Disclosure: we make SofaDeck, which is included as a third option. Facts about the other products were checked on their makers' own sites on 10 October 2026 and can change — confirm before you buy.
Unified Remote and Remote Mouse are the two best-known ways to turn a phone into a mouse and keyboard for a Windows PC or Mac. Both run a small helper on the computer and an app on the phone, both have free versions, and both work over your home Wi-Fi. They differ in how much they try to do. This page compares them honestly and shows when a button-and-voice remote is the better tool.
Side by side
| Unified Remote | Remote Mouse | SofaDeck (ours) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main idea | A remote for nearly every app | The best phone trackpad | Big buttons + voice |
| Trackpad & keyboard | Yes | Yes, plus gyroscope air mouse | Yes (Windows, free) |
| App remotes | 18 free, 40+ in Full | Media and app panels | Any app, file, site or shortcut as a button |
| Voice | Full version | Voice typing | Voice commands, free |
| Phone needs | App | App | Browser only |
| Computer | Windows, Mac, Linux, Raspberry Pi | Windows, Mac, Linux | Windows 10/11, macOS 11+ |
| Cost | Free; Full about $4.99–$5.99 once per platform | Free; some extras paid | Free; Pro $9.99 once (license key $6.99) |
Unified Remote: breadth
Unified Remote has a remote for almost everything: Spotify, Netflix, media players, a file browser, power controls including Wake-on-LAN, and IR blasters for the TV. The free version already covers mouse, keyboard, media and power; the Full version adds the premium remotes, custom remotes, widgets and voice. The trade-off is navigation — you switch between remotes rather than keep one screen — and the Full version is bought per phone platform, so an iPhone and an Android tablet each need it.
Remote Mouse: the pointer
Remote Mouse does less, and does the pointer very well: multi-touch gestures, a keyboard with voice typing, a gyroscope air mouse, media and presentation panels, power options and clipboard sync. If most of what you do from the couch is moving a cursor and typing a search, it's the more pleasant of the two.
When buttons beat a trackpad
From across a room, steering a pointer is slow. Most evenings come down to the same dozen actions: play/pause, volume, open Netflix or Steam, full screen, next episode, sleep. SofaDeck turns each into a big labeled button you can hit without looking, and every button also answers to its name by voice. The phone needs no app — anyone in the house scans the QR code and types the PIN — and on Windows it still has a trackpad and keyboard for the odd click. Many people keep a trackpad app and a button deck; they don't conflict.
Direct installer .exe · 3.7 MB Store version signed by Microsoft No account Local network only Signed updates SofaDeck installs on your Windows PC. Your phone is the remote — it works in the phone’s browser.One email from support@dixonappstudio.com. No list unless you tick the box. PrivacyOr on your PC, go to sofadeck.com/getRelated: Unified Remote alternatives, PC remote apps compared and use your phone as a mouse and keyboard.
SofaDeck is made by Dixon App Studio LLC and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Touch Portal, Macro Deck, Unified Remote, Remote Mouse or any other product named here. All trademarks belong to their owners.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Unified Remote or Remote Mouse better?
Unified Remote is broader: ready-made remotes for many apps (18 free, more in the paid Full version), power and Wake-on-LAN, and a helper for Windows, Mac, Linux and Raspberry Pi. Remote Mouse is simpler and focused on the trackpad and keyboard, with gestures and a gyroscope air mouse. Pick Unified Remote for breadth, Remote Mouse for the nicest pointer.
Are Unified Remote and Remote Mouse free?
Both have free versions. Unified Remote's Full version is a one-time purchase per phone platform (about $4.99–$5.99); Remote Mouse is a free download with some paid extras.
Do I need an app on my phone?
Yes for both: each uses a phone app plus a helper program on the computer. SofaDeck is the exception — it opens in the phone's browser after a QR scan and PIN.
Which works best for a TV or home-theater PC?
For pointing and clicking, either trackpad app. For the handful of things you do every night — pause, volume, open Netflix, full screen, sleep — big labeled buttons and voice commands are faster from across the room, which is what SofaDeck is built for.