Comparison

Portable Dev vs Caret

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

Head to head
About

Portable Dev

This app provides a full software development environment on your phone, connecting to your computer for code execution. It integrates AI for coding assistance, GitHub, and testing, allowing you to build and manage projects from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Remote code execution on your computer
  • AI-powered coding assistance
  • GitHub repository management
  • Live localhost servers
  • Automated Playwright testing
  • AI-generated assets
Features
Read full description

Computer, meet Phone. Start Portable.dev on your machine, install on iOS, and get a dedicated drop-in replacement for Claude /remote-control. Free, open-source, batteries included. Works with your Claude Code, and your data never touches our servers. RUNS ON YOUR OWN COMPUTER • Install the free Portable launcher on your Mac, Windows, or Linux machine • Scan a QR code once to pair your phone • Your code, your repos, and your toolchain stay on your machine • Pick up on your phone exactly where you left off at your desk BRING YOUR OWN CLAUDE • Connect your own Claude (Anthropic) account — your subscription or API key • No extra fees and no Portable subscription — the app is free • AI calls go straight from your machine to Claude POWERED BY CLAUDE AI • Multi-turn AI conversations for complex coding tasks • Claude understands your entire codebase and project context • Natural-language commands to write, refactor, and debug code • Voice input for hands-free coding on the go COMPLETE GITHUB INTEGRATION • Browse repositories, branches, issues, and pull requests • Create and review PRs with AI assistance • Monitor CI/CD pipelines and workflow runs • Manage issues and project boards • Connect with your own GitHub account A REAL DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT • Live localhost servers with shareable public tunnel URLs • Install dependencies and run real build commands • Use the full toolchain already on your machine (Docker, package managers, CLIs) • Multi-repository workspace, persistent across sessions AI-POWERED BROWSER TESTING • Automated Playwright testing driven by AI • Step-by-step • Debug visual issues directly from your phone ASSET PIPELINE • AI-generated images and videos • Iterate on media assets with natural language • Drop assets BUILT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPERS Portable isn't just for quick fixes. It's a complete development environment for engineers shipping production code every day • Works with any framework: React, Next.js, Node.js,Python, and more • Supports monorepos and microservices architectures • Seamless desing • Your work syncs through GitHub and your own machine PERFECT FOR • Quick bug fixes and code reviews on the go • Keeping projects moving during commutes • Exploring an • Pair programming with AI when you're stuck on a problem GETTING STARTED 1. Install the free Portable launcher on your computer 2. Run it and 3. Start building — from anywhere Terms of Use: https://app.portable.dev/tos.html Privacy Policy: https://app.portable.dev/privacy-policy.html

About

Caret

A native server console for developers and sysadmins to connect to Linux boxes via SSH. Manage AI coding agents, monitor server performance, and interact with Docker containers. Features include a full terminal, SFTP file manager, and an optional AI assistant.

Highlights
  • Full SSH terminal with VT/xterm engine
  • Live server monitoring dashboard (CPU, memory, disk)
  • Docker container management and deployment
  • SFTP file manager with text file editing
  • AI coding agent management
  • Snippets and quick command execution
  • Secure credential management with Keychain/Keystore
Features
Read full description

