Comparison

Duet Display vs DeskIn Remote Desktop

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

Head to head
About

Duet Display

Transform your iPad or iPhone into an advanced, lag-free extra display for your Mac or PC. Interact with your computer using touch and gestures, and unlock professional drawing capabilities with Apple Pencil support.

Highlights
  • Extra display for Mac & PC
  • Lag-free performance
  • Touch and gesture support
  • Apple Pencil integration
  • Professional drawing tools
  • Portable productivity
Read full description

#1 best-selling iPad app in US, Japan, UK, Germany, and 17 other countries! Duet turns your iPad or iPhone into the most advanced extra display for your Mac & PC. Developed by a team of ex-Apple engineers, Duet offers unparalleled performance and display quality - all with zero lag. — DO MORE — Be twice as productive by multitasking with two screens. And for those that travel, have a portable way to stay productive. — INCREDIBLY SIMPLE — To get started, plug your iPad into your desktop using your charging cable. The free Duet desktop app will automatically detect your device, and transform it into a high performance touchscreen display. There’s no need to worry about unreliable Wi-Fi, laggy performance, pixelated screens or managing network passwords. — TOUCHSCREEN — Interact with Mac & PC like never before, with touch & gestures, including two-finger scrolling, pan and zoom. And with our latest release, you can even add a touch bar to any iPad with any Mac. — PERFECT FOR APPLE PENCIL — With Duet Pro, you can turn your iPad and Apple Pencil into a professional graphics tablet. We’ve re-engineered our rendering algorithms for ultra-responsive drawing, optimized specifically for designers, illustrators and artists. Duet Pro also unlocks pressure & tilt sensitivity, hover, palm rejection, and more to seamlessly draw in the most powerful programs for professionals. Get precise control in Photoshop, Corel Painter, Lightroom, ToonBoom, Illustrator, Manga Studio and more.  — PRESS — TechCrunch - "Feels Like Magic" TIME - "Getting Work Done Faster and More Efficiently" The Guardian - "Lag-free" Forbes - "The simple thing to note is this...Duet Display works." The Verge - "Glorious Fluidity" Lifehacker - "It's fast, easy to use, and works great" Business Insider - "Zero lag and true retina resolution” Wall Street Journal - “It’s as easy as just plugging it in" — REVIEWS — “Awesome! My iPad Pro can be an extra monitor! Cool app” ~CEO of T-Mobile, John Legere “Very smooth and responsive indeed, plus you could use the touch screen to “click” on screen interfaces!” ~Photographer, Lok Cheung “Love the ability to use my iPad as a monitor with Duet.” ~Former Chief Evangelist of Apple, Guy Kawasaki “Just started using this app called Duet… Kinda love it so far.” ~Comedian and Youtube, Phillip DeFranco “All my mac folks look at the Duet app… GREAT!” ~Actor and Comedian, Sinbad  "I really like the app, I suppose the biggest compliment I can give is that it's so easy to setup it almost seems like an Apple product.” ~Early Adopter, M. Nightingale "Amazing solution for me by the way. Works as I was hoping for and actually my main reason for getting an iPad : )” ~Early Adopter, M. Gemzoe Duet Works With: All iPhones and iPads with iOS 7.0 and later All Macs with 10.9 (Mavericks) and later All PCs with Windows 7 and later Duet Pro Works With: All iPad Pros with Apple Pencil All Macs with 10.9 (Mavericks) and later All PCs with Windows 8.1 and later (64 bit) Duet Pro is an optional upgrade for additional features, and price may vary by location. Duet Pro subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will not be able to cancel the subscription once activated. Manage Duet Pro in Account Settings after the optional upgrade. Learn more at http://www.duetdisplay.com Terms: https://www.duetdisplay.com/help-center/duet-terms-and-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.duetdisplay.com/help-center/duet-privacy-policy

About

DeskIn Remote Desktop

Access and control your computers and mobile devices from anywhere with a fast, secure, and stable remote connection. Share files, provide IT support, or enjoy remote gaming with ultra-HD resolution and low latency.

