Thumbdesk vs CodeMote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Thumbdesk
Access and manage your servers and projects from your mobile device. This app offers a secure, mobile-first workspace with features like real terminals, file browsing, system monitoring, and a code editor-style environment for your projects.
- Real terminal sessions
- ProjectSpace code editor
- System monitoring (CPU, memory, disk)
- File browsing and transfer
- Encrypted peer-to-peer connections
- Local web server previews
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Reach every computer you own from your iPhone or iPad: terminals, the full screen, files, projects and live stats. Pair a machine by scanning a QR code, or connect to any SSH server with nothing to install. PocketShell is now Thumbdesk. Same app, same account, same hosts, with a new name. Install the lightweight Thumbdesk agent on a Mac, Windows or Linux machine, scan the QR code, and you're connected. No SSH keys to copy, no ports to forward, no VPN to set up. Connections go directly between your phone and your machine over encrypted peer-to-peer links whenever the network allows. Built for developers, on-call engineers, homelab users and self-hosters who need safe access to machines they own, from anywhere. SCREEN SHARING - See and control your Mac, Windows or Linux desktop - Trackpad-style gestures, pinch to zoom and direct touch - Soft keyboard with modifier keys and platform shortcuts - Pick a display and quality, and hear the computer's sound - Clipboard sync between phone and computer TERMINAL - Real terminal sessions with a mobile-friendly key bar - Sessions resume where you left off, even after switching networks - Snap a photo, crop it and drop it straight into the terminal - Works with tmux and long-running jobs SSH HOSTS, NOTHING TO INSTALL - Add any server you can reach over SSH: VPS, Raspberry Pi, NAS - Terminal, SFTP files, stats and projects without installing anything on the server - Host keys are verified before your credentials are sent FILES AND PROJECTS - Browse, preview, upload and download files - Transfers resume after a dropped connection and keep going in the background - Upload from any app with the share sheet - Open projects with a code editor, search, and Git status, diffs, staging and commits - Preview local dev servers in the built-in browser CODING AGENTS - Browse and resume Claude Code, Codex and Grok sessions running on your machines - See which agents are working with a Live Activity and widgets - Get notified when an agent finishes MONITORING - Live CPU, memory, disk, network and process stats for every host - Alerts for the disks and thresholds you care about - Stats history charts HOW IT WORKS 1. Install the Thumbdesk agent on your computer with one command, or add an SSH server 2. Scan the QR code to pair your phone 3. Open terminals, the screen, files, projects and stats from anywhere FREE - Up to 2 hosts - Terminals, files, projects, monitoring and dev previews - Screen sharing in 2-minute sessions - 2 alert rules and your latest 10 agent sessions THUMBDESK PRO - Up to 10 hosts - Unlimited screen sharing - Unlimited alert rules - Full agent session history - Stats history charts - Files over 5 MB - Direct host-to-host file transfers SECURITY Thumbdesk uses device-bound pairing, Ed25519 keys, biometric unlock and trusted-device approval. Terminal contents are never stored on our servers. Terminal I/O, files, screen video and stats flow directly between your phone and your machine whenever the network allows. Thumbdesk is for accessing machines you own or are authorized to operate. Privacy Policy: https://thumbdesk.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
CodeMote
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CodeMote turns your iPhone and iPad into a real connection to your development machine. Pair in seconds, then run your terminals, manage git, and drive AI coding agents - from anywhere. This isn't a stripped-down mobile editor. CodeMote connects to the full workstation you already have set up, so you get your real environment, your real tools, and your real projects in your pocket. Works with your existing VS Code setup. WHAT YOU CAN DO - Live terminals - open real shells on your machine, with sessions that survive backgrounding and reconnect instantly. - Git, built in - status, diff, commit, push, branches and full history, with zero credentials stored on your phone. - AI coding on the go - kick off and steer AI coding agents while you are away from your desk. - Multiple workspaces - jump between projects and keep long-running tasks alive in the background. - Saved commands - one tap to run the commands you use most. - Persistent sessions - start something on your phone, pick it up on your desktop. BUILT FOR DEVELOPERS - Fast, secure pairing - connect your phone to your machine in seconds. - Your code never leaves your computer - CodeMote is a remote control, not a copy. - Terminal-first, keyboard-friendly, and dark by default - designed for the way you actually work. WHY CODEMOTE Other remote-coding apps give you a chat box bolted onto an AI agent. CodeMote gives you the whole workstation - terminal, git, and AI together - so you can do real work, not just send prompts. Ship a fix from the sofa. Restart a build from the train. Review a diff over coffee. Your dev machine is now wherever you are. Download CodeMote and code from anywhere. A subscription is required to use CodeMote. Terms of Service: https://codemote.caste.work/tos Privacy Policy: https://codemote.caste.work/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CodeMote at none against Thumbdesk's 3. CodeMote also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and chart position (#142 vs unranked). Thumbdesk's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Thumbdesk sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. CodeMote asks for nothing beyond the download.
Thumbdesk ships an update monthly, CodeMote weekly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Thumbdesk | CodeMote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | โ |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Weekly โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No โ better |
| Monetization | Freemium | โ |
| Best chart rank | โ | #142 โ better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 โ better | 26.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 105 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yash Agarwal | Salvatore Castellitti |
In-app purchases
Thumbdesk
- PocketShell Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- PocketShell Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
- PocketShell Pro Lifetime$99.99
CodeMote
No in-app purchases









