Dataplicity vs MXa
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dataplicity
Access your Raspberry Pi shell remotely from any network without complex configurations like dynamic DNS or port forwarding. This secure solution uses a client-initiated connection, eliminating the need for SSH or open ports on your device.
- Remote shell access
- No dynamic DNS needed
- No port forwarding required
- Works behind NAT/firewalls
- Secure websockets connection
- No SSH required
- Agent runs without root
Read full descriptionHide full description
Dataplicity helps teams support connected Linux devices after they ship, wherever the work happens. Use the Dataplicity iOS app to find the right device, check live status, and take the next support action without going back to a laptop. With Dataplicity you can: - Search enrolled devices by name or ID - See current device status at a glance - Review service endpoint, heartbeat, user impact, and device monitor signals - Acknowledge or escalate open incidents - Confirm fixes when work is complete - Open terminal access for a selected device when shell access is the fastest path - Reach docs, help, and account settings from the app Dataplicity is built for real support work: customer sites, production floors, field visits, and incident response. Start with the easy checks, understand what is happening, and keep the work moving from your iPhone or iPad. Dataplicity access requires an active Dataplicity account and enrolled devices.
MXa
Read full descriptionHide full description
MXa turns your iPhone or iPad into a screen and a keyboard for a computer you own. You see the whole desktop, exactly as it is on the machine itself, and you drive all of it: move the pointer, click, scroll, type, send keyboard shortcuts, copy and paste between the two devices. Nothing is installed into the apps you work with over there. Getting in takes two numbers. The other machine shows a 9-digit ID and a 6-digit code; you type them here once. No account to create, no email to leave, no VPN to configure, no router port to open. On the same Wi-Fi the two devices talk directly and the picture never leaves your network. Over distance they meet at a relay that only moves bytes — the 6-digit code never crosses the wire, and the keys are derived at the two ends, so what passes through the middle cannot be read there. The picture is H.264 at 30 frames per second, encoded by the hardware at the far end. On a thin connection the bitrate drops instead of the picture freezing. Lose signal, switch Wi-Fi, lock the screen and come back: the session rebuilds itself. Made for a finger, not for a mouse pretending to be one. Tap where you want the pointer, drag to scroll, pinch to zoom into a corner of a large desktop. The shortcut row sits on the software keyboard, so Command-Tab and Command-Q are one tap away instead of a hunt. Also here: a clipboard shared both ways, several displays to switch between, and text in Vietnamese or any other Unicode script typed straight through. WHAT YOU NEED A computer you own, running macOS 14 Sonoma or later, with the free MXa desktop app on it — and this device. Both ends are the same connection: no server to rent, no ports to open. On your own network there is no time limit. Over the internet a session ends after a while unless the machine you are reaching has been activated.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: Dataplicity at 4 against MXa's 2. Dataplicity also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Dataplicity | MXa |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (163 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 163 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | MachineForest Ltd | Duy Pham |
Bugs and requests
Dataplicity
Reported bugs
8 issues- App crashes before any action can be taken
- App crashes when trying to add a system/device
- In-call status bar pushes terminal down, hiding part of the special function keyboard
- Third-party keyboards of different heights block the bottom half of the special function keyboard
- App does not auto-scroll or allow manual scrolling on screen
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Cannot connect to Pi from auto-connect or command line
- Custom actions are not always working
- Unreachable devices remain unreachable, no way to delete them
Requested features
7 requests- Add a widget for one-click access to custom actions
- Add proper keyboard support with control, tab, escape keys
- Allow font size adjustment
- Improve terminal colors
- Allow landscape mode for the terminal
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Add a dark mode option
- Improve bandwidth offerings on paid subscriptions
MXa
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Dataplicity
No in-app purchases
MXa
No in-app purchases