Highlights
  • Cross-Platform Remote Access
  • Secure Unattended Access
  • File Transfer & Sync
  • Quick Remote IT Support
  • Screen Mirroring & Extension
  • Remote Gaming
Features
Read full description

DeskIn is a free remote desktop app delivering fast, secure, stable remote access for personal use. Control one or multiple remote devices from your iPad or iPhone with a high-performance connection. Whether you're working remotely, offering IT support, studying, designing, or helping family, DeskIn keeps you productive. A powerful alternative to Windows App, Splashtop, AnyDesk, Parsec, Moonlight, and Unified Remote. Why DeskIn? Feature-Rich Remote access, file transfer, screenshare, screen extension, real-time voice chat, mobile control, remote play, and remote support—built for both work and entertainment. Excellent Performance 4K60FPS / 2K144FPS ultra-HD resolution and 40ms latency for a smooth experience in gaming and design. Fast & Stable 12MB/s file transfer speed and a stable connection that holds up even in low-bandwidth environments. Cross-Platform Seamless access across Windows, macOS, iOS, and more. Secure & Flexible Bank-level E2E encryption, two-factor authentication, allow/block lists, and custom passwords for unattended access. What You Can Do with DeskIn • Cross-Platform Remote Access Access and control Windows 10/11 and Mac computers, plus mobile clients, from your iPhone or iPad. A full-featured alternative to Microsoft Remote Desktop and RDP. • Secure Unattended Access Set passwords for unattended access and enable privacy mode to hide remote screens—ideal for always-on mobile work and PC remote sessions. • File Transfer & Sync Transfer files between phone and PC with no format or size limits. Send documents, images, or videos, and print remote files locally. • Quick Remote IT Support Use quicksupport and quickconnect for fast IT help. Run CMD or SSH commands remotely. Offer Apple or Airdroid-style remote support. Wake-on-LAN (WOL), start, shut down, or troubleshoot systems instantly. • Remote Work & Collaboration A perfect mobile work and remote access tool. Share clipboards, annotate, and communicate during sessions. Works seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Access, and other enterprise tools. • Screen Mirroring & Extension Cast or extend your screen to PC, Mac, tablets, or even a remote TV. The simplest screenshare and screen extension solution—no shared network required. • Mobile Control & App Remote Control mobile devices from your computer via virtual phone or app remote, turning your PC into a touchpad or remote link. • Remote Gaming Play Steam or PC games on iPhone or iPad with customizable keyboard/gamepad. Low-latency remote play with 3D game view—a powerful Parsec and Moonlight alternative. • Remote Design & Creative Work Built for designers—true-color 4:4:4 display, digital pen support, and seamless drawing tablet input. • Virtual Screens & Multi-Session Create virtual screens for multitasking or separate workspaces, extending desktop sessions beyond hardware limits. DeskIn is the best free remote desktop software for iPhone and iPad. Whether you need remote desktop control, mobile client access, remote support, or screen mirroring, DeskIn delivers it all in one app. Compatible with third-party tools like Microsoft Teams, Quick Remote, Touchpad, and Remote Link. Quick Start Guide 1 Install DeskIn on both devices. 2 Sign in and enter the remote device's ID and password. 3 You're connected—start your remote session. DeskIn is free for personal and commercial use. We also offer an advanced Enterprise Edition—visit deskin.io for more. Questions or suggestions? Contact support@deskin.io Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Duet Display3 screens
DeskIn Remote Desktop4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: DeskIn Remote Desktop at none against Duet Display's shown. DeskIn Remote Desktop also leads on review sentiment (68% vs 46%). Duet Display's advantage is ratings volume (49K vs 339). On price, rating, update cadence 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. Duet Display sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and DeskIn Remote Desktop sells 26 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DeskIn Remote Desktop holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duet Display has 49K ratings behind it against 339, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 46% of Duet Display's written reviews are positive against 68% of DeskIn Remote Desktop's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Duet Display versus DeskIn Remote Desktop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDuet DisplayDeskIn Remote Desktop
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (49K ratings)4.6 (339 ratings) — better
Positive reviews45.5% of reviews68.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings49K — better339
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDuet, Inc.ZULER TECHNOLOGY PTE. LTD.

