Comparison

Lumina Deck vs PhoneDeck

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

Head to head
About

Lumina Deck

Features
Read full description

Your iPhone is already on your desk. It might as well do something. LuminaDeck turns it into a customizable grid of buttons that fire real actions on your Windows PC over local Wi-Fi. Keyboard shortcuts, app launchers, OBS scene switches, Discord controls, media keys, multi-step macros — one tap, no hardware. WHAT YOU GET • Custom button grids, 2x4 up to 8x8 (Pro) • 55+ action types: keybinds, system commands, app launchers, media controls, OBS scenes, Discord commands, clipboard actions, soundboard audio • Auto-profile switching — when OBS, VS Code, or Spotify takes focus on the PC, the deck swaps to that layout automatically • Trackpad mode — turn the phone into a precision trackpad for the PC • Phone-as-keyboard — type from your phone keyboard directly into any focused Windows window • Multi-page decks with swipe navigation • Five themes: Obsidian (free) plus Aurora, Daylight, Retro Neon, and Slate (Pro) NO ACCOUNT, NO CLOUD Pair with a QR scan. The phone and PC talk directly over your Wi-Fi network — TLS-encrypted, no relay server, no sign-in. Latency stays under 30 ms because nothing leaves your network. Setup takes under a minute: install LuminaDeck Studio on the PC, scan the QR code, and the deck works. WHO IT'S FOR • Streamers who want OBS scene switching and Discord controls without buying dedicated hardware • Developers who want a build/test/format/commit row of tiles next to their keyboard • Knowledge workers who want clipboard tools, app launchers, and shortcuts they actually remember • Anyone whose iPhone is already sitting on a stand next to their monitor PLUGIN PACKS • OBS — scene switching, source toggles, recording start/stop, stream start/stop • Discord — mute, deafen, push-to-talk, channel switching • Coder Pack — git status, run tests, format buffer, common dev shortcuts • Soundboard — trigger audio clips on the PC instantly • Trackpad Mode — phone becomes a precision pointer ONE-TIME PRO, NO SUBSCRIPTION The free tier is fully usable: build a deck, fire actions, switch profiles. Pro is a one-time $9.99 unlock that adds the larger 8x8 grid, premium themes, and the plugin packs. No monthly fee, no recurring charge, no account required. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT • No telemetry. No analytics. No ad SDKs. • No data leaves your local network. • No login required to use the app. • Open WebSocket protocol — third-party clients welcome. REQUIREMENTS • iPhone or iPad on iOS 16 or later • Windows 10 (2004+) or Windows 11 PC running the free LuminaDeck Studio companion • Phone and PC on the same Wi-Fi network Studio download: https://luminaaio.com/luminadeck QUESTIONS Email hello@luminaaio.com. We answer. LuminaDeck is an independent product. Not affiliated with any hardware macro deck manufacturer.

About

PhoneDeck

Transform your iPhone into a wireless controller for your Mac. Launch any application, control system functions, or open websites with a single tap. It offers a streamlined, privacy-focused experience without requiring an account or cloud services.

Highlights
  • Launch any Mac app with one tap
  • Control system functions (volume, brightness, media)
  • Open websites instantly
  • Organize tiles into pages
  • Works over local WiFi
  • No account or cloud required
Features
Read full description

PhoneDeck needs two free apps to work : this iPhone app + the Mac companion app at phonedeck.io . Both are 100% free, forever. No account needed. Stuck or something not working? DM me directly on Instagram @PhoneDeckApp - I reply personally, usually within a few hours. Turn your iPhone into a wireless Mac controller. Launch any Mac app, trigger system controls, open any website all with one tap. Think Stream Deck, but you already own the hardware. -------------------------- HOW IT WORKS -------------------------- • Install this app on your iPhone • Download the Mac app from phonedeck.io (free DMG) • Open both apps on the same WiFi - they pair automatically • Drag any Mac app, control, or website onto a tile • Tap your iPhone to launch No account. No cloud. No subscription. No data leaves your devices. -------------------------- WHAT YOU CAN DO -------------------------- APPS : Launch any Mac app with one tap. VS Code, Figma, Cursor, Premiere, Photoshop, Slack — anything installed on your Mac. CONTROLS : 16 built-in Mac controls: volume, brightness, keyboard backlight, media play/pause/next/previous, screenshot, screen recording, dictation, lock screen, show desktop, mission control, empty trash. WEBSITES : Drag any URL onto a tile. YouTube, ChatGPT, Linear, Figma files, your dashboards — one tap and it opens on your Mac. PAGES : Organize tiles into pages. One for Design, one for Dev, one for Music. Swipe between them on your iPhone. -------------------------- WHY IT'S DIFFERENT -------------------------- • Free forever. No subscription, no Pro tier, no ads, no tracking. • Works over local WiFi. No account, no cloud, no data collection. • Auto-updates on Mac : bug fixes ship the same day. • Built by one indie developer. Every feature is something a user asked for. -------------------------- WHAT YOU NEED -------------------------- • An iPhone running iOS 17 or later • A Mac running macOS 14+ or later • Both devices on the same WiFi network • The PhoneDeck Mac app from phonedeck.io (free download) -------------------------- Made by one developer in Mumbai. Constantly updated. Feature requests welcome at phonedeck.io/request-feature or DM @PhoneDeckApp on Instagram.

Screenshots

Lumina Deck4 screens
PhoneDeck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PhoneDeck at none against Lumina Deck's 1. PhoneDeck also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). Lumina Deck's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price 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. Lumina Deck sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PhoneDeck asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lumina Deck ships an update every 3 months, PhoneDeck every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Lumina Deck versus PhoneDeck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLumina DeckPhoneDeck
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCeasar EsquivelVansh Parihar

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Lumina Deck

One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro$9.99
None

PhoneDeck

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lumina Deck free?
Lumina Deck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PhoneDeck free?
PhoneDeck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lumina Deck or PhoneDeck have ads?
Neither Lumina Deck nor PhoneDeck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lumina Deck or PhoneDeck?
Lumina Deck ships an update every 3 months, and PhoneDeck every 2 weeks. Most recently, Lumina Deck was updated on October 19, 2026 and PhoneDeck on October 24, 2026.

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