SystemFab Remote vs PadLinker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SystemFab Remote
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SystemFab Remote is your all-in-one remote access app for macOS and Linux systems. Connect securely via VNC, SSH, SFTP, RDP, and SMB – all in one native iOS app. Features: • Remote Mac – VNC screen sharing with automatic Bonjour discovery • SSH Shell – full terminal on iPhone and iPad • SFTP – securely transfer and manage files • RDP – Remote Desktop for Windows computers • SMB – browse and mount network shares • SSH Keys – manage your SSH keys directly in the app • Network Benchmark – measure bandwidth between two SSH hosts (iperf3) • Tools – Ping, port scanner and speed test SystemFab Remote requires network access to the target devices. VNC, SSH, or RDP must be enabled on the target machines.
PadLinker
Transform your iPhone into a wireless trackpad and keyboard for your Mac. Enjoy seamless control with low latency over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, replicating MacBook trackpad gestures and functionality. Works across all displays without complex setup.
- Wireless trackpad and keyboard control
- Low latency Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection
- MacBook-like gestures (scrolling, clicking, dragging)
- Pro features: right click, pinch to zoom, desktop switching
- On-screen keyboard with Mac modifiers
- Automatic Mac discovery and reconnection
- Multi-monitor pointer support
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Your iPhone is already a better trackpad than most mice. PadLinker connects it to your Mac over Wi‑Fi, or over Bluetooth when there's no network to share, and makes it feel like the one on your MacBook: gestures, right click, pinch, Spaces, keyboard. PadLinker is the trackpad, not a TV remote. Every touch is streamed to your Mac with low latency and turned into a real pointer, scroll or key event, so it works in every app and on every display, with nothing to configure. FEELS LIKE A MAC TRACKPAD One finger moves the pointer. Tap to click. Double-tap and hold to drag. Two fingers scroll, in any direction, at the speed you expect. If you have used a MacBook, your hands already know this. THE GESTURES YOU ACTUALLY USE (PadLinker Pro) Two-finger tap for right click. Pinch to zoom in and out. Swipe three fingers to switch desktops and Spaces, or tap the desktop buttons. Type on your Mac from your device, with Command, Option, Control and Shift toggles, plus arrows, Escape, Tab, Return and Delete. Set the pointer speed and swipe sensitivity to match your hands. FINDS YOUR MAC ON ITS OWN Open the app and your Mac appears. No account, no cable. Put the phone down and pick it up later; it reconnects by itself. Everything stays between your two devices. There are no servers, and no data is collected. WI‑FI OR BLUETOOTH On the same Wi‑Fi network, PadLinker connects over Wi‑Fi for the lowest latency. On a train, in a café or a hotel where the network won't let devices talk, or with Wi‑Fi off, it connects over Bluetooth instead. Both radios are searched at once, your Mac shows up once, and the app picks Wi‑Fi whenever it can. If a Bluetooth pairing request appears the first time, confirm it on both devices. EVERY DISPLAY, ONE POINTER The pointer moves across all monitors connected to your Mac, exactly as the built-in trackpad would. THE MAC SIDE IS FREE Download the free Mac app at https://padlinker.com/download. It lives in the menu bar, asks once for the standard macOS Accessibility permission, and needs nothing else. PAY ONCE, OR NOT AT ALL The pointer, clicking, dragging, scrolling, Bluetooth and multi-monitor support are free with no time limit. PadLinker Pro is one purchase that unlocks right click, pinch to zoom, desktop switching, the keyboard and tuning. It is not a subscription. It covers every iPhone and iPad on your Apple ID, supports Family Sharing, and never expires. WHERE IT EARNS ITS PLACE A Mac mini or Mac Studio with no trackpad on the desk. A MacBook plugged into the TV, driven from the couch. A laptop propped out of reach while you draw, read or cook. A demo where you want to walk around the room. A train seat with no Wi‑Fi. The afternoon the mouse dies. WHAT YOU NEED iPhone or iPad on iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 or later. A Mac on macOS 14 Sonoma or later running the free Mac app. Both on the same Wi‑Fi network, or with Bluetooth on and within range. PadLinker controls a Mac only, directly between your devices. It does not work with Windows PCs, Apple TV or smart TVs. Bluetooth is a fallback: Wi‑Fi is the faster path whenever both devices can use it.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SystemFab Remote at none against PadLinker'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
Both are free to download. PadLinker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SystemFab Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | SystemFab Remote | PadLinker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jan Hendrik Ellermann | A&A GLOBAL INTERNATIONAL |
In-app purchases
SystemFab Remote
No in-app purchases
PadLinker
- PadLinker Pro$9.99
Questions
Is SystemFab Remote free?
Is PadLinker free?
Do SystemFab Remote or PadLinker have ads?
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