Duet Display vs ScreenExtend
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Extra display for Mac & PC
- Lag-free performance
- Touch and gesture support
- Apple Pencil integration
- Professional drawing tools
- Portable productivity
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#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
ScreenExtend
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Turn your iPad or iPhone into a second HD screen for your Mac – no Wi-Fi, no lag, with an ultra-stable wired connection. ScreenExtend is the ideal alternative to other similar apps: simple, fast, and compatible with all iOS 16+ and macOS 14+ devices. Increase your productivity wherever you are by connecting your iPad or iPhone as a secondary display via the charging cable. With our app, you can use your iPhone or iPad as a second screen for your Mac. Perfect for designers, developers, students, and professionals looking for a smooth, responsive, and seamless screen extension. KEY FEATURES: • Stable wired connection: No Wi-Fi required. Just connect your device to your Mac and get started. • No lag: Smooth video, instant response. Also ideal for presentations or multitasking. • High definition: Sharp and responsive display, like a real external monitor. • Universal Compatibility: Works with all iPhones/iPads with iOS 16.0+ and Macs with macOS 14.0+. • One-Minute Setup: Download the free desktop app at screenextend.com and follow the instructions. Download ScreenExtend today and revolutionize the way you work! In-App Purchases ScreenExtend includes additional features available via in-app purchase. All payments are handled directly by the App Store. For support, visit: • https://www.creact.it/eula/ • https://www.creact.it/privacy-policy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: ScreenExtend at none against Duet Display's shown. ScreenExtend also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Duet Display's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On price 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. Duet Display sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and ScreenExtend sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Duet Display ships an update every 3 weeks, ScreenExtend weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Duet Display | ScreenExtend |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (49K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 49K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 69 MB | 31 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Duet, Inc. | Creact SRL |
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
ScreenExtend
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Duet Display
- Duet Starter (Monthly)$3.991 Month
- Duet Air (Monthly)7 Days trial$5.991 Month
- Duet Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
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- Duet Starter (Annual)$39.991 Year
- Duet Air (Annual)7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Duet Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$79.991 Year
ScreenExtend
- ScreenExtend Monthly$2.991 Month
Questions
Is Duet Display free?
Is ScreenExtend free?
Do Duet Display or ScreenExtend have ads?
Which is updated more often, Duet Display or ScreenExtend?
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