Comparison

Desktop Mode OS vs OpenDisplay

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

OpenDisplay

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a genuine second display for your Mac. This open-source solution allows you to extend your screen space for multitasking, keeping important information visible. Connect via USB for minimal latency or Wi-Fi for easy setup.

Highlights
  • Real extended display functionality
  • USB and Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Retina-sharp rendering
  • Touch and scroll support
  • Portrait and landscape orientation
  • Private by design, no tracking
Features
Read full description

OpenDisplay turns your iPhone or iPad into a second display for your Mac. It's the open-source way to put your spare Apple device to work as a real extended monitor — drag windows onto it, keep chat, notes, or logs in view, and gain screen space anywhere you go. It's not a mirror: it's a genuine additional display your Mac treats like any other monitor. • Real extended display — arrange it in your Mac's Display settings and drag windows across • Connect over USB for the lowest latency, or over Wi-Fi with zero setup • Retina-sharp, pixel-for-pixel rendering • Touch and scroll — tap, drag, and two-finger scroll to control your Mac • Works in portrait or landscape • Private by design — a direct connection between your own devices, with no accounts, no servers, and no tracking IMPORTANT: OpenDisplay requires the companion OpenDisplay app for Mac, running on your computer on the same cable or Wi-Fi network. Get it at opendisplay.app — without it, this app has nothing to connect to. OpenDisplay is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Read the code, report issues, or contribute at https://github.com/peetzweg/opendisplay

Screenshots

Desktop Mode OS4 screens
OpenDisplay1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenDisplay at none against Desktop Mode OS's 2. OpenDisplay also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (92% vs 71%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. OpenDisplay asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Desktop Mode OS against 4.7 for OpenDisplay. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 23 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Desktop Mode OS's written reviews are positive against 92% of OpenDisplay's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Desktop Mode OS ships an update every 6 days, OpenDisplay every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Desktop Mode OS versus OpenDisplay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDesktop Mode OSOpenDisplay
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (24 ratings)4.7 (23 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews92.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings24 — better23
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 8 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB1 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperGautam SukhramaniPhilip Poloczek

Customer experience

Desktop Mode OS

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

OpenDisplay

All ratings21 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral4.8%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Desktop Mode OS

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime subscription$19.99
None

OpenDisplay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Desktop Mode OS free?
Desktop Mode OS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is OpenDisplay free?
OpenDisplay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Desktop Mode OS or OpenDisplay?
OpenDisplay is rated higher. Desktop Mode OS averages 4.6 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while OpenDisplay averages 4.7 from 23 ratings.
Do Desktop Mode OS or OpenDisplay have ads?
Desktop Mode OS shows ads; OpenDisplay does not.
Which is updated more often, Desktop Mode OS or OpenDisplay?
Desktop Mode OS ships an update every 6 days, and OpenDisplay every 8 days. Most recently, Desktop Mode OS was updated on October 31, 2026 and OpenDisplay on November 10, 2026.

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