Comparison

AFK vs CC Blackbox

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

CC Blackbox

Monitor and control your AI coding sessions running on your Mac from your iPhone. See live session activity, read conversations, and send prompts remotely. Ensures end-to-end encryption for your code and prompts.

Highlights
  • Monitor live AI coding sessions
  • Read conversations and tool details
  • Send prompts via typing or dictation
  • Answer permission requests
  • Interrupt or stop sessions
  • Pair with up to five Macs
  • End-to-end encryption
Features
Read full description

CC Blackbox is the iPhone companion to the CC Blackbox desktop app for Mac. Watch and steer the AI coding sessions already running in your local IDE, from anywhere. See every live session at a glance and know which ones need you. Read the conversation as it happens, including what the assistant says between tool calls, with full tool detail and edit diffs a tap away. Send the next prompt by typing or dictation, answer permission requests, interrupt a turn, or stop a session outright. A built-in status strip shows the model and context usage for every session you watch. Pair with your Mac by scanning a QR code. Pair up to five Macs and watch them all from one phone. Push notifications reach you when a session is waiting on you, even with the phone locked. Everything is end-to-end encrypted between your phone and your Mac. The relay that connects them sees only encrypted bytes; your sessions, prompts, and code never leave your machines readable. Requires the free CC Blackbox app on your Mac, a personal IDE made specifically to work with Claude Code. No account, no sign-up. A built-in demo mode lets you explore the app before pairing.

Screenshots

AFK4 screens
CC Blackbox4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: CC Blackbox at every 2 days against AFK's fortnightly. AFK's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AFK ships an update fortnightly, CC Blackbox every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
AFK versus CC Blackbox: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAFKCC Blackbox
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTapan ThakerScott Rippey

In-app purchases

None

AFK

No in-app purchases

None

CC Blackbox

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AFK free?
AFK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CC Blackbox free?
CC Blackbox is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do AFK or CC Blackbox have ads?
Neither AFK nor CC Blackbox shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AFK or CC Blackbox?
AFK ships an update fortnightly, and CC Blackbox every 2 days. Most recently, AFK was updated on October 8, 2026 and CC Blackbox on October 1, 2026.

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