Comparison

NoMachine vs Desktop Computer by Shells

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Remote PC/Mac access
  • High-speed performance
  • HD video and audio streaming
  • File transfer
  • Remote administration
  • Access behind firewalls
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Cloud virtual desktop access
  • Daily computing tasks
  • Document editing and creation
  • Access desktop applications
  • Audio and video content creation
  • Internet browsing
Read full description

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

NoMachine4 screens
Desktop Computer by Shells4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
NoMachine versus Desktop Computer by Shells: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNoMachineDesktop Computer by Shells
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (125 ratings)3.4 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.1% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings125 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 7 months—
AdsNo—
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better13.4
Further details — not scored
Size121 MB25 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperNoMachine S.à r.l.E Shells Inc.

Customer experience

NoMachine

All ratings125 ratings
Positive46.4%
Neutral8.8%
Negative44.8%
Written reviews116 reviews
Positive37.1%
Neutral8.6%
Negative54.3%

Desktop Computer by Shells

All ratings12 ratings
Positive58.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

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
Show 15 more
  • 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
Show 11 more
  • 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

None

NoMachine

No in-app purchases

None

Desktop Computer by Shells

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NoMachine free?
NoMachine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Desktop Computer by Shells free?
Desktop Computer by Shells is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NoMachine or Desktop Computer by Shells?
Desktop Computer by Shells is rated higher. NoMachine averages 3.0 out of 5 from 125 ratings, while Desktop Computer by Shells averages 3.4 from 12 ratings.

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