Comparison

NoMachine vs PlugOS

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

PlugOS

This app securely connects to dedicated hardware for managing sensitive data locally. It ensures privacy by processing and storing all information on the device, without internet access or cloud reliance. Enjoy a secure and private digital experience for various applications.

Highlights
  • Local data processing and storage
  • Hardware-level security isolation
  • No internet connection required
  • Device authentication and status checking
  • Firmware updates
  • Resistant to complex attacks
Features
Read full description

Say goodbye to the worries of data leakage and privacy invasion! PlugOS App is the official companion application for PlugOS smart security hardware, allowing users to securely connect and manage PlugOS devices on their iPhone. PlugOS device is a fingertip-sized smart security hardware equipped with local storage and a dedicated computing unit, designed specifically to provide a secure and private data operation experience. With PlugOS App, you can easily complete device authentication, status checking, secure data display, parameter settings, and firmware updates. All sensitive data is processed and stored locally on the PlugOS device, ensuring that data does not touch the ground, leave traces, or connect to the internet. Core Features 【Hardware Isolation, Pure Security】 All your sensitive operations and data processing are carried out within the secure chip inside the PlugOS hardware, completely physically isolated from your mobile phone or computer device. No data traces are left, no internet connection is made, and no cloud storage is involved, ensuring that your information is always in your control. 【Ultimate Privacy, Never Tracked】 PlugOS adheres to its commitment to privacy: we do not collect any of your user data, do not track your usage behavior, and will never have any advertising disturbances. You can enjoy a truly pure and private digital space on any PlugOS-supported device, including iOS. 【Convenient and Flexible, Plug and Play】 By connecting the hardware through the PlugOS App, you can access the secure services and private data content provided by PlugOS. The PlugOS App makes all this incredibly simple. 【Multifunctional Security Applications】 Whether you are engaging in private communication, managing digital assets, enjoying private audio and video, handling work secrets, or isolating applications, PlugOS can provide you with a secure, private, convenient, and feature-rich operating environment. 【Resistant to Complex Attacks】 The PlugOS hardware and App work together to effectively resist complex software and hardware attacks, ensuring that you can use it with peace of mind. Note: The PlugOS App is only compatible with PlugOS exclusive hardware and does not interfere with iOS security mechanisms. It fully complies with the App Store Review Guidelines.

Screenshots

NoMachine4 screens
PlugOS2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PlugOS at 3.7 against NoMachine's 3.0. PlugOS also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 7 months) and review sentiment (50% vs 37%). NoMachine's advantage is ratings volume (125 vs 3) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

PlugOS holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NoMachine has 125 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of NoMachine's written reviews are positive against 50% of PlugOS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NoMachine ships an update every 7 months, PlugOS monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 6, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
NoMachine versus PlugOS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNoMachinePlugOS
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (125 ratings)3.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.1% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings125 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size121 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNoMachine S.à r.l.Shanghai Pingbo Info Tech Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

NoMachine

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

PlugOS

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

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

PlugOS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

NoMachine

No in-app purchases

None

PlugOS

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NoMachine free?
NoMachine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PlugOS free?
PlugOS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, NoMachine or PlugOS?
PlugOS is rated higher. NoMachine averages 3.0 out of 5 from 125 ratings, while PlugOS averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do NoMachine or PlugOS have ads?
Neither NoMachine nor PlugOS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NoMachine or PlugOS?
NoMachine ships an update every 7 months, and PlugOS monthly. Most recently, NoMachine was updated on August 6, 2026 and PlugOS on September 14, 2026.

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