NoMachine vs Desktop Computer by Shells
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NoMachine
Access your PC or Mac remotely with lightning-fast speed. Control your computer from anywhere, stream media, play games, and provide support. Seamlessly work with all your files and applications as if you were physically present.
- Remote PC/Mac access
- High-speed performance
- HD video and audio streaming
- File transfer
- Remote administration
- Access behind firewalls
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Your computer, anywhere. With NoMachine, secure, fast remote access is always available no matter where you are, putting your files, documents, videos, and music right in the palm of your hand. Whether you're an individual accessing your desktop at home or an IT professional managing an entire infrastructure, NoMachine gives you instant access so you can stay connected to what matters most. The perfect travel companion, you can use it to: - Control your office and home computers remotely over any network as if you were sitting in front of them - Work with all your files, desktop applications and other programs all running on your computer elsewhere - Share and transfer files easily between devices - Manage unattended computers and provide on-the-go support to colleagues and friends - Enjoy your media, including HD movies, TV shows, and music - Play graphics-intensive games remotely with smooth performance Key features: - Connect to any computer, wherever it is - Sign in to NoMachine Network for easy remote connections - High-quality video and audio streaming - Bi-directional file transfer - Record any activity on the remote desktop - Intuitive touch and control gestures - Guest connections to share the desktop, no local account required - Remote terminal connections (from iPad) - Protect logins with 2FA through your iPhone or iPad Quick guide 1) Install this app. 2) Download NoMachine from our website and install it on the computer you want to access. 3) In the NoMachine for iOS GUI enter the IP of your computer or the Machine Id. 4) You must already have an account on the remote computer. Enter the credentials for your system account when prompted or use a guest account. 5) For more detailed instructions check the tutorial here: https://www.nomachine.com/getting-started-with-nomachine-for-ios.
Desktop Computer by Shells
Access your cloud-based virtual desktop for daily computing tasks. Edit documents, run desktop applications, create media content, and browse the web from anywhere. Requires an existing account.
- Cloud virtual desktop access
- Daily computing tasks
- Document editing and creation
- Access desktop applications
- Audio and video content creation
- Internet browsing
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The Shells™ App connects you to your Shells cloud computer. Shells™ provides a virtual desktop computer in the cloud. Shells cloud computers can be used for your daily computing needs from editing and creating documents, accessing desktop applications, creating audio and video content, and surfing the internet. You need an existing Shells account in order to use this app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Desktop Computer by Shells at 3.4 against NoMachine's 3.0. NoMachine's advantage is ratings volume (125 vs 12) and review sentiment (37% vs 25%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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.
Desktop Computer by Shells holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NoMachine has 125 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 37% of NoMachine's written reviews are positive against 25% of Desktop Computer by Shells's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
| Parameter | NoMachine | Desktop Computer by Shells |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (125 ratings) | 3.4 (12 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 37.1% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 125 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | — |
| Ads | No | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 13.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 121 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | NoMachine S.à r.l. | E Shells Inc. |
Customer experience
NoMachine
Desktop Computer by Shells
Bugs and requests
NoMachine
Reported bugs
20 issues- App hangs and freezes on startup with iOS 16+
- Screen display shifted to right with black bars on iPad
- Help/intro screen misplaced and cannot be dismissed
- App crashes when changing display resolution
- Stored settings lost after crashes
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- Magic Keyboard not recognized or working
- Trackpad two-finger scroll not functioning
- Keyboard input not registering properly
- First tap on input box ignored
- Mouse cursor lags significantly
- Blank screen when reconnecting
- App not compatible with M1/M2 iPad Pro
- Username field only accepts single letter
- External keyboard disconnection after connection
- App covers notch and hardware elements on iPhone
- Rotation to landscape causes black screen
- Network auto-discovery not working
- Connection settings not saved properly
- Text rendering fuzzy and blurry
- App unresponsive in portrait mode
Requested features
16 requests- App Store payment option instead of direct credit card
- Full iPad Pro native resolution support
- Magic Keyboard and external keyboard full support
- Two-factor authentication support
- Multi-monitor selection and switching
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- Portrait orientation support on iPad
- Bluetooth audio/AirPods support
- Auto-discovery of machines on network
- Stage Manager compatibility on iPad
- Chinese language support
- Screen keep-alive option for streaming
- Better display scaling and 1:1 pixel resolution
- Hardware acceleration for newer devices
- Trackpad gesture support (two-finger click)
- External monitor support with full resolution
- Improved keyboard layout with configurable keys
Desktop Computer by Shells
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NoMachine
No in-app purchases
Desktop Computer by Shells
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is NoMachine free?
Is Desktop Computer by Shells free?
Which has better reviews, NoMachine or Desktop Computer by Shells?
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