Caret is a fast, native server console for developers and sysadmins. Connect to any Linux box over SSH from your iPhone, iPad or Mac — no agent on the server, no cloud middleman, no account required. — HERD YOUR AI CODING AGENTS — Run Claude or Codex agents on your own servers and manage them all from one inbox, grouped by status — working, waiting on you, or done. Read an agent's latest output, reply, review its exact code changes as a git diff, then drop into its terminal. Agents keep running even when the app is closed. — FULL SSH TERMINAL — A real interactive terminal powered by a complete VT/xterm engine. Run vim, htop, tail, or any program. Multiple tabs per server, automatic reconnection, and a mobile shortcut bar for Ctrl, Esc, arrows and pipes. Attach to tmux or zellij, forward local and remote ports, and pick from 17 themes. — LIVE MONITORING DASHBOARD — Watch CPU, memory, swap, disk, network and load average update in real time, with smooth on-device history. The Status screen aggregates every server into one board; tap through for per-core breakdowns, top processes and host details. Pull real server-side history from the host's own sar/sysstat records — even for time while the app was closed. Metrics come from reading /proc over SSH — nothing to install. Linux and macOS hosts. — DOCKER, EVERYWHERE — List containers across all your hosts at once, with live CPU, memory and network usage. Start, stop, restart, inspect and follow logs in real time. Build reusable Pod templates — a graphical docker run, or a Compose stack — and deploy them to any set of servers in one tap. — SFTP FILE MANAGER — Browse the remote filesystem, upload and download with live progress, and create, rename, move, compress or delete files and folders. Preview and edit text files right on the server. On Mac, drag files between servers or straight to and from Finder. — SNIPPETS & QUICK RUN — Keep go-to commands one tap away, and fire one command across many servers at once — with saved history of every run. — ASK AI, BRING YOUR OWN KEY — An optional AI assistant, one tap from any screen, that already knows what you're looking at — your metrics, containers, files or terminal. Ask what a process does, why load is spiking, or how to fix an error. Bring your own OpenAI, Anthropic or Gemini key; it stays in the Keychain and talks to the provider directly, with no Caret server in between. — KEYS, JUMP HOSTS & SECURITY — Passwords, keys and passphrases live in the system Keychain / Keystore, never in the app database. Manage SSH keys in-app, authenticate with passwords or keys, and reach private servers through a jump host (bastion), including multi-hop chains. Add an optional Face ID / Touch ID app lock. Turn on sync and your data — including credentials — travels only through your own private iCloud or Google Drive (end-to-end encrypted on Drive). — APPLE WATCH & WIDGETS — Keep an eye on your servers without opening the app. Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets show live CPU, memory and load; on Mac the same metrics sit in the menu bar. The Apple Watch app puts a read-only status board on your wrist — refreshed even while your iPhone is in your pocket. — BUILT FOR EVERY SCREEN — One native app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. On Mac it's a true desktop app — sidebar navigation, native density, multi-window and split-pane workspaces. Light and dark themes, and 14 languages. Caret is free, with server management, monitoring and Docker built in. A Premium upgrade unlocks the SSH terminal, SFTP editing, AI coding agents, the Ask AI assistant, server-side history, jump hosts, port forwarding and cloud sync — monthly, yearly or a one-time lifetime purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://zobubo.com/docs/caret/Privacy-Policy/

Screenshots

Portable Dev4 screens
Caret4 screens

Verdict

The call

Portable Dev and Caret both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Caret's written reviews are positive against 50% of Portable Dev's. Caret also leads on chart position (#192 vs unranked) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Portable Dev sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $34.99 per month and Caret sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Portable Dev against 5.0 for Caret. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Caret has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Portable Dev's written reviews are positive against 100% of Caret's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Portable Dev ships an update every 2 days, Caret every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Portable Dev versus Caret: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPortable DevCaret
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings16 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank—#192 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVolter AI成杰 于

Customer experience

Portable Dev

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Caret

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Portable Dev

Subscriptions1
  • Portable Pro Monthly$34.991 Month
3 purchases

Caret

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)$1.991 Month
  • Premium (Yearly)$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium (Lifetime)$14.99

Questions

Is Portable Dev free?
Portable Dev is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Caret free?
Caret is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Portable Dev or Caret?
Portable Dev and Caret are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 6 ratings respectively.
Do Portable Dev or Caret have ads?
Neither Portable Dev nor Caret shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Portable Dev or Caret?
Portable Dev ships an update every 2 days, and Caret every 3 days. Most recently, Portable Dev was updated on September 21, 2026 and Caret on September 19, 2026.

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