Comparison

Desk Remote vs Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard

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

Head to head
About

Desk Remote

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Turn your iPhone into a wireless trackpad and keyboard for your Mac. Move the cursor, type, control media, switch apps, and more — all without getting up. REQUIRES THE FREE MAC APP Desk Remote comes in two parts. This app runs on your iPhone; the free Desk Remote for Mac companion app runs on your Mac. Open Desk Remote on your iPhone and tap "Send link to my Mac" — the download link goes straight to your computer by AirDrop, Messages or Mail. Get the Mac app: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6758866900 With both installed, the two find each other over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth with zero configuration. Just open the app, tap your Mac, and start controlling. TRACKPAD • Single finger — move the cursor • Two fingers — scroll • Tap — left click • Double tap — double click • Two-finger tap — right click • Long press + drag — click and drag • Pinch — zoom in/out KEYBOARD • Full text input • Modifier keys: Cmd, Ctrl, Option • F1–F12 function keys • Arrow keys • Backspace and special keys MEDIA & SYSTEM CONTROLS • Play / Pause / Next / Previous • Volume up & down • Screen brightness • Mission Control & Spotlight APP LAUNCHER • View all running apps on your Mac • Switch to any app with one tap POWER MENU • Sleep, restart, log out, shut down — remotely CONNECTIVITY • Auto-discovery via Wi-Fi (Bonjour) and Bluetooth LE • Real-time connection status • Instant reconnection Free version includes trackpad, scrolling, clicks, and keyboard input. Upgrade to Pro to unlock media controls, volume, brightness, F-keys, arrow keys, app launcher, power menu, and advanced gestures. Requires the free Desk Remote for Mac app (Mac App Store, macOS 14 or later). SUBSCRIPTION Desk Remote Pro is an auto-renewable subscription (monthly or yearly). Payment is charged to your Apple Account. The subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://gelfand.dev/?policy=desk-remote-client

About

Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard

Features
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Turn your iPhone or iPad into a wireless trackpad, keyboard, and remote control for any computer — Mac, Windows, or Linux. QR-CODE PAIRING IN 5 SECONDS Download the free helper for your computer, scan the QR code with Phone Mouse, and you're connected. No IP addresses, no Bluetooth pairing dance, no accounts to create. EVERYTHING STAYS ON YOUR WI-FI Phone Mouse talks directly to your computer over your local network using end-to-end encrypted WebSockets with certificate pinning. No data leaves your home. No cloud, no telemetry, no analytics. Open the helper's source code anytime to verify. A REAL TRACKPAD, NOT A TOY • Drag to move the cursor, tap to click • Two-finger tap for right-click • Two-finger drag to scroll (with natural scroll support) • Double-tap and hold to drag and select • Adjustable cursor sensitivity (1–10 scale) • Haptic feedback on every gesture FULL KEYBOARD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS • Modifier keys (Shift, Ctrl, Cmd, Option) with latching support • Function keys F1–F12 with one-tap layer toggle • Number pad with arrow cluster • Page navigation (Home, End, PgUp, PgDn, Insert, Delete) • Clipboard sharing — paste from phone to computer MEDIA, APPS, AND POWER CONTROLS • Play, pause, skip, volume — works with Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube • Launch any app on your computer with a tap • Shut down, restart, sleep, or wake your computer remotely • Wake-on-LAN to power on sleeping computers MAKE IT YOURS • 9 bundled trackpad themes — from minimal gradients to vibrant Sonoma-style backgrounds • Upload your own photo as the trackpad background • Light, dark, and auto themes follow your iOS system setting • 28 languages — English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and more PERFECT FOR • Couch computing — control your TV-connected Mac mini without a real mouse • Presentations — laser pointer mode, slide control, screen blackout • Bedtime browsing — silence music or close apps without getting up • Accessibility — use your phone as an assistive trackpad if your real mouse fails REQUIREMENTS Free desktop helper available for macOS 11+, Windows 10+, and Linux (Debian/Ubuntu/Fedora). Download at phonemouse.app iOS 15.5 or later. Questions? Contact phonemouse@appenso.com Terms of Use: https://appenso.com/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://appenso.com/legal/privacy

Screenshots

Desk Remote4 screens
Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard at 15.5 against Desk Remote's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Desk Remote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Desk Remote ships an update every 2 months, Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Desk Remote versus Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDesk RemotePhone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB59 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaniil NuzhdinTarun Paliwal

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Desk Remote

Subscriptions2
  • Desk Remote Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Desk Remote Pro Yearly$14.991 Year
2 purchases

Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Pro3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Yearly Pro$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Desk Remote free?
Desk Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard free?
Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Desk Remote or Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard have ads?
Both Desk Remote and Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard show ads.
Which is updated more often, Desk Remote or Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard?
Desk Remote ships an update every 2 months, and Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard every 3 weeks. Most recently, Desk Remote was updated on October 14, 2026 and Phone Mouse・Remote・Keyboard on October 12, 2026.

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