Customer experience

Duet Display

All ratings48,585 ratings
Positive86.2%
Neutral3.1%
Negative10.7%
Written reviews2,378 reviews
Positive45.5%
Neutral6.7%
Negative47.8%

DeskIn Remote Desktop

All ratings339 ratings
Positive88.8%
Neutral0.3%
Negative10.9%
Written reviews85 reviews
Positive68.2%
Neutral1.2%
Negative30.6%

User reviews

Duet Display

From 49K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works seamlessly as a second screen
  • 👍 Useful for productivity and multitasking
  • 🎨 Great for artists and designers
  • 💻 Extends desktop to iPad
  • ⭐ Excellent customer support

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues and crashes
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 🔒 Subscription model for full functionality
  • 🔍 Confusing setup process
  • 💸 Expensive for the features provided

DeskIn Remote Desktop

From 339 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and smooth remote access
  • 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
  • 🔒 Reliable and secure connections
  • 💡 Versatile remote desktop capabilities
  • ⚡ Lag-free performance

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Compatibility issues with iOS/iPad
  • 💰 Expensive subscription plans
  • 🔑 Unclear login/account setup process

Bugs and requests

Duet Display

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incompatibility with certain software and drivers
  • Laggy performance and input delays
  • Unreliable connection and frequent disconnects

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved resolution and scaling options
  • Better support for older devices and Windows
  • More customization and control over settings
  • Wireless connectivity without subscription

DeskIn Remote Desktop

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Sudden charges without permission
  • Crashes and freezes on certain devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Mac app support
  • Free tier with more features
  • Improved account management options

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Duet Display

Subscriptions6
  • Duet Starter (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • Duet Air (Monthly)7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Duet Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Duet Starter (Annual)$39.991 Year
  • Duet Air (Annual)7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Duet Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$79.991 Year
26 purchases

DeskIn Remote Desktop

Subscriptions8
  • Android Remote Control Add-on$7.991 Month
  • Android Remote Control Add-on$8.991 Month
  • DeskIn Standard$9.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • DeskIn Gaming Plan$24.991 Month
  • Extra Channel Add-on2 variants$34.991 Month
  • DeskIn Performance Plan$39.991 Month
  • DeskIn Standard$49.991 Year
  • DeskIn Gaming Plan$129.991 Year
One-time18
  • Virtual Screen$2.99
  • Virtual Screen$3.99
  • Root-free Mobile Device$9.69
Show 15 more
  • Root-free Mobile Device$10.90
  • DeskIn Standard$11.90
  • Pen Tablet Re-direction$12.99
  • Multi-multi Screen$12.99
  • High Performance$14.99
  • Pen Tablet Re-direction$14.99
  • Multi-multi Screen$14.99
  • True Color$17.99
  • True Color$19.99
  • DeskIn Gaming$29.90
  • Extra Channel2 variants$41.99
  • DeskIn Performance$47.90
  • DeskIn Standard Plan$59.99
  • Root-free Mobile Device$66.90
  • Root-free Mobile Device$74.90

Questions

Is Duet Display free?
Duet Display is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DeskIn Remote Desktop free?
DeskIn Remote Desktop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Duet Display or DeskIn Remote Desktop?
DeskIn Remote Desktop is rated higher. Duet Display averages 4.4 out of 5 from 49K ratings, while DeskIn Remote Desktop averages 4.6 from 339 ratings.
Do Duet Display or DeskIn Remote Desktop have ads?
Duet Display shows ads; DeskIn Remote Desktop does not.
Which is updated more often, Duet Display or DeskIn Remote Desktop?
Duet Display ships an update every 3 weeks, and DeskIn Remote Desktop every 3 weeks. Most recently, Duet Display was updated on September 27, 2026 and DeskIn Remote Desktop on September 24, 2026.

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