# Surface Remote for Companion vs Virtual Stream Deck

The clearest difference is update cadence: Surface Remote for Companion at every 3 days against Virtual Stream Deck's every 2 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surface Remote for Companion sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Virtual Stream Deck sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Surface Remote for Companion ships an update every 3 days, Virtual Stream Deck every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surface Remote for Companion | Virtual Stream Deck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surface-remote-for-companion/id6773176254/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Brown](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896052848) | [Joshua Vucelich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1793452251) |

## What reviewers say

### Surface Remote for Companion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surface-remote-for-companion/id6773176254)

This app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a customizable button surface for Bitfocus Companion. It connects seamlessly to your network, displaying live button states and allowing for custom dashboards and operator sharing. Enjoy a distraction-free experience with no ads or analytics.

**Highlights:** Connects to Companion as Satellite surface, Live button text, color, and press state, Customizable Dashboard screen, Operator mode for crew sharing, PIN lock integration, Keeps screen awake, Light/Dark/System theme

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Multi-Instance | $4.99 | one-time |


### Virtual Stream Deck

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-stream-deck/id6792859416)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Virtual Stream Deck Pro | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surface Remote for Companion free?

Surface Remote for Companion is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Virtual Stream Deck free?

Virtual Stream Deck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Surface Remote for Companion or Virtual Stream Deck have ads?

Neither Surface Remote for Companion nor Virtual Stream Deck shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Surface Remote for Companion or Virtual Stream Deck?

Surface Remote for Companion ships an update every 3 days, and Virtual Stream Deck every 2 weeks. Most recently, Surface Remote for Companion was updated on October 16, 2026 and Virtual Stream Deck on October 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*