Comparison

NoMachine vs Synctrain

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

Synctrain

Securely synchronize files and folders between your devices. Stream audio and video directly from other devices. Manage file sharing permissions to control access to your data.

Highlights
  • Secure file synchronization
  • Full folder synchronization
  • Specific file selection
  • Audio and video streaming
  • Cross-device file mirroring
  • Customizable sharing permissions
Features
Read full description

With Synctrain you can securely synchronize files with other devices that have Syncthing installed. You can choose to synchronize full folders, or choose specific files. With Synctrain you can also stream audio and video files from other devices. When you synchronize files, all changes, including deleting files, also happen on your other devices. Do not use Synctrain for back-up purposes, and always keep a back-up of your data. You decide with which devices you share which files. This also means the app makers cannot help you access or recover any lost files. This app is powered by Syncthing. This app is however not associated with or endorsed by Syncthing nor its developers. Please do not expect support from the Syncthing developers. Instead, contact the maker of this app if you have questions.

Screenshots

NoMachine4 screens
Synctrain4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Synctrain at 89% against NoMachine's 37%. Synctrain also leads on rating (4.9 vs 3.0) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 7 months). NoMachine's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Synctrain holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 125 and 123 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of NoMachine's written reviews are positive against 89% of Synctrain's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NoMachine ships an update every 7 months, Synctrain every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
NoMachine versus Synctrain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNoMachineSynctrain
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (125 ratings)4.9 (123 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.1% of reviews89.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings125 — better123
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS9.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size121 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNoMachine S.à r.l.T-Shaped

Customer experience

NoMachine

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

Synctrain

All ratings123 ratings
Positive96.7%
Neutral1.6%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive89.5%
Neutral6.3%
Negative4.2%

User reviews

NoMachine

From 125 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent performance and speed compared to VNC and RDP
  • 💰 Free to use with no account creation required
  • 🔌 Works seamlessly across multiple platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS)
  • 🎮 Responsive mouse and keyboard controls when functioning properly
  • 📱 Effective remote access from mobile devices

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Critical iOS 16+ compatibility issues with screen display
  • ⚠️ Severely outdated app lacking recent updates
  • 🔧 Poor iPad Pro screen optimization and aspect ratio support
  • ⌨️ Magic Keyboard and external keyboard support broken
  • 🖱️ Trackpad functionality inconsistent

Synctrain

From 123 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Intuitive interface
  • 🚀 Seamless sync between devices
  • 🔓 Open-source and free
  • 💡 Integrates with iOS Files app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connection issues
  • 🔍 Could use more Apple-like design

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

Synctrain

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional app crashes
  • Sync delays on some devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • Direct photo/video sync to remote devices
  • Faster initial connection to server

In-app purchases

None

NoMachine

No in-app purchases

None

Synctrain

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NoMachine free?
NoMachine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Synctrain free?
Synctrain is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NoMachine or Synctrain?
Synctrain is rated higher. NoMachine averages 3.0 out of 5 from 125 ratings, while Synctrain averages 4.9 from 123 ratings.
Do NoMachine or Synctrain have ads?
Neither NoMachine nor Synctrain shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NoMachine or Synctrain?
NoMachine ships an update every 7 months, and Synctrain every 6 weeks. Most recently, NoMachine was updated on October 16, 2026 and Synctrain on October 15, 2026.

Other comparisons