Comparison

MicBridge vs Reachbeam

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

Head to head
About

MicBridge

Features
Read full description

Dictate on your iPhone and the text is typed into whatever app is focused on your Mac or Windows PC — Word, a browser, a chat box, anything. Send images and files both ways too. It all runs on-device and over your own local network: no cloud, no account, no sign-up. WHAT IT DOES - Voice straight into the computer. Speech is recognised on your iPhone, shown as an editable draft, then typed as real keystrokes into the focused app the moment you tap Send. - Two-way file & photo transfer. Phone to computer and back. Images land on the computer clipboard ready to paste; send a file to the phone and it opens a Save/Share sheet. Large files stream without eating memory. - Cantonese, Mandarin and English dictation, switchable in one tap. WORKS WITHOUT WI-FI Corporate Wi-Fi that locks devices apart, a public hotspot with client isolation, or no network at all — turn on Bluetooth on both devices, scan the same QR, and you are connected. MicBridge types over Bluetooth when there is no usable Wi-Fi, so it keeps working in offices, hotels and on the road. (Bluetooth carries text; photos and files still need Wi-Fi.) PRIVATE BY DESIGN - Speech is processed entirely on-device and is never uploaded. - Text, images and files travel only over your local network, end-to-end encrypted with AES-GCM, to the computer you paired with. - No accounts, no cloud, no servers, no analytics. - Pairing keys stay on the device — Keychain on iOS, DPAPI on Windows. SET UP IN THREE STEPS 1. Open the free MicBridge companion on your Mac or Windows PC and choose Pair new device — a QR code appears. 2. On iPhone, tap Scan to pair and scan the QR. 3. Speak, review the draft, tap Send. The text types into your focused app. Tap the paperclip to send a photo or file. The desktop companion for macOS and Windows is a free download from the MicBridge site. MICBRIDGE PRO (OPTIONAL) - Monthly subscription: auto-renewable, cancel anytime in Settings. - Lifetime: one-time purchase, unlock forever. Prices are shown on the in-app purchase page. Terms of Use (EULA): https://micbridge.online/terms Privacy Policy: https://micbridge.online/privacy

About

Reachbeam

Features
Read full description

Reachbeam puts your computers within reach. Most remote-desktop apps just shrink a mouse-and-keyboard screen onto glass. Reachbeam is built for touch from the ground up — a purpose-built gesture engine turns natural taps, drags, and pinches into precise remote control. Reach any machine • RDP — control a Windows PC's full desktop, with Network Level Authentication (NLA) • VNC / RFB — connect to TigerVNC, x11vnc, RealVNC, UltraVNC, and more • macOS Screen Sharing — connects to any Mac out of the box (Apple Remote Desktop auth) • SSH terminal — a real shell with the native keyboard, password or private-key login, TOFU host-key verification, and local port-forwarding • VNC-over-SSH — route a VNC session through an SSH host in one tap Touch that feels right • Three input modes: Trackpad (relative cursor), Touchscreen (tap where you touch), Stylus • Pinch-to-zoom anchored to your fingers, two-finger pan, edge auto-pan • Scroll anywhere with iOS-style flick momentum • Quick-actions menu from the screen edge: Copy, Paste, Esc, Tab, Ctrl+Alt+Del, and more • Tap = click, long-press = right-click — no fumbling A keyboard that actually works • Your native iOS keyboard, plus a special-keys bar: Esc, Tab, Ctrl/Alt/Cmd/AltGr, arrows, F1–F12, Home/End/PgUp/PgDn, one-tap Ctrl+Alt+Del and Alt+Tab • Real X11 keysyms — the modifiers and function keys other clients get wrong Live Text on the remote screen (Pro) • Copy any text on the remote screen — error dialogs, images, locked pages • Tap a link, number, or address to open it; translate the screen in place • "Type on PC" sends text back where clipboard sync is blocked — all on-device Draw on your PC (Pro) • iPad and Apple Pencil become a pressure-sensitive drawing tablet over RDP — nothing to install on the PC • Photoshop & Krita shortcut keys, two-finger undo, three-finger redo, Pencil double-tap eraser Apple Pencil • Hover support for true remote mouse-hover — tooltips and menus without clicking • Squeeze to open the edge quick-actions menu (Pro) • Auto-switches to stylus mode the moment you touch with a Pencil Built for real use • Saved connections with folders, per-connection quality and input settings • Credentials stored in the device Keychain/Keystore, optional Face ID / Touch ID unlock • Auto-reconnect, clipboard sync, adaptive quality • LAN device discovery — scans your network and fills the connection form in one tap Reachbeam Pro • Open several remote machines at once and switch between live tabs — sessions stay connected in the background • Jump between individual monitors on the remote machine in one tap • Custom keyboard shortcuts and macros — define your own key combos and text snippets, fired from the quick-actions menu • Apple Pencil Pro squeeze → edge quick-actions menu (Pro only) $4.99/month or $49.99/year — cancel any time. No accounts. No tracking. Your credentials stay on your device. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft, Apple, or RealVNC. RDP, Windows, VNC, and Screen Sharing are trademarks of their respective owners. Reachbeam Pro is an auto-renewable subscription that renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel any time in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://dividedbits.com/apps/reachbeam/privacy

Screenshots

MicBridge4 screens
Reachbeam4 screens

Verdict

The call

MicBridge and Reachbeam are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. MicBridge sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Reachbeam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
MicBridge versus Reachbeam: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMicBridgeReachbeam
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 2 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKa Ming HoSelim Saygi

In-app purchases

2 purchases

MicBridge

Subscriptions1
  • MicBridge Pro$1.991 Month
One-time1
  • MicBridge Pro (Lifetime)$19.99
2 purchases

Reachbeam

Subscriptions2
  • Reachbeam Pro (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Reachbeam Pro (Yearly)$49.991 Year

Questions

Is MicBridge free?
MicBridge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Reachbeam free?
Reachbeam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MicBridge or Reachbeam have ads?
Neither MicBridge nor Reachbeam shows ads.

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