Comparison

PCForge vs Macro Deck Companion

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

Head to head
About

PCForge

Avoid costly errors when building a PC. This tool ensures hardware compatibility with mathematical verification and offers quick checkout options for parts.

Highlights
  • Hardware compatibility verification
  • Mathematically verified builds
  • Instant Amazon checkout
  • Avoid PC part mistakes
  • Precision PC building
Features
Read full description

Buying PC parts without a compatibility check is how builds fail — wrong socket, RAM that won’t run, a PSU that can’t keep up, or a cooler that doesn’t fit. PCForge turns your budget and use case into a compatible parts list. Engine Verified runs five checks before you buy: • Socket — CPU and motherboard match • Form factor — case and board fit • RAM generation — memory that actually works • Thermals — cooler clearance and cooling headroom • Power — PSU can handle the draw You get Overall Build Confidence from 0–100, live prices, and a clear path to checkout when you’re ready. Free on IOS, and web. Start at pcforge.app

About

Macro Deck Companion

Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into a wireless macro pad and control deck for your PC. Macro Deck Companion is the official native app for Macro Deck 3, the free, open source macro software for Windows, macOS and Linux. Run macros, trigger hotkeys, control OBS and your stream, switch scenes, manage audio and launch apps with one tap on customizable buttons. A NATIVE DECK, NOT A WEBSITE Macro Deck Companion draws your deck natively instead of wrapping a browser. Every button, folder, profile, icon, font and animation looks exactly like it does in Macro Deck, but responds faster, with smooth touch input and haptic feedback on every press. Tap, long press and double tap each run their own action. CONNECT IN SECONDS - Automatic discovery finds Macro Deck on your local network - Scan the QR code shown by Macro Deck to pair instantly - Add a connection manually by IP address and port - Wake your computer with Wake-on-LAN before you connect - Sign in once, your session is stored securely on the device MULTIPLE COMPUTERS, ONE APP Save several Macro Deck hosts and keep them open at the same time. Control your gaming PC, your streaming PC and your work laptop from one phone, and see at a glance which ones are online. Choose which connection opens automatically when you launch the app. FAST GESTURE NAVIGATION - Swipe with one finger to move between folders - Swipe up or down to go into a folder or back out - Swipe with two fingers to switch profiles - Swipe with three fingers to jump to another computer THE PERFECT STREAMING CONTROLLER Use your old phone or tablet as a dedicated stream controller and button box on your desk. Start and stop recording, switch scenes, mute your microphone, play sounds, post to chat, control music and media, and run multi-step automations while you stay live. Great for streamers, content creators, gamers, video editors, developers and anyone who wants a custom macro keyboard for productivity. YOUR DEVICE, PART OF YOUR SETUP Macro Deck sees your phone as a real device. It shows the battery level, charging state, orientation and brightness, so you can use them in your own macros. With your permission, your computer can also: - Set the screen brightness and orientation - Vibrate the device - Turn the screen on or off - Bring the deck to the front - Take a screenshot MADE FOR DAILY USE - Background connection keeps your decks ready - Keep the screen on while a deck is open - Built-in screensaver support - Light and dark theme - Liquid Glass that feels at home on iOS - Works on iPhone and iPad in portrait and landscape DIRECT CONNECTION TO YOUR COMPUTER Your deck talks directly to Macro Deck on your own computer, over your local network. Button presses never take a detour through a remote server, which keeps every action fast and reliable. Your sign-in is kept in iOS's keychain, and the app only asks for the access a companion device needs. TRY IT FREE Start a free 7-day trial. One license unlocks Macro Deck Companion on all your devices: buy it once on iPhone or iPad and your Macro Deck shares it with your other devices. Connection management, discovery and settings always stay free to use. HOW TO GET STARTED 1. Install Macro Deck 3 on your Windows, macOS or Linux computer 2. Open Macro Deck Companion on your phone or tablet 3. Pick your computer from the list or scan its QR code 4. Sign in and start pressing buttons Macro Deck is a community driven open source project. Need help or have an idea? Visit macro-deck.app and join the community. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

PCForge4 screens
Macro Deck Companion4 screens

Verdict

The call

PCForge and Macro Deck Companion are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. PCForge sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Macro Deck Companion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PCForge ships an update every 4 days, Macro Deck Companion weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
PCForge versus Macro Deck Companion: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPCForgeMacro Deck Companion
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB45 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperCarly AbramowitzManuel Mayer

In-app purchases

4 purchases

PCForge

Subscriptions1
  • PCForge Pro$5.991 Month
One-time3
  • PCForge Enhanced Build$1.99
  • PCForge Extra Scan$2.00
  • PCForge Extra Build$2.00
1 purchases

Macro Deck Companion

One-time1
  • Macro Deck Companion App License$7.99

Questions

Is PCForge free?
PCForge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Macro Deck Companion free?
Macro Deck Companion is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PCForge or Macro Deck Companion have ads?
Neither PCForge nor Macro Deck Companion shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PCForge or Macro Deck Companion?
PCForge ships an update every 4 days, and Macro Deck Companion weekly. Most recently, PCForge was updated on October 31, 2026 and Macro Deck Companion on October 26, 2026.

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