Comparison

PharoSmalltalk vs DualMac

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

Head to head
About

PharoSmalltalk

Experience the full Pharo Smalltalk programming environment on your Apple devices. Write, debug, and inspect code with native performance and touch-optimized gestures. Access your projects anywhere with this universal app.

Highlights
  • Full Pharo desktop environment
  • Touch-optimized gestures
  • Native performance with Metal rendering
  • Image library for managing projects
  • Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac
  • Privacy-focused, no data collection
Features
Read full description

Pharo on iOS brings the complete Pharo 13 Smalltalk programming environment to your Apple devices. Browse classes, write code, inspect objects, and debug — all running natively with Metal-accelerated graphics. FULL PHARO DESKTOP Run unmodified official Pharo 13 images. The System Browser, Playground, Inspector, Debugger, and every tool you know from desktop Pharo works here. No special images required. BUILT FOR TOUCH Intuitive gesture mapping makes Pharo comfortable on a touchscreen. Tap for left-click, long-press for right-click, two-finger tap for middle-click. Pinch to zoom. Full hardware keyboard support with modifier keys on iPad. NATIVE PERFORMANCE A clean-room interpreter written in C++ with Metal GPU rendering. Smooth 30fps display, efficient memory management, and full foreign function interface support. IMAGE LIBRARY Download official Pharo 13 images directly from the app. Import your own .image files from the Files app. Keep multiple images organized and switch between projects easily. WORKS EVERYWHERE Universal app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac (via Mac Catalyst). Your Pharo environment goes wherever you do. PRIVACY FIRST No accounts, no telemetry, no data collection. Your code stays on your device. Period. OPEN SOURCE The VM is MIT-licensed and open source. Contributions welcome.

About

DualMac

Control your Mac remotely from your iPad or iPhone without needing to install anything on your computer. Access your Mac's screen, keyboard, and trackpad directly, with options for enhanced features like file transfer and wake-on-LAN when paired with companion software.

Highlights
  • Connects to macOS Screen Sharing
  • Local network and remote access
  • Save and access multiple Macs
  • Full touch and pointer control
  • Hardware keyboard and Apple Pencil support
  • Clipboard and file sharing
  • Optional companion app for enhanced features
Features
Read full description

DualMac is a VNC remote desktop for iPad and iPhone that shows and controls the Mac you own. No account needed. Nothing to install on the Mac • Connects straight to macOS Screen Sharing, the remote desktop built into every Mac. Standard VNC (RFB) with Mac authentication. No Companion needed for VNC. • Works on your local network, through your own Tailscale network when away, or over an SSH tunnel with keys. DualMac never exposes VNC to the public Internet and never routes your screen through a relay. • Ideal for a headless Mac mini, a studio Mac or a build machine you check from the couch. All your Macs, one library • Save every Mac you own and open any of them in one tap. • Touch and hold the app icon for your recent Macs, or open any Mac by name with Siri or Spotlight. • Observe or control, per session. Built for iPad • Direct touch, pointer, hardware keyboard, trackpad and Apple Pencil. • Mac shortcuts and Mission Control in one tap, configurable toolbar. • Multi-display switching, adaptive quality, on-device dictation. • Clipboard sharing, Face ID lock, hidden previews in the App Switcher. • Shortcuts, URL schemes, Stage Manager windows, optional iCloud sync of your library (off by default). On iPhone Duo • Open iPhone Duo and DualMac switches to its iPad layout, with your Mac on the inner display. • With iPhone Duo closed, DualMac keeps the iPhone layout on the outer display. Companion for more Install DualMac Companion on the Mac, available from dualmac.app, to add: • Enhanced H.264 streaming • File transfer with pause and resume, rich clipboard • Wake the Mac through your other Mac, privacy curtain, lock and sleep • Remote display selection Enhanced requires DualMac Companion plus Tailscale on both devices. Privacy DualMac has no account and no advertising, and the only service the developer runs is in-app support. Your Macs' names and addresses, screens, files and clipboard never reach the developer. Credentials stay in Keychain. Screen, clipboard and file traffic goes directly between your devices, never through a developer server. DualMac is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple or Tailscale. Requirements • iPad with iPadOS 17.6 or later, or iPhone with iOS 17.6 or later, including iPhone Duo • A Mac you own or are authorized to control, with Screen Sharing enabled • For Enhanced: DualMac Companion, Tailscale on both devices, and the required macOS privacy permissions Enjoy every feature and unlimited use with DualMac Pro: a yearly subscription with a 7-day free trial, or a one-time purchase. Family Sharing included. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

PharoSmalltalk1 screens
DualMac4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PharoSmalltalk at none against DualMac's 2. PharoSmalltalk also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). DualMac's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 1) and chart position (#60 vs unranked). On price, rating 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. DualMac sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. PharoSmalltalk asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PharoSmalltalk against 5.0 for DualMac. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DualMac has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PharoSmalltalk ships an update weekly, DualMac every 3 days. Both last shipped on November 12, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
PharoSmalltalk versus DualMac: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPharoSmalltalkDualMac
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings116 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#60 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAaron WohlMARIUS LABS

Customer experience

PharoSmalltalk

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

DualMac

All ratings16 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

PharoSmalltalk

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

DualMac

Subscriptions1
  • DualMac Pro7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • DualMac Pro Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is PharoSmalltalk free?
PharoSmalltalk is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DualMac free?
DualMac is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PharoSmalltalk or DualMac?
PharoSmalltalk and DualMac are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 16 ratings respectively.
Do PharoSmalltalk or DualMac have ads?
Neither PharoSmalltalk nor DualMac shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PharoSmalltalk or DualMac?
PharoSmalltalk ships an update weekly, and DualMac every 3 days. Most recently, PharoSmalltalk was updated on November 12, 2026 and DualMac on November 12, 2026.

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