Sidekey vs RhyLume
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sidekey
Transform your iPhone into a wireless keyboard and custom shortcut pad for your Mac or Windows PC. Design your ideal layout with custom keys, shortcuts, and multiple layers. Control your computer seamlessly over Wi-Fi without any extra hardware.
- Customizable wireless keyboard
- Create custom shortcuts and combos
- Multiple layers and modes
- Trackpad functionality
- Voice typing to computer
- Quick QR code pairing
- Works with Mac and Windows
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Sidekey turns your iPhone into a wireless keyboard, trackpad and shortcut pad for your own computer. Tap keys on your phone and they type on your Mac or Windows PC over your local Wi‑Fi — no extra hardware, no cables. NEW IN 1.1 • Made for iPhone Duo — unfold for a big keyboard on one side of the fold and a trackpad on the other, and swap them with one tap. Every mode gets its own big-screen layout. • Laptop keyboard mode — a full computer keyboard on the inner screen that matches the connected computer, Mac or Windows. • Landscape on any iPhone — keys, trackpad and sidebar rearrange themselves. FEATURES • Voice typing — dictate on your phone and send the text straight to your computer • Custom key designer — make your own keys, shortcuts and layouts • Shortcuts & combos — Cmd/Ctrl/Alt/Shift, function keys, media keys, and left/right-specific modifiers • Trackpad — use your phone as a touchpad with left and right buttons • Multiple computers — pair several and switch between them in one tap • Modes for every job — a shortcut deck, a trackpad, a full keyboard, and Codex Micro for Claude Code and Codex • Quick pairing — scan a QR code once; it reconnects automatically • Private by design — no account, no tracking, nothing sent to the developer HOW IT WORKS Sidekey works together with a small, free desktop helper you run on the computer you want to control. Put both devices on the same Wi‑Fi, scan a QR code once to pair, and you're connected. Pairing is secured with a token, and your keystrokes travel directly to your own computer — never through us. REQUIRES THE FREE DESKTOP HELPER Sidekey needs the free Sidekey helper running on your Mac or Windows computer. Download it from the link on our support page. Questions or ideas? We'd love to hear from you.
RhyLume
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RhyLume is a Bluetooth controller for compatible sound-reactive lights. Turn ambient sound into expressive color and motion for your desk, gaming setup, party, or living space. Key features: - Discover, connect to, and remember compatible lights over Bluetooth - Pick colors with a color disc or ring and fine-tune brightness - Explore 153 sound-reactive effects across nine effect families - Adjust effect speed and sound sensitivity independently - Automatically switch between English and Simplified Chinese with your system language RhyLume requires no account and includes no advertising or user analytics. Sound pickup is handled by the compatible light hardware; the app does not access or upload microphone audio from your phone. A compatible Bluetooth sound-reactive light using the RhyLume protocol is required.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: RhyLume at 13.0 against Sidekey's 16.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Sidekey | RhyLume |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kaihong Chen | Shenzhen Xinruihang Technology Co., Ltd. |
In-app purchases
Sidekey
No in-app purchases
RhyLume
No in-app purchases









