES An internet connection, a MadoHub account and available Credits or plan allowances are required for AI tasks. Requests are processed through MadoHub Cloud. The iOS app does not require your own AI provider API key. MadoHub Pro is an auto-renewing monthly subscription. Eligible users can use the introductory offer shown in the app. You can also purchase 1,000 non-expiring Credits without a subscription. Prices, included usage and renewal terms are shown before purchase. Restore purchases in the app and manage App Store subscriptions in your device settings. Terms of Use: https://madohub.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://madohub.com/privacy

Screenshots

AFK4 screens
MadoHub4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AFK at none against MadoHub's 2. MadoHub's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. MadoHub sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per month. AFK asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AFK ships an update fortnightly, MadoHub every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
AFK versus MadoHub: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAFKMadoHub
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS17.0 โ€” better18.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size36 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTapan ThakerShanghai TacticSpace Technology Co., Ltd.

In-app purchases

None

AFK

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

MadoHub

Subscriptions1
  • Cloud Pro Monthly3 Days trial$29.991 Month
One-time1
  • 1,000 Mado Credits$11.99

Questions

Is AFK free?
AFK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MadoHub free?
MadoHub is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AFK or MadoHub have ads?
Neither AFK nor MadoHub shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AFK or MadoHub?
AFK ships an update fortnightly, and MadoHub every 5 days. Most recently, AFK was updated on October 31, 2026 and MadoHub on October 29, 2026.

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