Comparison

Desktop Mode OS vs Polanthos

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

Head to head
About

Desktop Mode OS

Transform your iPhone into a powerful desktop workstation, extending its capabilities to external displays like AR glasses, monitors, or TVs. Experience a high-performance desktop environment using your phone's native silicon, with innovative input modes for seamless interaction.

Highlights
  • Turn iPhone into a desktop workstation
  • Extend to AR glasses, monitors, TVs
  • Spatial productivity with AR glasses
  • Multiple input modes: Air Mouse, Hand Tracking, Liquid Trackpad
  • Connect to any display (USB-C, HDMI, AirPlay)
  • Sync Assistant for webview issues
  • Pin frequently used sessions to dock
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone into a pro-grade desktop workstation! ProDocktive extends your iPhone to any external display — AR Glasses, Monitors, or TVs — creating a high-performance, multi-window desktop environment powered entirely by your phone. Your iPhone becomes the engine, trackpad, air mouse, and spatial hand tracker. No Mac or PC required! THE ULTIMATE AR & XR COMPANION Unlock spatial productivity with XREAL, VITURE, Rokid, and RayNeo glasses. • Infinite Real Estate: Say goodbye to simple screen mirroring. Experience a massive virtual desktop for immersive multitasking. • Privacy by Design: Work on sensitive projects in public spaces with total confidence. • Spatial Interaction: Control your desktop with futuristic Hand Tracking or Air Mouse navigation. CONNECT TO ANY DISPLAY • AR Glasses: Instant, private cinema-sized workstation. • USB-C / HDMI: Wired, zero-latency output to any monitor or TV. • AirPlay: Wireless freedom for zero-friction browsing and casting. REVOLUTIONARY INPUT MODES • Air Mouse: Point your iPhone like a laser to move the cursor with physical precision. • Hand Tracker (BETA): Use your iPhone's camera for hands-free spatial gestures. • Liquid Trackpad: Transform your screen into a premium multi-touch trackpad (scroll, swipe, pinch-to-zoom). • Bluetooth Support: Pair your favorite keyboard and mouse for a true PC feel. PRO-GRADE FEATURES & PRIVACY • Native Desktop UI: Optimized for large-scale displays and precision input. • Pin to Dock: Save frequently used web apps for lightning-fast access. • 100% On-Device: No cloud lag, no video compression. Pixel-perfect rendering using your iPhone's GPU. Requirements: iOS 18+ and compatible USB-C/HDMI adapters or AirPlay displays. Privacy Policy: https://prodocktive.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Polanthos

This app helps you pause before opening distracting applications, encouraging intentional social media use and reducing mindless scrolling. It offers a mindful moment to decide if you truly want to proceed, with features like focus schedules and reclaimed time tracking.

Highlights
  • Mindful pause before app launch
  • Focus schedules
  • Gentle reminders
  • Reclaimed time tracking
  • Simple redirects
  • Calm design
Read full description

Polanthos helps you pause before opening distracting apps on your iPhone. It is for people who want to reduce automatic scrolling, use social media more intentionally, and spend less time getting pulled into apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, shopping, or entertainment apps. Instead of blocking everything completely, Polanthos adds a short mindful pause before selected apps open. In that moment, you can breathe, decide if you really want to continue, close the app, or redirect your attention to something better. Main features include app-based pauses, focus schedules, gentle reminders, reclaimed-time tracking, simple redirects, and a calm design with no ads, no social feed, and no shame-based dashboards. The app is free to use. A paid plan is optional and can be skipped. All features described in this listing are accessible without purchase. Terms (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://polanthos.com/privacy.txt

Screenshots

Desktop Mode OS4 screens
Polanthos4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Polanthos at none against Desktop Mode OS's shown. Polanthos also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 71%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Desktop Mode OS's advantage is ratings volume (24 vs 3) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, 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. Desktop Mode OS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Polanthos sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Polanthos holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desktop Mode OS has 24 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Desktop Mode OS's written reviews are positive against 100% of Polanthos's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Desktop Mode OS ships an update every 6 days, Polanthos every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Desktop Mode OS versus Polanthos: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDesktop Mode OSPolanthos
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (24 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings24 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB16 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperGautam SukhramaniHAIYI NING

Customer experience

Desktop Mode OS

All ratings24 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral8.3%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral28.6%
Negative0.0%

Polanthos

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Desktop Mode OS

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime subscription$19.99
2 purchases

Polanthos

Subscriptions2
  • Polanthos Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Polanthos Pro Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year

Questions

Is Desktop Mode OS free?
Desktop Mode OS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Polanthos free?
Polanthos is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Desktop Mode OS or Polanthos?
Polanthos is rated higher. Desktop Mode OS averages 4.6 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Polanthos averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Desktop Mode OS or Polanthos have ads?
Desktop Mode OS shows ads; Polanthos does not.
Which is updated more often, Desktop Mode OS or Polanthos?
Desktop Mode OS ships an update every 6 days, and Polanthos every 2 days. Most recently, Desktop Mode OS was updated on October 17, 2026 and Polanthos on October 17, 2026.

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