Comparison

Docksy vs Virtual Stream Deck

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

Head to head
About

Docksy

Features
Read full description

Docksy turns a spare iPhone or iPad into a control deck for your Mac. Think of a grid of glossy glass keys, each one a button you set up to do something useful the moment you tap it. Want to take a screenshot, paste plain text, mute a call, or jump to your next slide? Put it on a key. Tap it. Docksy tells your Mac to do it. Every press answers back with a little haptic tap, and the volume slider ratchets as it rises, so it feels real under your thumb. Docksy is free and open source. There are no accounts, no sign-ins, no ads, and no tracking. Nothing you do leaves your own devices. HOW IT WORKS Docksy needs the free companion Mac app. Your iPhone or iPad and your Mac find each other over your local Wi-Fi, with no setup beyond approving the Local Network prompt. The phone sends your taps to the Mac, and the Mac runs them. Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network. WHAT YOU CAN PUT ON A KEY - Keyboard shortcuts, like Copy, Paste, or any combo you choose - Open an app, a website, a file, or a folder - Close, minimize, or quit a window - Play, pause, skip, or mute media - A volume slider with haptics - Countdown timers - Type a saved snippet of text - Folders and pages, so you can hold far more than one screen of keys MAKE IT YOURS Resize keys, set your own images, and group actions into folders and pages. Build one layout for editing video, another for calls, another for music. Switch between them in a tap. WHAT YOU NEED - The free Docksy app for Mac, running on the Mac you want to control - Both devices on the same local Wi-Fi network - Permission to use the Local Network, so the two apps can find each other PRIVACY Docksy collects no data. It has no servers and no cloud. Your keys, your actions, and your taps stay on your own devices and travel only across your own local network. The project is open source, so anyone can read exactly what it does. Docksy is built for anyone who wants quick, physical control of their Mac, whether you stream, edit, present, take a lot of calls, or just like a tidy set of buttons within reach.

About

Virtual Stream Deck

Features
Read full description

Your iPhone or iPad becomes a wireless stream deck for your Mac: a full-screen grid of big, glowing buttons that switch OBS scenes, launch apps, fire keyboard shortcuts, run Apple Shortcuts, and more. Tap the phone — the Mac does it instantly, over your own Wi-Fi. PAY ONCE, OWN IT No subscription. No account. No cloud. Try it free with six buttons, and unlock everything with a single one-time purchase. BUILT FOR STREAMING • Native OBS Studio integration (OBS 28 or later) — no plugins to install • Switch scenes from your real scene list, start/stop streaming and recording, mute your mic • Live state on every button: the record button glows while you're recording, your current scene stays highlighted, your mic button shows its true mute state • Runs entirely on your local network — taps land in milliseconds CONTROL YOUR WHOLE MAC • Send any keyboard shortcut to any app • Launch apps, open files and websites • Run any Apple Shortcut — if Shortcuts can do it, your deck can too • System controls: volume, mute, play/pause, next/previous track • Multi-actions: chain steps with delays into one button • Shell scripts for power users FEELS LIKE HARDWARE • Pure black, edge-to-edge button grid with crisp haptics on every press • Pages you swipe between, folders that open sub-decks • Custom icons, colors, and labels for every button • Profiles that switch automatically when you change apps on the Mac • The screen stays awake while you're connected PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Pair once with a 6-digit code shown on your Mac — like pairing AirPods • Every connection is end-to-end encrypted, and nothing ever leaves your network • No account, no analytics, no data collection. Ever. GETTING STARTED On your Mac, download the free companion app, Virtual Stream Deck Hub, from our website. Open this app on your iPhone or iPad — your Mac appears automatically. Type the 6-digit code. That's it: you're paired for good. Design your layouts in the Mac editor — drag in actions, pick icons and colors — and watch every change appear on your device instantly. REQUIRES • iOS/iPadOS 18 or later • A Mac running macOS 15 (Sequoia) or later with the free Virtual Stream Deck Hub app • Both devices on the same network • OBS features require OBS Studio 28+ with its WebSocket server enabled

Screenshots

Docksy4 screens
Virtual Stream Deck2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Docksy at none against Virtual Stream Deck's 1. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Virtual Stream Deck sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Docksy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Docksy versus Virtual Stream Deck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDocksyVirtual Stream Deck
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDYAL SINGHJoshua Vucelich

In-app purchases

None

Docksy

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Virtual Stream Deck

One-time1
  • Virtual Stream Deck Pro$19.99

Questions

Is Docksy free?
Docksy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Virtual Stream Deck free?
Virtual Stream Deck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Docksy or Virtual Stream Deck have ads?
Neither Docksy nor Virtual Stream Deck shows ads.

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